src/macosx/native/sun/awt/AWTView.m

@@ -277,11 +277,14 @@
             fPAHNeedsToSelect = YES;
         }
         return;
     }
 
-    if (![self hasMarkedText] && fKeyEventsNeeded) {
+    NSString *eventCharacters = [event characters];
+    BOOL isDeadKey = (eventCharacters != nil && [eventCharacters length] == 0);
+
+    if ((![self hasMarkedText] && fKeyEventsNeeded) || isDeadKey) {
         [self deliverJavaKeyEventHelper: event];
     }
 
     fProcessingKeystroke = NO;
 }