diff --git a/core/src/km_core_processevent_api.cpp b/core/src/km_core_processevent_api.cpp
index 8ccf0e4fa7..93ba9afbe4 100644
--- a/core/src/km_core_processevent_api.cpp
+++ b/core/src/km_core_processevent_api.cpp
@@ -52,8 +52,14 @@ km_core_process_event(km_core_state *state,
   }
   km_core_status status = state->processor().process_event(state, vk, modifier_state, is_key_down, event_flags);
 
-  if (state_should_clear_context(state, vk, modifier_state, is_key_down, event_flags)) {
+  if (state_should_invalidate_context(state, vk, modifier_state, is_key_down, event_flags)) {
     state->context().clear();
+    // we are already committed. So we need to un-commit (remove the end of the vector)
+    if (state->actions().back().type == KM_CORE_IT_END) {
+      state->actions().pop_back();
+    }
+    state->actions().push_invalidate_context();
+    state->actions().commit();
   }
 
   state->apply_actions_and_merge_app_context();
diff --git a/core/src/km_core_state_api.cpp b/core/src/km_core_state_api.cpp
index a777321939..abc835fd52 100644
--- a/core/src/km_core_state_api.cpp
+++ b/core/src/km_core_state_api.cpp
@@ -373,15 +373,17 @@ state_has_action_type(km_core_state *state, uint8_t type) {
 }
 
 bool
-state_should_clear_context(km_core_state *state,
+state_should_invalidate_context(km_core_state *state,
                      km_core_virtual_key vk,
                      uint16_t modifier_state,
                      uint8_t is_key_down,
                      uint16_t event_flags) {
   // if emit_keystroke is present, check if a context reset is needed
   if (state_has_action_type(state, KM_CORE_IT_EMIT_KEYSTROKE)) {
-    if (vk == KM_CORE_VKEY_BKSP && state_has_action_type(state, KM_CORE_IT_BACK)) {
-      return true;
+    if (vk == KM_CORE_VKEY_BKSP) {
+      if (!state_has_action_type(state, KM_CORE_IT_BACK)) {
+        return true;
+      }
     } else if (vkey_to_contextreset[vk]) {
       return true;
     }
diff --git a/core/src/state.hpp b/core/src/state.hpp
index d2840fe49c..38795cd232 100644
--- a/core/src/state.hpp
+++ b/core/src/state.hpp
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ struct km_core_state : public km::core::state
 
 /**
  * Evaluate the state and vkey used.
- * Determine whether the context should be cleared.
+ * Determine whether the context should be invalidated.
  * @param state A pointer to the opaque state object.
  * @param vk A virtual key that was processed.
  * @param modifier_state The combinations of modifier keys set at the time key `vk` was pressed, bitmask
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ struct km_core_state : public km::core::state
  * @return true if this is a state which should clear the context
  */
 bool
-state_should_clear_context(km_core_state *state,
+state_should_invalidate_context(km_core_state *state,
                      km_core_virtual_key vk,
                      uint16_t modifier_state,
                      uint8_t is_key_down,
diff --git a/core/tests/unit/ldml/invalid-keyboards/ik_000_null_invalid.xml b/core/tests/unit/ldml/invalid-keyboards/ik_000_null_invalid.xml
index a16eb61346..6e10b734e9 100644
--- a/core/tests/unit/ldml/invalid-keyboards/ik_000_null_invalid.xml
+++ b/core/tests/unit/ldml/invalid-keyboards/ik_000_null_invalid.xml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<!-- TODO: this is not yet a valid keyboard file
+<!--
 
   Note that the corresponding .kmx is currently
   hand-crafted and expected to be invalid
diff --git a/core/tests/unit/ldml/ldml.cpp b/core/tests/unit/ldml/ldml.cpp
index fffdfbd08a..6b19bb5787 100644
--- a/core/tests/unit/ldml/ldml.cpp
+++ b/core/tests/unit/ldml/ldml.cpp
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ run_test(const km::core::path &source, const km::core::path &compiled, km::tests
             test_state, p.vk, p.modifier_state | test_source.caps_lock_state(), key_down,
             KM_CORE_EVENT_FLAG_DEFAULT));  // TODO-LDML: for now. Should send touch and hardware events.
 
-        if (state_should_clear_context(test_state, p.vk, p.modifier_state | test_source.caps_lock_state(), key_down,
+        if (state_should_invalidate_context(test_state, p.vk, p.modifier_state | test_source.caps_lock_state(), key_down,
             KM_CORE_EVENT_FLAG_DEFAULT)) {
               test_context.clear();
               text_store.clear();
diff --git a/core/tests/unit/ldml/ldml_test_source.cpp b/core/tests/unit/ldml/ldml_test_source.cpp
index f171116aac..44f4def526 100644
--- a/core/tests/unit/ldml/ldml_test_source.cpp
+++ b/core/tests/unit/ldml/ldml_test_source.cpp
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ LdmlEmbeddedTestSource::load_source( const km::core::path &path ) {
     // We must at least have a key sequence to run the test
     std::cerr << "Need at least one key sequence." << std::endl;
     return __LINE__;
-  } else if(keys.size() != expected.size()) {
+  } else if(!expected_error && (keys.size() != expected.size())) {
     std::cerr << "Need the same number of " << s_keys << " and " << s_expected << " lines." << std::endl;
     return __LINE__;
   }