diff --git a/src/apps/stylededit/StyledEditView.cpp b/src/apps/stylededit/StyledEditView.cpp
index 59a0e335f5..66e17a8f3a 100644
--- a/src/apps/stylededit/StyledEditView.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/stylededit/StyledEditView.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ StyledEditView::StyledEditView(BRect viewFrame, BRect textBounds,
 
 	fMessenger = new BMessenger(handler);
 	fSuppressChanges = false;
+
+	// disallow most control characters
+	for (uint32 i = 0; i < B_SPACE; ++i) {
+		if (i != B_TAB && i != B_ENTER)
+			this->DisallowChar(i);
+	}
 }