diff --git a/browser/base/content/browser-tabPreviews.js b/browser/base/content/browser-tabPreviews.js
index 62a0bdcba89..9e846516514 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/browser-tabPreviews.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/browser-tabPreviews.js
@@ -434,7 +434,9 @@ var ctrlTab = {
   onKeyPress: function ctrlTab__onKeyPress(event) {
     var isOpen = this.isOpen;
 
-    if (isOpen && event.target == this.searchField)
+    if (isOpen &&
+        event.target == this.searchField &&
+        event.keyCode != event.DOM_VK_ESCAPE)
       return;
 
     if (isOpen) {
@@ -615,8 +617,7 @@ var ctrlTab = {
       case "keydown":
       case "keyup":
         if (event.target == this.searchField) {
-          if (event.keyCode == event.DOM_VK_RETURN ||
-              event.keyCode == event.DOM_VK_ESCAPE)
+          if (event.keyCode == event.DOM_VK_RETURN)
             this.panel.focus();
         } else {
           // Manually consume the events, as the panel is open but doesn't
diff --git a/browser/base/content/browser.xul b/browser/base/content/browser.xul
index 80e6a1080e6..b8a2c0e176a 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/browser.xul
+++ b/browser/base/content/browser.xul
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@
       <label crop="center" flex="1" class="tooltip-label"/>
     </tooltip>
 
-    <panel id="ctrlTab-panel" class="KUI-panel" hidden="true" norestorefocus="true"
+    <panel id="ctrlTab-panel" class="KUI-panel" hidden="true" norestorefocus="true" ignorekeys="true"
 #ifdef XP_WIN
 # XXX bug 457997
       noautohide="true"
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/browser_ctrlTab.js b/browser/base/content/test/browser_ctrlTab.js
index b158180f4b3..a44881fe6b6 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/browser_ctrlTab.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/browser_ctrlTab.js
@@ -91,6 +91,13 @@ function test() {
     ok(isOpen(),
        "panel is sticky after focusing the search field and releasing the Ctrl key");
 
+    ctrlTab.searchField.value = "foo";
+    EventUtils.synthesizeKey("VK_ESCAPE", {});
+    is(ctrlTab.searchField.value, "",
+       "ESC key clears the search field");
+    ok(isOpen(),
+       "Clearing the search field with ESC keeps the panel open");
+
     // blur the search field
     EventUtils.synthesizeKey("VK_TAB", {});
     isnot(document.activeElement, ctrlTab.searchField.inputField,
@@ -98,6 +105,7 @@ function test() {
 
     // advance selection and close panel
     EventUtils.synthesizeKey("VK_TAB", {});
+    EventUtils.synthesizeKey("VK_TAB", {});
     EventUtils.synthesizeKey("VK_RETURN", {});
     ok(!isOpen(),
        "Enter key closes the panel");