diff --git a/src/sql/workbench/parts/notebook/cellViews/codeCell.component.ts b/src/sql/workbench/parts/notebook/cellViews/codeCell.component.ts
index 5a675c6a46..50d617fbcd 100644
--- a/src/sql/workbench/parts/notebook/cellViews/codeCell.component.ts
+++ b/src/sql/workbench/parts/notebook/cellViews/codeCell.component.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  *  Licensed under the Source EULA. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-import { OnInit, Component, Input, Inject, forwardRef, ChangeDetectorRef, SimpleChange, OnChanges } from '@angular/core';
+import { OnInit, Component, Input, Inject, forwardRef, ChangeDetectorRef, SimpleChange, OnChanges, HostListener } from '@angular/core';
 import { CellView } from 'sql/workbench/parts/notebook/cellViews/interfaces';
 import { ICellModel } from 'sql/workbench/parts/notebook/models/modelInterfaces';
 import { NotebookModel } from 'sql/workbench/parts/notebook/models/notebookModel';
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ export class CodeCellComponent extends CellView implements OnInit, OnChanges {
 		this._activeCellId = value;
 	}
 
+	@HostListener('document:keydown.escape', ['$event'])
+	handleKeyboardEvent() {
+		this.cellModel.active = false;
+		this._model.activeCell = undefined;
+	}
+
 	private _model: NotebookModel;
 	private _activeCellId: string;
 
diff --git a/src/sql/workbench/parts/notebook/cellViews/textCell.component.ts b/src/sql/workbench/parts/notebook/cellViews/textCell.component.ts
index 932cf02883..7473f3c706 100644
--- a/src/sql/workbench/parts/notebook/cellViews/textCell.component.ts
+++ b/src/sql/workbench/parts/notebook/cellViews/textCell.component.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 import 'vs/css!./textCell';
 
-import { OnInit, Component, Input, Inject, forwardRef, ElementRef, ChangeDetectorRef, OnDestroy, ViewChild, OnChanges, SimpleChange } from '@angular/core';
+import { OnInit, Component, Input, Inject, forwardRef, ElementRef, ChangeDetectorRef, OnDestroy, ViewChild, OnChanges, SimpleChange, HostListener } from '@angular/core';
 import * as path from 'path';
 
 import { localize } from 'vs/nls';
@@ -52,6 +52,15 @@ export class TextCellComponent extends CellView implements OnInit, OnChanges {
 		}
 	}
 
+	@HostListener('document:keydown.escape', ['$event'])
+	handleKeyboardEvent() {
+		if (this.isEditMode) {
+			this.toggleEditMode(false);
+		}
+		this.cellModel.active = false;
+		this._model.activeCell = undefined;
+	}
+
 	private _content: string;
 	private isEditMode: boolean;
 	private _sanitizer: ISanitizer;