diff --git a/packages/console/src/widget.ts b/packages/console/src/widget.ts
index f3d610711074..5cf010f0bb67 100644
--- a/packages/console/src/widget.ts
+++ b/packages/console/src/widget.ts
@@ -613,6 +613,23 @@ export class CodeConsole extends Widget {
     if (event.keyCode === 13 && !editor.hasFocus()) {
       event.preventDefault();
       editor.focus();
+    } else if (event.keyCode === 27 && editor.hasFocus()) {
+      // Set to command mode;
+      event.preventDefault();
+      editor.blur();
+      // TODO Need to figure out what needs to happen for keyboard shortcuts to work
+      // this._content.node.focus();
+      // this._content.widgets[0].node.focus()
+      // this._banner.node.focus();
+      // this._banner.activate();
+      // console.log(this._banner.node);
+
+      // Hack to prevent CodeMirror from resetting focus on this widget
+      let codeMirror: any = (editor as any)['_editor'];
+      codeMirror.options.readOnly = 'nocursor';
+      window.setTimeout(() => {
+        codeMirror.options.readOnly = false;
+      }, 100);
     }
   }