diff --git a/binary_text_edit.py b/binary_text_edit.py
index 2d9abc1..b6b2994 100644
--- a/binary_text_edit.py
+++ b/binary_text_edit.py
@@ -11,10 +11,13 @@ class BinaryTextEdit(QPlainTextEdit):  # rewrite QPlainTextEdit.keyPressEvent be
             cursor = self.textCursor()
             pos = cursor.position()
 
-            if (pos + 1) % 9 == 0 and event.text() not in {'', None}:  # dont overwrite the separator character
-                return
+            if not (pos + 1) % 9 == 0 or event.text() in {"", None}:  # dont overwrite the separator character
+                super().keyPressEvent(event)
 
-            super().keyPressEvent(event)
+            # skip over the separator character when the cursor is before it.
+            if (pos + 2) % 9 == 0 and not event.text() in {"", None}:
+                cursor.setPosition(pos + 2)
+                self.setTextCursor(cursor)
 
         else:
             event.ignore()