diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
index e034bd2b88..ad8493a966 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ class TagListEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagListEditor):
             self.string_contains = contains
 
         self.delete_button.clicked.connect(self.delete_tags)
+        self.table.delete_pressed.connect(self.delete_pressed)
         self.rename_button.clicked.connect(self.rename_tag)
         self.undo_button.clicked.connect(self.undo_edit)
         self.table.itemDoubleClicked.connect(self._rename_tag)
@@ -452,6 +453,10 @@ class TagListEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagListEditor):
         else:
             self.table.editItem(item)
 
+    def delete_pressed(self):
+        if self.table.currentColumn() == 0:
+            self.delete_tags()
+
     def delete_tags(self):
         deletes = self.table.selectedItems()
         if not deletes:
@@ -460,41 +465,26 @@ class TagListEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagListEditor):
             return
 
         to_del = []
-        to_undel = []
         for item in deletes:
-            if item.is_deleted:
-                to_undel.append(item)
-            else:
+            if not item.is_deleted:
                 to_del.append(item)
+
         if to_del:
             ct = ', '.join([unicode_type(item.text()) for item in to_del])
             if not confirm(
                 '<p>'+_('Are you sure you want to delete the following items?')+'<br>'+ct,
                 'tag_list_editor_delete'):
                 return
-        if to_undel:
-            ct = ', '.join([unicode_type(item.text()) for item in to_undel])
-            if not confirm(
-                '<p>'+_('Are you sure you want to undelete the following items?')+'<br>'+ct,
-                'tag_list_editor_undelete'):
-                return
+
         row = self.table.row(deletes[0])
+        self.table.blockSignals(True)
         for item in deletes:
-            if item.is_deleted:
-                item.set_is_deleted(False)
-                self.to_delete.discard(int(item.data(Qt.UserRole)))
-                orig = self.table.item(item.row(), 2)
-                self.table.blockSignals(True)
-                orig.setData(Qt.DisplayRole, '')
-                self.table.blockSignals(False)
-            else:
-                id = int(item.data(Qt.UserRole))
-                self.to_delete.add(id)
-                item.set_is_deleted(True)
-                orig = self.table.item(item.row(), 2)
-                self.table.blockSignals(True)
-                orig.setData(Qt.DisplayRole, item.initial_text())
-                self.table.blockSignals(False)
+            id_ = int(item.data(Qt.UserRole))
+            self.to_delete.add(id_)
+            item.set_is_deleted(True)
+            orig = self.table.item(item.row(), 2)
+            orig.setData(Qt.DisplayRole, item.initial_text())
+        self.table.blockSignals(False)
         if row >= self.table.rowCount():
             row = self.table.rowCount() - 1
         if row >= 0:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.ui
index 031e0e2d39..a0373d32c6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.ui
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@
     </layout>
    </item>
    <item row="2" column="1" colspan="4">
-    <widget class="QTableWidget" name="table">
+    <widget class="TleTableWidget" name="table">
      <property name="alternatingRowColors">
       <bool>true</bool>
      </property>
@@ -224,6 +224,12 @@
    <extends>QLineEdit</extends>
    <header>calibre/gui2/widgets.h</header>
   </customwidget>
+  <customwidget>
+   <class>TleTableWidget</class>
+   <extends>QTableWidget</extends>
+   <header>calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor_table_widget.h</header>
+   <container>1</container>
+  </customwidget>
  </customwidgets>
  <resources>
   <include location="../../../../resources/images.qrc"/>
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor_table_widget.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor_table_widget.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dbda379bbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor_table_widget.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python2
+# vim:fileencoding=utf-8
+# License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2008, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals
+
+from PyQt5.Qt import (Qt, QTableWidget, pyqtSignal)
+
+class TleTableWidget(QTableWidget):
+
+    delete_pressed = pyqtSignal()
+
+    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+        QTableWidget.__init__(self, parent=parent)
+
+    def keyPressEvent(self, event):
+        if event.key() == Qt.Key_Delete:
+            self.delete_pressed.emit()
+            event.accept()
+            return
+        return QTableWidget.keyPressEvent(self, event)