Fix esc

codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs

@@ -303,13 +303,21 @@ impl App {
                 self.transcript_overlay = Some(TranscriptApp::new(self.transcript_lines.clone()));
                 tui.frame_requester().schedule_frame();
             }
-            // Esc primes/advances backtracking when composer is empty.
+            // Esc primes/advances backtracking only in normal (not working) mode
+            // with an empty composer. In any other state, forward Esc so the
+            // active UI (e.g. status indicator, modals, popups) handles it.
             KeyEvent {
                 code: KeyCode::Esc,
                 kind: KeyEventKind::Press | KeyEventKind::Repeat,
                 ..
             } => {
-                self.handle_backtrack_esc_key(tui);
+                if self.chat_widget.is_normal_backtrack_mode()
+                    && self.chat_widget.composer_is_empty()
+                {
+                    self.handle_backtrack_esc_key(tui);
+                } else {
+                    self.chat_widget.handle_key_event(key_event);
+                }
             }
             // Enter confirms backtrack when primed + count > 0. Otherwise pass to widget.
             KeyEvent {

codex-rs/tui/src/bottom_pane/chat_composer.rs

@@ -293,6 +293,11 @@ impl ChatComposer {
         result
     }
 
+    /// Return true if either the slash-command popup or the file-search popup is active.
+    pub(crate) fn popup_active(&self) -> bool {
+        !matches!(self.active_popup, ActivePopup::None)
+    }
+
     /// Handle key event when the slash-command popup is visible.
     fn handle_key_event_with_slash_popup(&mut self, key_event: KeyEvent) -> (InputResult, bool) {
         let ActivePopup::Command(popup) = &mut self.active_popup else {
@@ -313,6 +318,13 @@ impl ChatComposer {
                 popup.move_down();
                 (InputResult::None, true)
             }
+            KeyEvent {
+                code: KeyCode::Esc, ..
+            } => {
+                // Dismiss the slash popup; keep the current input untouched.
+                self.active_popup = ActivePopup::None;
+                (InputResult::None, true)
+            }
             KeyEvent {
                 code: KeyCode::Tab, ..
             } => {

codex-rs/tui/src/bottom_pane/mod.rs

@@ -323,6 +323,13 @@ impl BottomPane {
         self.is_task_running
     }
 
+    /// Return true when the pane is in the regular composer state without any
+    /// overlays or popups and not running a task. This is the safe context to
+    /// use Esc-Esc for backtracking from the main view.
+    pub(crate) fn is_normal_backtrack_mode(&self) -> bool {
+        !self.is_task_running && self.active_view.is_none() && !self.composer.popup_active()
+    }
+
     /// Update the *context-window remaining* indicator in the composer. This
     /// is forwarded directly to the underlying `ChatComposer`.
     pub(crate) fn set_token_usage(

codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs

@@ -1083,6 +1083,13 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         self.bottom_pane.composer_is_empty()
     }
 
+    /// True when the UI is in the regular composer state with no running task,
+    /// no modal overlay (e.g. approvals or status indicator), and no composer popups.
+    /// In this state Esc-Esc backtracking is enabled.
+    pub(crate) fn is_normal_backtrack_mode(&self) -> bool {
+        self.bottom_pane.is_normal_backtrack_mode()
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn insert_str(&mut self, text: &str) {
         self.bottom_pane.insert_str(text);
     }