diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 3573b98b1..8c6d50813 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ To update |kitty|, :doc:`follow the instructions <binary>`.
 - When piping data to a child in the pipe command do it in a thread so as not
   to block the UI (:iss:`1708`)
 
+- unicode_input kitten: Fix a regression that broke using indices to select
+  recently used symbols.
+
 0.14.2 [2019-06-09]
 ---------------------
 
diff --git a/kittens/unicode_input/main.py b/kittens/unicode_input/main.py
index cf2a6b25f..47ccdfe09 100644
--- a/kittens/unicode_input/main.py
+++ b/kittens/unicode_input/main.py
@@ -240,11 +240,10 @@ class Table:
 
 
 def is_index(w):
-    try:
+    with suppress(Exception):
         int(w.lstrip(INDEX_CHAR), 16)
         return True
-    except Exception:
-        return False
+    return False
 
 
 class UnicodeInput(Handler):
@@ -295,9 +294,10 @@ class UnicodeInput(Handler):
         self.current_char = None
         if self.mode is HEX:
             with suppress(Exception):
-                if self.line_edit.current_input.startswith(INDEX_CHAR) and len(self.line_edit.current_input) > 1:
-                    self.current_char = chr(self.table.codepoint_at_hint(self.line_edit.current_input[1:]))
-                else:
+                if self.line_edit.current_input.startswith(INDEX_CHAR):
+                    if len(self.line_edit.current_input) > 1:
+                        self.current_char = chr(self.table.codepoint_at_hint(self.line_edit.current_input[1:]))
+                elif self.line_edit.current_input:
                     code = int(self.line_edit.current_input, 16)
                     self.current_char = chr(code)
         elif self.mode is NAME:
@@ -392,19 +392,20 @@ class UnicodeInput(Handler):
             try:
                 val = int(self.line_edit.current_input, 16)
             except Exception:
-                return
-            if key_event.key is TAB:
-                self.line_edit.current_input = hex(val + 0x10)[2:]
-                self.refresh()
-                return
-            if key_event.key is UP:
-                self.line_edit.current_input = hex(val + 1)[2:]
-                self.refresh()
-                return
-            if key_event.key is DOWN:
-                self.line_edit.current_input = hex(val - 1)[2:]
-                self.refresh()
-                return
+                pass
+            else:
+                if key_event.key is TAB:
+                    self.line_edit.current_input = hex(val + 0x10)[2:]
+                    self.refresh()
+                    return
+                if key_event.key is UP:
+                    self.line_edit.current_input = hex(val + 1)[2:]
+                    self.refresh()
+                    return
+                if key_event.key is DOWN:
+                    self.line_edit.current_input = hex(val - 1)[2:]
+                    self.refresh()
+                    return
         if self.mode is NAME and key_event.type is not RELEASE and not key_event.mods:
             if key_event.key is TAB:
                 if key_event.mods == SHIFT: