diff --git a/src/widget/wlibrarysidebar.cpp b/src/widget/wlibrarysidebar.cpp
index 2e392afe6474..fb4f4f5b5a92 100644
--- a/src/widget/wlibrarysidebar.cpp
+++ b/src/widget/wlibrarysidebar.cpp
@@ -183,40 +183,43 @@ bool WLibrarySidebar::isLeafNodeSelected() {
 }
 
 void WLibrarySidebar::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent* event) {
-    if (event->key() == Qt::Key_Return) {
+    switch (event->key()) {
+    case Qt::Key_Return:
         toggleSelectedItem();
         return;
-    } else if (event->key() == Qt::Key_Down ||
-            event->key() == Qt::Key_Up ||
-            event->key() == Qt::Key_PageDown ||
-            event->key() == Qt::Key_PageUp ||
-            event->key() == Qt::Key_End ||
-            event->key() == Qt::Key_Home) {
+    case Qt::Key_Down:
+    case Qt::Key_Up:
+    case Qt::Key_PageDown:
+    case Qt::Key_PageUp:
+    case Qt::Key_End:
+    case Qt::Key_Home: {
         // Let the tree view move up and down for us.
         QTreeView::keyPressEvent(event);
-        // But force the index to be activated/clicked after the selection
-        // changes. (Saves you from having to push "enter" after changing the
-        // selection.)
+        // After the selection changed force-activate (click) the newly selected
+        // item to save us from having to push "Enter".
         QModelIndexList selectedIndices = selectionModel()->selectedRows();
-        //Note: have to get the selected indices _after_ QTreeView::keyPressEvent()
-        if (selectedIndices.size() > 0) {
-            QModelIndex index = selectedIndices.at(0);
-            emit pressed(index);
+        if (selectedIndices.isEmpty()) {
+            return;
+        }
+        QModelIndex selIndex = selectedIndices.first();
+        VERIFY_OR_DEBUG_ASSERT(selIndex.isValid()) {
+            qDebug() << "invalid sidebar index";
+            return;
         }
+        emit pressed(selIndex);
         return;
-    //} else if (event->key() == Qt::Key_Enter && (event->modifiers() & Qt::AltModifier)) {
-    //    // encoder click via "GoToItem"
-    //    qDebug() << "GoToItem";
-    //    TODO(xxx) decide what todo here instead of in librarycontrol
-    } else if (event->key() == Qt::Key_Left) {
-        auto selModel = selectionModel();
-        QModelIndexList selectedRows = selModel->selectedRows();
-        if (selectedRows.isEmpty()) {
+    }
+    case Qt::Key_Left: {
+        QModelIndexList selectedIndices = selectionModel()->selectedRows();
+        if (selectedIndices.isEmpty()) {
             return;
         }
         // If an expanded item is selected let QTreeView collapse it
-        QModelIndex selIndex = selectedRows.first();
-        DEBUG_ASSERT(selIndex.isValid());
+        QModelIndex selIndex = selectedIndices.first();
+        VERIFY_OR_DEBUG_ASSERT(selIndex.isValid()) {
+            qDebug() << "invalid sidebar index";
+            return;
+        }
         if (isExpanded(selIndex)) {
             QTreeView::keyPressEvent(event);
             return;
@@ -229,9 +232,13 @@ void WLibrarySidebar::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent* event) {
         }
         return;
     }
-
-    // Fall through to default handler.
-    QTreeView::keyPressEvent(event);
+    case Qt::Key_Escape:
+        // Focus tracks table
+        emit sidebarFocusChange(FocusWidget::TracksTable);
+        return;
+    default:
+        QTreeView::keyPressEvent(event);
+    }
 }
 
 void WLibrarySidebar::selectIndex(const QModelIndex& index) {
diff --git a/src/widget/wsearchlineedit.cpp b/src/widget/wsearchlineedit.cpp
index 883512ae0683..cdcdb7fc6e16 100644
--- a/src/widget/wsearchlineedit.cpp
+++ b/src/widget/wsearchlineedit.cpp
@@ -92,7 +92,13 @@ WSearchLineEdit::WSearchLineEdit(QWidget* pParent, UserSettingsPointer pConfig)
 
     //: Shown in the library search bar when it is empty.
     lineEdit()->setPlaceholderText(tr("Search..."));
-    installEventFilter(this);
+
+    // The goal is to make Esc natively close the popup, while in the line edit it
+    // should move the keyboard focus to the tracks table. Unfortunately, eventFilter()
+    // can't catch Esc before the popup is closed, and keyPressEvent() can't catch
+    // keyPresses sent to the popup. So the only way to get this to work is to use
+    // keyPressEvent() for catching all keypress events sent to the line edit,
+    // while eventFilter() catches those sent to the popup.
     view()->installEventFilter(this);
 
     m_clearButton->setCursor(Qt::ArrowCursor);
@@ -223,7 +229,7 @@ void WSearchLineEdit::setup(const QDomNode& node, const SkinContext& context) {
             tr("Shortcut") + ": \n" +
             tr("Ctrl+Backspace"));
 
-    setToolTip(tr("Search", "noun") + "\n" +
+    setBaseTooltip(tr("Search", "noun") + "\n" +
             tr("Enter a string to search for") + "\n" +
             tr("Use operators like bpm:115-128, artist:BooFar, -year:1990") +
             "\n" + tr("For more information see User Manual > Mixxx Library") +
@@ -324,58 +330,81 @@ QString WSearchLineEdit::getSearchText() const {
 bool WSearchLineEdit::eventFilter(QObject* obj, QEvent* event) {
     if (event->type() == QEvent::KeyPress) {
         QKeyEvent* keyEvent = static_cast<QKeyEvent*>(event);
-        // if the popup is open don't intercept Up/Down keys
-        if (!view()->isVisible()) {
-            if (keyEvent->key() == Qt::Key_Up) {
-                // if we're at the top of the list the Up key clears the search bar,
-                // no matter if it's a saved and unsaved query
-                if (findCurrentTextIndex() == 0 ||
-                        (findCurrentTextIndex() == -1 && !currentText().isEmpty())) {
-                    slotClearSearch();
-                    return true;
-                }
-            } else if (keyEvent->key() == Qt::Key_Down) {
-                // after clearing the text field the down key is expected to
-                // show the latest entry
-                if (currentText().isEmpty()) {
-                    setCurrentIndex(0);
-                    return true;
-                }
-                // in case the user entered a new search query
-                // and presses the down key, save the query for later recall
-                if (findCurrentTextIndex() == -1) {
-                    slotSaveSearch();
-                }
-            }
-        } else {
-            if (keyEvent->key() == Qt::Key_Backspace ||
-                    keyEvent->key() == Qt::Key_Delete) {
-                // remove the highlighted item from the list
-                deleteSelectedListItem();
-                return true;
-            }
-        }
-        if (keyEvent->key() == Qt::Key_Enter) {
-            if (findCurrentTextIndex() == -1) {
-                slotSaveSearch();
-            }
-            // The default handler will add the entry to the list,
-            // this already happened in slotSaveSearch
-            slotTriggerSearch();
+        const int key = keyEvent->key();
+        // Esc has already closed the popup by now and we don't want to process it.
+        // We don't need to handle Up/Down in the popup either.
+        // Any other keypress is forwarded.
+        if (key != Qt::Key_Escape &&
+                key != Qt::Key_Down &&
+                key != Qt::Key_Up) {
+            keyPressEvent(keyEvent);
             return true;
-        } else if (keyEvent->key() == Qt::Key_Space &&
-                keyEvent->modifiers() == Qt::ControlModifier) {
-            // open/close popup on ctrl + space
+        }
+    }
+    return QComboBox::eventFilter(obj, event);
+}
+
+void WSearchLineEdit::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent* keyEvent) {
+    int currentTextIndex = 0;
+    switch (keyEvent->key()) {
+    // Ctrl + F is handled in slotSetShortcutFocus()
+    case Qt::Key_Backspace:
+    case Qt::Key_Delete:
+        // If the popup is open remove the highlighted item from the list
+        if (view()->isVisible()) {
+            deleteSelectedListItem();
+            return;
+        }
+        break;
+    case Qt::Key_Up:
+        // If we're at the top of the list the Up key clears the search bar,
+        // no matter if it's a saved or unsaved query.
+        // Otherwise Up is handled by the combobox itself.
+        currentTextIndex = findCurrentTextIndex();
+        if (currentTextIndex == 0 ||
+                (currentTextIndex == -1 && !currentText().isEmpty())) {
+            slotClearSearch();
+            return;
+        }
+        break;
+    case Qt::Key_Down:
+        // After clearing the text field the Down key
+        // is expected to show the latest query
+        if (currentText().isEmpty()) {
+            setCurrentIndex(0);
+            return;
+        }
+        // After entering a new search query the Down key saves the query,
+        // then selects the previous query
+        if (findCurrentTextIndex() == -1) {
+            slotSaveSearch();
+        }
+        break;
+    case Qt::Key_Enter:
+        if (findCurrentTextIndex() == -1) {
+            slotSaveSearch();
+        }
+        slotTriggerSearch();
+        return;
+    case Qt::Key_Space:
+        // Open/close popup with Ctrl + space
+        if (keyEvent->modifiers() == Qt::ControlModifier) {
             if (view()->isVisible()) {
                 hidePopup();
             } else {
                 showPopup();
             }
-            return true;
+            return;
         }
-        // if the line edit has focus Ctrl + F selects the text
+        break;
+    case Qt::Key_Escape:
+        emit searchbarFocusChange(FocusWidget::TracksTable);
+        return;
+    default:
+        break;
     }
-    return QComboBox::eventFilter(obj, event);
+
+    return QComboBox::keyPressEvent(keyEvent);
 }
 
 void WSearchLineEdit::focusInEvent(QFocusEvent* event) {
diff --git a/src/widget/wsearchlineedit.h b/src/widget/wsearchlineedit.h
index 800d4a2c4370..8c83d27e02b9 100644
--- a/src/widget/wsearchlineedit.h
+++ b/src/widget/wsearchlineedit.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class WSearchLineEdit : public QComboBox, public WBaseWidget {
     void focusOutEvent(QFocusEvent*) override;
     bool event(QEvent*) override;
     bool eventFilter(QObject* obj, QEvent* event) override;
+    void keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent* event) override;
 
   signals:
     void search(const QString& text);
diff --git a/src/widget/wtracktableview.cpp b/src/widget/wtracktableview.cpp
index 92ee26bed0ae..cea503530adb 100644
--- a/src/widget/wtracktableview.cpp
+++ b/src/widget/wtracktableview.cpp
@@ -77,13 +77,6 @@ WTrackTableView::WTrackTableView(QWidget* parent,
             &WTrackTableView::scrollValueChanged,
             this,
             &WTrackTableView::slotScrollValueChanged);
-
-    QShortcut* setFocusShortcut =
-            new QShortcut(QKeySequence(tr("ESC", "Focus")), this);
-    connect(setFocusShortcut,
-            &QShortcut::activated,
-            this,
-            QOverload<>::of(&WTrackTableView::setFocus));
 }
 
 WTrackTableView::~WTrackTableView() {