diff --git a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/Keys.java b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/Keys.java
index de72b50107590..922178aab5f42 100644
--- a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/Keys.java
+++ b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/Keys.java
@@ -146,10 +146,10 @@ public int getCodePoint() {
 
   @Override
   public char charAt(int index) {
-    if (index == 0) {
-      return keyCode;
+    if (index != 0) {
+      throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException("Index: " + index + ", Length: 1");
     }
-    return 0;
+    return keyCode;
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/java/test/org/openqa/selenium/KeysTest.java b/java/test/org/openqa/selenium/KeysTest.java
index 91e1064fb5ea5..a162b1d9c307c 100644
--- a/java/test/org/openqa/selenium/KeysTest.java
+++ b/java/test/org/openqa/selenium/KeysTest.java
@@ -35,8 +35,10 @@ void charAtPosition0ReturnsKeyCode() {
   }
 
   @Test
-  void charAtOtherPositionReturnsZero() {
-    assertThat(Keys.LEFT.charAt(10)).isEqualTo((char) 0);
+  void charAtOtherPositionThrows() {
+
+    assertThatExceptionOfType(IndexOutOfBoundsException.class)
+        .isThrownBy(() -> Keys.LEFT.charAt(10));
   }
 
   @Test