diff --git a/src/intl/en-US.js b/src/intl/en-US.js
index 3f7c1b95..24765dd4 100644
--- a/src/intl/en-US.js
+++ b/src/intl/en-US.js
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ export default {
     <li><kbd>f</kbd> to favorite</li>
     <li><kbd>b</kbd> to boost</li>
     <li><kbd>r</kbd> to reply</li>
+    <li><kbd>Escape</kbd> to close reply</li>
     <li><kbd>i</kbd> to open images, video, or audio</li>
     <li><kbd>y</kbd> to show or hide sensitive media</li>
     <li><kbd>m</kbd> to mention the author</li>
diff --git a/src/routes/_components/status/Status.html b/src/routes/_components/status/Status.html
index 7cf5c755..c824cded 100644
--- a/src/routes/_components/status/Status.html
+++ b/src/routes/_components/status/Status.html
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
   {#if isStatusInOwnThread}
     <StatusDetails {...params} {...timestampParams} />
   {/if}
-  <StatusToolbar {...params} {replyShown} on:recalculateHeight />
+  <StatusToolbar {...params} {replyShown} on:recalculateHeight on:focusArticle="focusArticle()" />
   {#if replyShown}
     <StatusComposeBox {...params} on:recalculateHeight />
   {/if}
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@
   import { composeNewStatusMentioning } from '../../_actions/mention.js'
   import { createStatusOrNotificationUuid } from '../../_utils/createStatusOrNotificationUuid.js'
   import { addEmojiTooltips } from '../../_utils/addEmojiTooltips.js'
+  import { tryToFocusElement } from '../../_utils/tryToFocusElement.js'
 
   const INPUT_TAGS = new Set(['a', 'button', 'input', 'textarea', 'label'])
   const isUserInputElement = node => INPUT_TAGS.has(node.localName)
@@ -213,6 +214,10 @@
       async mentionAuthor () {
         const { accountForShortcut } = this.get()
         await composeNewStatusMentioning(accountForShortcut)
+      },
+      focusArticle () {
+        const { elementId } = this.get()
+        tryToFocusElement(elementId, /* scroll */ true)
       }
     },
     computed: {
diff --git a/src/routes/_components/status/StatusToolbar.html b/src/routes/_components/status/StatusToolbar.html
index 6dd26490..b2354f7a 100644
--- a/src/routes/_components/status/StatusToolbar.html
+++ b/src/routes/_components/status/StatusToolbar.html
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 {#if enableShortcuts}
   <Shortcut scope={shortcutScope} key="f" on:pressed="toggleFavorite(true)"/>
   <Shortcut scope={shortcutScope} key="r" on:pressed="reply()"/>
+  <Shortcut scope={shortcutScope} key="escape" on:pressed="dismiss()"/>
   <Shortcut scope={shortcutScope} key="b" on:pressed="reblog(true)"/>
 {/if}
 <style>
@@ -146,6 +147,13 @@
           this.fire('recalculateHeight')
         })
       },
+      dismiss () {
+        const { replyShown } = this.get()
+        if (replyShown) {
+          this.reply()
+          this.fire('focusArticle')
+        }
+      },
       async onOptionsClick () {
         const { originalStatus, originalAccountId } = this.get()
         const updateRelationshipPromise = updateProfileAndRelationship(originalAccountId)
diff --git a/src/routes/_utils/shortcuts.js b/src/routes/_utils/shortcuts.js
index 5c420993..6f1c872a 100644
--- a/src/routes/_utils/shortcuts.js
+++ b/src/routes/_utils/shortcuts.js
@@ -172,15 +172,22 @@ function unmapKeys (keyMap, keys, component) {
 
 function acceptShortcutEvent (event) {
   const { target } = event
-  return !(
+  if (
     event.altKey ||
     event.metaKey ||
     event.ctrlKey ||
-    (event.shiftKey && event.key !== '?') || // '?' is a special case - it is allowed
-    (target && (
-      target.isContentEditable ||
+    (event.shiftKey && event.key !== '?') // '?' is a special case - it is allowed
+  ) {
+    return false
+  }
+  if (event.key === 'Escape') {
+    // Allow escape everywhere.
+    return true
+  }
+  // Don't allow other keys in text boxes.
+  return !(target && (
+    target.isContentEditable ||
         ['TEXTAREA', 'SELECT'].includes(target.tagName) ||
         (target.tagName === 'INPUT' && !['radio', 'checkbox'].includes(target.getAttribute('type')))
-    ))
-  )
+  ))
 }
diff --git a/src/routes/_utils/tryToFocusElement.js b/src/routes/_utils/tryToFocusElement.js
index 7a0739aa..08e3c683 100644
--- a/src/routes/_utils/tryToFocusElement.js
+++ b/src/routes/_utils/tryToFocusElement.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { scheduleIdleTask } from './scheduleIdleTask.js'
 const RETRIES = 5
 const TIMEOUT = 50
 
-export async function tryToFocusElement (id) {
+export async function tryToFocusElement (id, scroll) {
   for (let i = 0; i < RETRIES; i++) {
     if (i > 0) {
       await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, TIMEOUT))
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export async function tryToFocusElement (id) {
     const element = document.getElementById(id)
     if (element) {
       try {
-        element.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+        element.focus({ preventScroll: !scroll })
         console.log('focused element', id)
         return
       } catch (e) {
diff --git a/tests/spec/025-shortcuts-status.js b/tests/spec/025-shortcuts-status.js
index d76eb2c0..445a51dd 100644
--- a/tests/spec/025-shortcuts-status.js
+++ b/tests/spec/025-shortcuts-status.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import {
   getFirstModalMedia,
   getNthStatusAccountLink,
   getNthStatusAccountLinkSelector,
-  focus
+  focus, getNthComposeReplyInput, getActiveElementId, getActiveElementClassList
 } from '../utils'
 import { homeTimeline } from '../fixtures'
 import { loginAsFoobar } from '../roles'
@@ -234,3 +234,19 @@ test('Shortcut down makes next status active when focused inside of a status', a
     .pressKey('down')
     .expect(isNthStatusActive(2)()).ok()
 })
+
+test('Press r to reply, press Esc to close reply', async t => {
+  await loginAsFoobar(t)
+  await t
+    .expect(getNthStatus(1).exists).ok()
+  await activateStatus(t, 0)
+  const id = await getActiveElementId()
+  await t
+    .expect(getNthComposeReplyInput(1).exists).notOk()
+    .pressKey('r')
+    .expect(getNthComposeReplyInput(1).exists).ok()
+    .expect(getActiveElementClassList()).contains('compose-box-input')
+    .pressKey('esc')
+    .expect(getNthComposeReplyInput(1).exists).notOk()
+    .expect(getActiveElementId()).eql(id)
+})