diff --git a/packages/design-system/src/components/OcModal/OcModal.spec.ts b/packages/design-system/src/components/OcModal/OcModal.spec.ts
index ad10550048b..c447448f70e 100644
--- a/packages/design-system/src/components/OcModal/OcModal.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/design-system/src/components/OcModal/OcModal.spec.ts
@@ -111,6 +111,21 @@ describe('OcModal', () => {
       expect(wrapper.emitted('cancel')).toBeTruthy()
     })
 
+    it('emits cancel when pressing escape after focus left the dialog', async () => {
+      const wrapper = mountModal()
+      await wrapper.find('.oc-modal-background').trigger('click')
+      pressEscapeFromBody()
+
+      expect(wrapper.emitted('cancel')).toBeTruthy()
+    })
+
+    it('does not emit cancel from the document while inactive', () => {
+      const wrapper = mountModal({ active: false })
+      pressEscapeFromBody()
+
+      expect(wrapper.emitted('cancel')).toBeFalsy()
+    })
+
     // the cancel button is disabled while loading, so escape has to be blocked as
     // well. Otherwise an in-flight handler gets discarded without its result ever
     // reaching the user.
@@ -119,6 +134,13 @@ describe('OcModal', () => {
       await wrapper.find('[role="dialog"]').trigger('keydown.esc')
       expect(wrapper.emitted('cancel')).toBeFalsy()
     })
+
+    it('does not emit cancel from the document while loading', () => {
+      const wrapper = mountModal({ isLoading: true })
+      pressEscapeFromBody()
+
+      expect(wrapper.emitted('cancel')).toBeFalsy()
+    })
   })
 
   it('displays loading state', async () => {
@@ -164,3 +186,7 @@ describe('OcModal', () => {
     expect(wrapper.html()).toMatchSnapshot()
   })
 })
+
+const pressEscapeFromBody = () => {
+  document.body.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'Escape', bubbles: true }))
+}
diff --git a/packages/design-system/src/components/OcModal/OcModal.vue b/packages/design-system/src/components/OcModal/OcModal.vue
index 1b36219b406..f347b4d8712 100644
--- a/packages/design-system/src/components/OcModal/OcModal.vue
+++ b/packages/design-system/src/components/OcModal/OcModal.vue
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@
     class="oc-modal-background fixed left-0 top-0 z-[var(--z-index-modal)] flex items-center justify-center flex-row flex-wrap size-full"
     :class="{ 'bg-black/40': active }"
   >
-    <focus-trap :active="true" :initial-focus="initialFocusRef" :tabbable-options="tabbableOptions">
+    <focus-trap
+      :active="active"
+      :initial-focus="initialFocusRef"
+      :tabbable-options="tabbableOptions"
+    >
       <div
         :id="elementId"
         :class="classes"
@@ -113,6 +117,7 @@ import OcTextInput from '../OcTextInput/OcTextInput.vue'
 import { FocusTargetOrFalse, FocusTrapTabbableOptions } from 'focus-trap'
 import { ContextualHelperData, isComposingEvent } from '../../helpers'
 import { useGettext } from 'vue3-gettext'
+import { useEventListener } from '@vueuse/core'
 
 export interface Props {
   /**
@@ -357,6 +362,16 @@ const cancelModalAction = () => {
   emit('cancel')
 }
 
+const onDocumentKeydown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+  if (!active || event.key !== 'Escape') {
+    return
+  }
+  event.stopPropagation()
+  cancelModalAction()
+}
+
+useEventListener(document, 'keydown', onDocumentKeydown)
+
 const confirm = () => {
   if (buttonConfirmDisabled || inputError) {
     return