diff --git a/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js b/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js
index 0e358c86..5313e44c 100644
--- a/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js
+++ b/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ exports.handler = {
         if (hashId == 1)
             key = "ctrl-" + key;
         
-        if (data.state == "start") {
+        if ((key == "esc" && hashId == 0) || key == "ctrl-[") {
+            return {command: coreCommands.stop};
+        } else if (data.state == "start") {
             if (useragent.isMac && this.handleMacRepeat(data, hashId, key)) {
                 hashId = -1;
                 key = data.inputChar;
@@ -109,10 +111,7 @@ exports.handler = {
                 return {command: coreCommands.stop};
             }
         } else {
-            if (key == "esc" || key == "ctrl-[") {
-                data.state = "start";
-                return {command: coreCommands.stop};
-            } else if (key == "ctrl-w") {
+            if (key == "ctrl-w") {
                 return {command: "removewordleft"};
             }
         }