diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/NetlistBrowserPage.ui b/src/laybasic/laybasic/NetlistBrowserPage.ui
index 25de5ddbb..e4d982923 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/NetlistBrowserPage.ui
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/NetlistBrowserPage.ui
@@ -312,6 +312,14 @@
     <string>Export Selected Nets</string>
    </property>
   </action>
+  <action name="actionUnselectAll">
+   <property name="text">
+    <string>Unselect All</string>
+   </property>
+   <property name="shortcut">
+    <string>Esc</string>
+   </property>
+  </action>
  </widget>
  <customwidgets>
   <customwidget>
@@ -359,5 +367,21 @@
     </hint>
    </hints>
   </connection>
+  <connection>
+   <sender>actionUnselectAll</sender>
+   <signal>triggered()</signal>
+   <receiver>directory_tree</receiver>
+   <slot>clearSelection()</slot>
+   <hints>
+    <hint type="sourcelabel">
+     <x>-1</x>
+     <y>-1</y>
+    </hint>
+    <hint type="destinationlabel">
+     <x>324</x>
+     <y>289</y>
+    </hint>
+   </hints>
+  </connection>
  </connections>
 </ui>
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.cc
index 5c1c65a57..83151bb02 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.cc
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <QPainter>
 #include <QColorDialog>
 #include <QRegExp>
+#include <QKeyEvent>
 
 namespace lay
 {
@@ -101,9 +102,13 @@ NetlistBrowserPage::NetlistBrowserPage (QWidget * /*parent*/)
   lay::ColorButton::build_color_menu (menu, this, SLOT (browse_color_for_net ()), SLOT (select_color_for_net ()));
   color_action->setMenu (menu);
 
+  QAction *sep;
   directory_tree->addAction (actionCollapseAll);
   directory_tree->addAction (actionExpandAll);
-  QAction *sep;
+  sep = new QAction (directory_tree);
+  sep->setSeparator (true);
+  directory_tree->addAction (sep);
+  directory_tree->addAction (actionUnselectAll);
   sep = new QAction (directory_tree);
   sep->setSeparator (true);
   directory_tree->addAction (sep);
@@ -150,6 +155,8 @@ NetlistBrowserPage::NetlistBrowserPage (QWidget * /*parent*/)
 
   forward->setEnabled (false);
   backward->setEnabled (false);
+
+  directory_tree->installEventFilter (this);
 }
 
 NetlistBrowserPage::~NetlistBrowserPage ()
@@ -211,6 +218,26 @@ NetlistBrowserPage::set_max_shape_count (size_t max_shape_count)
   }
 }
 
+bool
+NetlistBrowserPage::eventFilter (QObject *watched, QEvent *event)
+{
+  if (watched != directory_tree) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  QKeyEvent *ke = dynamic_cast<QKeyEvent *> (event);
+  if (! ke || event->type () != QEvent::KeyPress) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (ke->key () == Qt::Key_Escape) {
+    directory_tree->clearSelection ();
+    return true;
+  } else {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 void
 NetlistBrowserPage::layer_list_changed (int)
 {
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.h
index 9a16250c3..b50e21255 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.h
@@ -154,6 +154,9 @@ private slots:
   void browse_color_for_net ();
   void select_color_for_net ();
 
+protected:
+  bool eventFilter (QObject *watched, QEvent *event);
+
 private:
   bool m_show_all;
   QAction *m_show_all_action;