diff --git a/modules/ve/actions/ve.IndentationAction.js b/modules/ve/actions/ve.IndentationAction.js
index 2d08551adb..3aa8b860a8 100644
--- a/modules/ve/actions/ve.IndentationAction.js
+++ b/modules/ve/actions/ve.IndentationAction.js
@@ -40,9 +40,11 @@ ve.IndentationAction.static.methods = ['increase', 'decrease'];
  * TODO: Refactor functionality into {ve.dm.SurfaceFragment}.
  *
  * @method
+ * @returns {Boolean} Indentation increase occured
  */
 ve.IndentationAction.prototype.increase = function () {
 	var i, group,
+		increased = false,
 		surfaceModel = this.surface.getModel(),
 		documentModel = surfaceModel.getDocument(),
 		selection = surfaceModel.getSelection(),
@@ -53,8 +55,10 @@ ve.IndentationAction.prototype.increase = function () {
 		if ( group.grandparent && group.grandparent.getType() === 'list' ) {
 			// FIXME this doesn't work when trying to work with multiple list items
 			this.indentListItem( group.parent );
+			increased = true;
 		}
 	}
+	return increased;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -63,9 +67,11 @@ ve.IndentationAction.prototype.increase = function () {
  * TODO: Refactor functionality into {ve.dm.SurfaceFragment}.
  *
  * @method
+ * @returns {Boolean} Indentation decrease occured
  */
 ve.IndentationAction.prototype.decrease = function () {
 	var i, group,
+		decreased = false,
 		surfaceModel = this.surface.getModel(),
 		documentModel = surfaceModel.getDocument(),
 		selection = surfaceModel.getSelection(),
@@ -76,8 +82,10 @@ ve.IndentationAction.prototype.decrease = function () {
 		if ( group.grandparent && group.grandparent.getType() === 'list' ) {
 			// FIXME this doesn't work when trying to work with multiple list items
 			this.outdentListItem( group.parent );
+			decreased = true;
 		}
 	}
+	return decreased;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Surface.js b/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Surface.js
index eeb6fbdaed..2f47e140bc 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Surface.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Surface.js
@@ -423,20 +423,6 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onKeyDown = function ( e ) {
 		hasSlug,
 		newOffset;
 	switch ( e.keyCode ) {
-		// Tab Key
-		case 9:
-			// If possible, trigger a list indent/outdent
-			// FIXME this way of checking whether indenting is possible is extremely hacky
-			// Instead, we should allow toolbar tools to subscribe to and intercept keydowns
-			if ( $( '.ve-ui-toolbarButtonTool-indent' ).is( ':not(.ve-ui-toolbarButtonTool-disabled)' ) ) {
-				e.preventDefault();
-				if ( e.shiftKey ) {
-					ve.ui.IndentationButtonTool.outdentListItem( this.model );
-				} else {
-					ve.ui.IndentationButtonTool.indentListItem( this.model );
-				}
-			}
-			break;
 		// Left arrow
 		case 37:
 			offset = this.model.getSelection().start;
diff --git a/modules/ve/ve.Action.js b/modules/ve/ve.Action.js
index e2a3f127b4..0de65d19b4 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ve.Action.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ve.Action.js
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ ve.Action.static = {};
  * To avoid use of methods not intended to be executed via surface.execute(), the methods must be
  * whitelisted here. This information is checked by ve.Surface before executing an action.
  *
+ * If a method returns a value, it will be cast to boolean and be used to determine if the action
+ * was canceled. Not returning anything, or returning undefined will be treated the same as
+ * returning true. A canceled action will yield to other default behavior. For example, when
+ * triggering an action from a keystroke, a canceled action will allow normal insertion behavior to
+ * be carried out.
+ *
  * @static
  * @member
  */
diff --git a/modules/ve/ve.CommandRegistry.js b/modules/ve/ve.CommandRegistry.js
index 4e46c41306..0fe11b237a 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ve.CommandRegistry.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ve.CommandRegistry.js
@@ -66,3 +66,5 @@ ve.commandRegistry.register(
 ve.commandRegistry.register( 'link', ['cmd+k', 'ctrl+k'], 'inspector', 'open', 'link' );
 ve.commandRegistry.register( 'undo', ['cmd+z', 'ctrl+z'], 'history', 'undo' );
 ve.commandRegistry.register( 'redo', ['cmd+shift+z', 'ctrl+shift+z'], 'history', 'redo' );
+ve.commandRegistry.register( 'indent', ['tab'], 'indentation', 'increase' );
+ve.commandRegistry.register( 'unindent', ['shift+tab'], 'indentation', 'decrease' );
diff --git a/modules/ve/ve.Surface.js b/modules/ve/ve.Surface.js
index 2915d2fe65..c3f651d4ba 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ve.Surface.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ve.Surface.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ ve.Surface.defaultOptions = {
 		}
 	},
 	// Items can either be symbolic names or objects with trigger and action properties
-	'commands': ['bold', 'italic', 'link', 'undo', 'redo']
+	'commands': ['bold', 'italic', 'link', 'undo', 'redo', 'indent', 'unindent']
 };
 
 /* Methods */
@@ -115,18 +115,19 @@ ve.Surface.prototype.getContext = function () {
  * @returns {Boolean} Action or command was executed
  */
 ve.Surface.prototype.execute = function ( action, method ) {
-	var trigger, obj;
+	var trigger, obj, ret;
 	if ( action instanceof ve.Command ) {
 		trigger = action.toString();
 		if ( trigger in this.commands ) {
-			this.execute.apply( this, this.commands[trigger] );
+			return this.execute.apply( this, this.commands[trigger] );
 		}
 	} else if ( typeof action === 'string' && typeof method === 'string' ) {
 		// Validate method
 		if ( ve.actionFactory.doesActionSupportMethod( action, method ) ) {
 			// Create an action object and execute the method on it
 			obj = ve.actionFactory.create( action, this );
-			obj[method].apply( obj, Array.prototype.slice.call( arguments, 2 ) );
+			ret = obj[method].apply( obj, Array.prototype.slice.call( arguments, 2 ) );
+			return ret === undefined || !!ret;
 		}
 	}
 	return false;