diff --git a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/FocusThreadDrawer.tsx b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/FocusThreadDrawer.tsx
index 065d607a13..b857183024 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/FocusThreadDrawer.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/FocusThreadDrawer.tsx
@@ -143,6 +143,20 @@ export function FocusThreadDrawer({
   const drawerRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const previousFocusRef = React.useRef<HTMLElement | null>(null);
 
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    function handleEscape(event: KeyboardEvent) {
+      if (event.key !== "Escape") return;
+      event.preventDefault();
+      event.stopImmediatePropagation();
+      onClose();
+    }
+
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", handleEscape, { capture: true });
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener("keydown", handleEscape, { capture: true });
+    };
+  }, [onClose]);
+
   React.useLayoutEffect(() => {
     previousFocusRef.current =
       document.activeElement instanceof HTMLElement
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/thread-focus-mode.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/thread-focus-mode.spec.ts
index 75b817a8a0..c9ae42061f 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/thread-focus-mode.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/thread-focus-mode.spec.ts
@@ -200,29 +200,18 @@ test("focus and split preserve reading context and interaction ownership", async
     body.locator(`[data-message-id="${anchorId}"]`),
   ).toBeInViewport();
 
-  // Escape layering: a nested control inside the drawer claims Escape first.
-  // With mention autocomplete open, Escape closes only the autocomplete — the
-  // drawer must stay.
+  // Focus mode owns Escape even while the rich-text composer and one of its
+  // nested controls has focus: one press exits the focused thread.
   const threadInput = page
     .getByTestId("message-thread-panel")
     .getByTestId("message-input");
   await threadInput.click();
   await threadInput.pressSequentially("@al");
-  const mentionDropdown = page
-    .getByTestId("message-thread-panel")
-    .getByTestId("mention-autocomplete");
-  await expect(mentionDropdown).toBeVisible();
-  await page.keyboard.press("Escape");
-  await expect(mentionDropdown).toHaveCount(0);
-  await expect(drawer).toBeVisible();
-
-  // Known gap (pre-existing, tracked as a follow-up): while the composer's
-  // rich-text editor holds focus it claims Escape internally even with no
-  // autocomplete open, so Escape-from-composer never reaches the drawer's
-  // close listener. Move focus to the drawer itself before asserting
-  // Escape-to-close. When the editor is taught to release an idle Escape,
-  // this focus hop can be removed.
-  await drawer.focus();
+  await expect(
+    page
+      .getByTestId("message-thread-panel")
+      .getByTestId("mention-autocomplete"),
+  ).toBeVisible();
   await page.keyboard.press("Escape");
   await expect(page.getByTestId("focus-thread-drawer-overlay")).toHaveCount(0);
   await expect(channel).not.toHaveAttribute("inert", "");