diff --git a/Default.sublime-keymap b/Default.sublime-keymap
index 1464540..1629f22 100644
--- a/Default.sublime-keymap
+++ b/Default.sublime-keymap
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@
       "context": [{"key": "setting.vdiff_view"}, {"key": "setting.command_mode", "operand": false}] },
     { "keys": ["p"], "command": "vdiff_action", "args": {"action": "prev_file"},
       "context": [{"key": "setting.vdiff_view"}, {"key": "setting.command_mode", "operand": false}] },
+    { "keys": ["j"], "command": "vdiff_action", "args": {"action": "line_down"},
+      "context": [{"key": "setting.vdiff_view"}] },
+    { "keys": ["k"], "command": "vdiff_action", "args": {"action": "line_up"},
+      "context": [{"key": "setting.vdiff_view"}] },
     { "keys": ["?"], "command": "vdiff_action", "args": {"action": "help"},
       "context": [{"key": "setting.vdiff_view"}, {"key": "setting.command_mode", "operand": false}] },
     { "keys": ["escape"], "command": "vdiff_action", "args": {"action": "close"},
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7045e2b..3aaabbe 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Keys inside the review view:
 | `o` or Enter | open the real file at this line |
 | `]` / `[` | next / previous change |
 | `n` / `p` | next / previous file of the current list |
+| `j` / `k` | move down / up one line (vim keys) |
 | `r` | refresh |
 | `?` | show this key list in a popup |
 | Esc | close the view |
diff --git a/tests/test_commands.py b/tests/test_commands.py
index 65ef149..bd9c3ab 100644
--- a/tests/test_commands.py
+++ b/tests/test_commands.py
@@ -135,3 +135,13 @@ def test_run_async_reports_generic_error(monkeypatch):
 
     commands.run_async(boom, lambda r: messages.append("done"))
     assert messages == ["vDiff: boom"]
+
+
+def test_j_and_k_move_the_caret_one_line():
+    view = sublime.View()
+    commands.ACTIONS["line_down"](view, None, None)
+    commands.ACTIONS["line_up"](view, None, None)
+    assert view.commands == [
+        ("move", {"by": "lines", "forward": True}),
+        ("move", {"by": "lines", "forward": False}),
+    ]
diff --git a/tests/test_render.py b/tests/test_render.py
index c5279df..49b4e40 100644
--- a/tests/test_render.py
+++ b/tests/test_render.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ def test_help_popup_lists_every_key():
     assert view.is_popup_visible()
     for group in ("Navigate", "Panels", "This file", "View"):
         assert ">{}<".format(group) in html
-    for keys in ("] [", "n p", "o ⏎", "f", "c", "s", "u", "d", "r", "?", "esc"):
+    for keys in ("] [", "n p", "o ⏎", "j k", "f", "c", "s", "u", "d", "r", "?", "esc"):
         assert ">{}<".format(keys) in html
     assert "next / previous change" in html and "open the real file at this line" in html
     # working-tree mode: nothing dimmed, every single-action row is a link
@@ -176,11 +176,15 @@ def test_help_popup_toggles_and_navigates():
 DISPLAY_KEYS = {"enter": "⏎", "escape": "esc"}
 
 
-def test_keymap_matches_help_table():
-    """The keymap, ACTIONS and the popup agree on both the actions and the keys that reach them"""
+def keymap_bindings():
     path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))), "Default.sublime-keymap")
     with open(path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
-        bindings = json.load(f)
+        return json.load(f)
+
+
+def test_keymap_matches_help_table():
+    """The keymap, ACTIONS and the popup agree on both the actions and the keys that reach them"""
+    bindings = keymap_bindings()
 
     assert all(b["command"] == "vdiff_action" for b in bindings)
     bound = {b["args"]["action"] for b in bindings}
@@ -192,6 +196,20 @@ def test_keymap_matches_help_table():
     assert bound_keys == {token for k in render.KEYS for token in k.keys.split()}
 
 
+# j / k stay live in Vintage command mode on purpose: the view is read-only, so the worst they can do
+# is move the caret, and a vim user should not have to leave command mode to scroll a diff.
+# escape carries its own context (panel / overlay / popup / selection guards) instead.
+UNGUARDED_ACTIONS = {"line_down", "line_up", "close"}
+
+
+def test_command_mode_guard_is_deliberate():
+    """Every binding yields to Vintage except the ones that documented a reason not to"""
+    guard = {"key": "setting.command_mode", "operand": False}
+    for binding in keymap_bindings():
+        unguarded = binding["args"]["action"] in UNGUARDED_ACTIONS
+        assert (guard in binding["context"]) != unguarded, binding["keys"]
+
+
 def test_minihtml_stylesheets_reject_unsupported_selectors():
     """minihtml drops the rest of a stylesheet at a selector it cannot parse; these are the forms
     that silently broke HELP_CSS, so no stylesheet constant may use them"""
diff --git a/vdiff/commands.py b/vdiff/commands.py
index 8be8272..ff452c5 100644
--- a/vdiff/commands.py
+++ b/vdiff/commands.py
@@ -230,8 +230,7 @@ class VdiffCommitsCommand(sublime_plugin.WindowCommand):
 
     def show_commits(self, view, st, commits, selected):
         items = [
-            sublime.QuickPanelItem(c.subject or "(no subject)", "{} · {}".format(c.author, c.date), c.short, COMMIT_KIND)
-            for c in commits
+            sublime.QuickPanelItem(c.subject or "(no subject)", "{} · {}".format(c.author, c.date), c.short, COMMIT_KIND) for c in commits
         ]
         for i, c in enumerate(commits):
             if c.sha == st.sha:
@@ -306,7 +305,9 @@ def _confirm_discard(change):
     if change.status == "?":
         message = "Delete the untracked file {}?\n\nThis cannot be undone.".format(change.path)
     else:
-        message = "Discard all changes to {}?\n\nThe file goes back to its last committed version. This cannot be undone.".format(change.path)
+        message = "Discard all changes to {}?\n\nThe file goes back to its last committed version. This cannot be undone.".format(
+            change.path
+        )
     return sublime.ok_cancel_dialog(message, "Discard")
 
 
@@ -360,6 +361,13 @@ def _step_change(delta):
     return act
 
 
+def _move_line(forward):
+    def act(view, window, st):
+        view.run_command("move", {"by": "lines", "forward": forward})
+
+    return act
+
+
 ACTIONS = {
     "files": _act_files,
     "commits": _act_commits,
@@ -374,6 +382,8 @@ ACTIONS = {
     "prev_file": _step_file(-1),
     "next_change": _step_change(1),
     "prev_change": _step_change(-1),
+    "line_down": _move_line(True),
+    "line_up": _move_line(False),
 }
 
 
diff --git a/vdiff/render.py b/vdiff/render.py
index cfe51e4..0c38e21 100644
--- a/vdiff/render.py
+++ b/vdiff/render.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ KEY_GROUPS = [
         Key("] [", "next / previous change", "change", ("next_change", "prev_change")),
         Key("n p", "next / previous file", "file", ("next_file", "prev_file")),
         Key("o \u23ce", "open the real file at this line", "open", ("open",)),
+        Key("j k", "down / up one line (vim)", "", ("line_down", "line_up")),
     ]),
     ("Panels", True, [
         Key("f", "changed files", "files", ("files",)),