diff --git a/ui/js/controllers/main.js b/ui/js/controllers/main.js
index 6b80931c0..ef169f00a 100644
--- a/ui/js/controllers/main.js
+++ b/ui/js/controllers/main.js
@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@ treeherder.controller('MainCtrl', [
                 } else if (ev.keyCode === 85) {
                     //display only unclassified failures, keys:u
                     $scope.toggleUnclassifiedFailures();
+                } else if (ev.keyCode === 27) {
+                    // escape key closes any open top-panel and clears selected job
+                    $scope.setRepoPanelShowing(false);
+                    $scope.setFilterPanelShowing(false);
+                    $scope.setSettingsPanelShowing(false);
+                    $scope.setSheriffPanelShowing(false);
+                    $scope.clearJob();
                 }
             }
         };
@@ -200,19 +207,34 @@ treeherder.controller('MainCtrl', [
         });
 
         $scope.isRepoPanelShowing = false;
-
         $scope.setRepoPanelShowing = function(tf) {
             $scope.isRepoPanelShowing = tf;
         };
 
+        $scope.isFilterPanelShowing = false;
+        $scope.setFilterPanelShowing = function(tf) {
+            $scope.isFilterPanelShowing = tf;
+        };
+
+        $scope.isSettingsPanelShowing = false;
+        $scope.setSettingsPanelShowing = function(tf) {
+            $scope.isSettingsPanelShowing = tf;
+        };
+
+        $scope.isSheriffPanelShowing = false;
+        $scope.setSheriffPanelShowing = function(tf) {
+            $scope.isSheriffPanelShowing = tf;
+        };
+
         $scope.changeRepo = function(repo_name) {
             // hide the repo panel if they chose to load one.
             $scope.isRepoPanelShowing = false;
             $rootScope.selectedJob = null;
             thPinboard.unPinAll();
 
+            $location.search("repo", repo_name);
+            $location.search("revision", null);
             $scope.repoModel.setCurrent(repo_name);
-            $location.search({repo: repo_name});
 
         };
 
diff --git a/ui/partials/thGlobalTopNavPanel.html b/ui/partials/thGlobalTopNavPanel.html
index d60838b1a..97625ec2c 100644
--- a/ui/partials/thGlobalTopNavPanel.html
+++ b/ui/partials/thGlobalTopNavPanel.html
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
             <span ng-show="user.is_staff">
                 <span class="btn btn-view-nav"
                       ng-class="{'active': (isSheriffPanelShowing)}"
-                      ng-click="isSheriffPanelShowing=!isSheriffPanelShowing"><span>Sheriffing</span>
+                      ng-click="setSheriffPanelShowing(!isSheriffPanelShowing)"><span>Sheriffing</span>
                     <i class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-down lightgray"
                        ng-hide="isSheriffPanelShowing"></i>
                     <i class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-up lightgray"
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
                 </span>
                 <span class="btn btn-view-nav"
                       ng-class="{'active': (isFilterPanelShowing)}"
-                      ng-click="isFilterPanelShowing=!isFilterPanelShowing"><span>Filters</span>
+                      ng-click="setFilterPanelShowing(!isFilterPanelShowing)"><span>Filters</span>
                     <i class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-down lightgray"
                        ng-hide="isFilterPanelShowing"></i>
                     <i class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-up lightgray"
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
                 <!--TODO: change this condition to enable the settings panel-->
                 <span ng-show="false" class="btn btn-view-nav"
                       ng-class="{'active': (isSettingsPanelShowing)}"
-                      ng-click="isSettingsPanelShowing=!isSettingsPanelShowing"><span>Settings</span>
+                      ng-click="setSettingsPanelShowing(!isSettingsPanelShowing)"><span>Settings</span>
                     <i class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-down lightgray"
                        ng-hide="isSettingsPanelShowing"></i>
                     <i class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-up lightgray"
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
                 </span>
                 <persona-buttons></persona-buttons>
             </span>
-
+        </span>
 
         </div>
         <ng-include class="watched-repo-navbar" src="'partials/thWatchedRepoNavPanel.html'" ng-show="locationPath==='jobs'">