diff --git a/browser/base/content/browser-places.js b/browser/base/content/browser-places.js
index 8bc78c5480d..a7fd4bd03a1 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/browser-places.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/browser-places.js
@@ -53,12 +53,48 @@ var PlacesCommandHook = {
     return document.getElementById("editBookmarkPanel");
   },
 
+  // list of command elements (by id) to disable when the panel is opened
+  _blockedCommands: ["cmd_close", "cmd_closeWindow"],
+
+  _blockCommands: function PCH__blockCommands() {
+    for each(var key in this._blockedCommands) {
+      var elt = document.getElementById(key);
+      if (elt.getAttribute("disabled") == "true")
+        elt.setAttribute("wasDisabled", "true");
+      else {
+        elt.setAttribute("wasDisabled", "false");
+        elt.setAttribute("disabled", "true");
+      }
+    }
+  },
+
+  _restoreCommandsState: function PCH__restoreCommandsState() {
+    for each(var key in this._blockedCommands) {
+      var elt = document.getElementById(key);
+      if (elt.getAttribute("wasDisabled") != "true")
+        elt.removeAttribute("disabled");
+      elt.removeAttribute("wasDisabled");
+    }
+  },
+
   // nsIDOMEventListener
   handleEvent: function PCH_handleEvent(aEvent) {
-    if (aEvent.originalTarget != this.panel)
-      return;
-
-    gEditItemOverlay.uninitPanel(true);
+    switch (aEvent.type) {
+      case "popuphiding":
+        if (aEvent.originalTarget == this.panel) {
+          gEditItemOverlay.uninitPanel(true);
+          this._restoreCommandsState();
+        }
+        break;
+      case "keypress":
+        if (aEvent.keyCode == KeyEvent.DOM_VK_ESCAPE ||
+            aEvent.keyCode == KeyEvent.DOM_VK_RETURN) {
+          // focus the content area and hide the panel
+          window.content.focus();
+          this.panel.hidePopup();
+        }
+        break;
+    }
   },
 
   _overlayLoaded: false,
@@ -98,10 +134,17 @@ var PlacesCommandHook = {
 
   _doShowEditBookmarkPanel:
   function PCH__doShowEditBookmarkPanel(aItemId, aAnchorElement, aPosition) {
+    this.panel.addEventListener("keypress", this, true);
+    this._blockCommands(); // un-done in the popuphiding handler
     this.panel.openPopup(aAnchorElement, aPosition, -1, -1);
 
     gEditItemOverlay.initPanel(aItemId,
                                { hiddenRows: ["description", "location"] });
+    setTimeout(function() {
+                 var namePicker = document.getElementById("editBMPanel_namePicker");
+                 namePicker.focus();
+                 namePicker.editor.selectAll();
+              }, 0);
   },
 
   /**