diff --git a/qutebrowser/commands/keys.py b/qutebrowser/commands/keys.py
index eaca9825f..39a28ed65 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/commands/keys.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/commands/keys.py
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ import re
 
 from PyQt5.QtCore import QObject, pyqtSignal
 
-from qutebrowser.commands.utils import CommandParser, ArgumentCountError
+from qutebrowser.commands.utils import (CommandParser, ArgumentCountError,
+                                        NoSuchCommandError)
 
 class KeyParser(QObject):
     """Parser for vim-like key sequences"""
@@ -86,17 +87,15 @@ class KeyParser(QObject):
         count = int(countstr) if countstr else None
 
         try:
-            self.commandparser.parse(cmdstr_hay)
-        except ValueError:
+            self.commandparser.parse_check_run(cmdstr_hay, count=count,
+                                               ignore_exc=False)
+        except NoSuchCommandError:
             return
-        try:
-            self.commandparser.check()
         except ArgumentCountError:
             logging.debug('Filling statusbar with partial command {}'.format(
                 cmdstr_hay))
             self.set_cmd_text.emit(cmdstr_hay + ' ')
             return
-        self.commandparser.run(count=count)
 
     def _match_key(self, cmdstr_needle):
         """Tries to match a given cmdstr with any defined command"""
diff --git a/qutebrowser/commands/utils.py b/qutebrowser/commands/utils.py
index d1b64f497..a0a65674d 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/commands/utils.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/commands/utils.py
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ cmd_dict = {}
 class ArgumentCountError(TypeError):
     pass
 
+class NoSuchCommandError(ValueError):
+    pass
+
 def register_all():
     """Register and initialize all commands."""
     # We do this here to avoid a circular import, since commands.commands
@@ -43,7 +46,7 @@ class CommandParser(QObject):
             cmd = cmd_dict[cmdstr]
         except KeyError:
             self.error.emit("{}: no such command".format(cmdstr))
-            raise ValueError
+            raise NoSuchCommandError
 
         if len(parts) == 1:
             args = []
@@ -67,13 +70,16 @@ class CommandParser(QObject):
         else:
             self.cmd.run(self.args)
 
-    def parse_check_run(self, text, count=None):
+    def parse_check_run(self, text, count=None, ignore_exc=True):
         try:
             self.parse(text)
             self.check()
-        except (ArgumentCountError, ValueError):
-            return
-        self.run()
+        except (ArgumentCountError, NoSuchCommandError):
+            if ignore_exc:
+                return
+            else:
+                raise
+        self.run(count=count)
 
 class Command(QObject):
     """Base skeleton for a command. See the module help for