diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_Windowing_windows.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_Windowing_windows.cpp
index 3e4ca8748d..500dfa8dc6 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_Windowing_windows.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_Windowing_windows.cpp
@@ -2345,6 +2345,9 @@ public:
         if (focused == nullptr || focused->getPeer() != peer)
             return false;
 
+        if (TranslateMessage (&m))
+            return true;
+
         constexpr UINT keyMessages[] { WM_KEYDOWN,
                                        WM_KEYUP,
                                        WM_SYSKEYDOWN,
@@ -2361,8 +2364,6 @@ public:
         if (m.message == WM_CHAR)
             return peer->doKeyChar ((int) m.wParam, m.lParam);
 
-        TranslateMessage (&m);
-
         switch (m.message)
         {
             case WM_KEYDOWN: