diff --git a/src/app/features/room/RoomView.tsx b/src/app/features/room/RoomView.tsx
index 57acb73aa..a07fa6077 100644
--- a/src/app/features/room/RoomView.tsx
+++ b/src/app/features/room/RoomView.tsx
@@ -51,7 +51,17 @@ const shouldFocusMessageField = (evt: KeyboardEvent): boolean => {
     code === 'Space' ||
     code === 'Enter' ||
     code === 'NumLock' ||
-    code === 'ScrollLock'
+    code === 'ScrollLock' ||
+    // Not typing: Escape in particular dismisses popouts, and a focus-trap
+    // hands focus back to the opener on Escape. Treating it as "start typing"
+    // yanked focus into the composer instead (#187 DP9: closing the GIF picker
+    // with Esc left focus in the composer, not on the GIF button).
+    code === 'Escape' ||
+    code === 'CapsLock' ||
+    code === 'Insert' ||
+    code === 'ContextMenu' ||
+    code === 'PrintScreen' ||
+    code === 'Pause'
   ) {
     return false;
   }