--- thunar-tree-view.c	2014-11-07 03:34:15.179243886 +0000
+++ thunar-tree-view_new.c	2014-11-07 03:33:45.859244862 +0000
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@
                                                                                GdkEventButton          *event);
 static gboolean                 thunar_tree_view_button_release_event         (GtkWidget               *widget,
                                                                                GdkEventButton          *event);
+static gboolean                 thunar_tree_view_key_press_event              (GtkWidget               *widget,
+                                                                               GdkEventKey             *event);
 static void                     thunar_tree_view_drag_data_received           (GtkWidget               *widget,
                                                                                GdkDragContext          *context,
                                                                                gint                     x,
@@ -432,6 +434,9 @@
   gtk_tree_selection_set_mode (selection, GTK_SELECTION_SINGLE);
   gtk_tree_selection_set_select_function (selection, thunar_tree_view_selection_func, view, NULL);
 
+  /* custom keyboard handler for better navigation */
+  g_signal_connect (GTK_WIDGET (view), "key_press_event", G_CALLBACK (thunar_tree_view_key_press_event), NULL);
+
   /* enable drop support for the tree view */
   gtk_drag_dest_set (GTK_WIDGET (view), 0, drop_targets, G_N_ELEMENTS (drop_targets),
                      GDK_ACTION_COPY | GDK_ACTION_LINK | GDK_ACTION_MOVE);
@@ -763,6 +768,66 @@
   return (*GTK_WIDGET_CLASS (thunar_tree_view_parent_class)->button_release_event) (widget, event);
 }
 
+static gboolean
+thunar_tree_view_key_press_event(GtkWidget   *widget,
+                                 GdkEventKey *event)
+{
+  ThunarTreeView *tree_view = THUNAR_TREE_VIEW (widget);
+
+  /* Get path of currently highlighted item */
+  GtkTreePath *path;
+  GtkTreeViewColumn *column;
+  gtk_tree_view_get_cursor(GTK_TREE_VIEW (tree_view), &path, &column);
+
+  /* This will be the final return value,
+     TRUE if we want to swallow the keystroke */
+  gboolean stopPropagation = FALSE;
+
+  switch (event->keyval)
+    {
+    case GDK_KEY_Left:
+      /* If branch is expanded then collapse it */
+      if (gtk_tree_view_row_expanded (GTK_TREE_VIEW (tree_view), path))
+      {
+        gtk_tree_view_collapse_row (GTK_TREE_VIEW (tree_view), path);
+      }
+      /* Else if branch is already collapsed then move to parent
+         (if there is one) */
+      else
+      {
+        if (gtk_tree_path_get_depth(path) > 1)
+        {
+          if (gtk_tree_path_up(path))
+          {
+            gtk_tree_view_set_cursor(GTK_TREE_VIEW (tree_view), path, NULL, FALSE);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      stopPropagation = TRUE;
+      break;
+
+    case GDK_KEY_Right:
+      /* If branch is not expanded then expand it */
+      if (!gtk_tree_view_row_expanded (GTK_TREE_VIEW (tree_view), path))
+      {
+        gtk_tree_view_expand_row (GTK_TREE_VIEW (tree_view), path, FALSE);
+      }
+      /* Else if branch is already expanded then move to first child */
+      else
+      {
+        gtk_tree_path_down(path);
+        gtk_tree_view_set_cursor(GTK_TREE_VIEW (tree_view), path, NULL, FALSE);
+      }
+
+      stopPropagation = TRUE;
+      break;
+    }
+
+  gtk_tree_path_free(path);
+
+  return stopPropagation;
+}
 
 
 static void