diff --git a/sources/diagram.h b/sources/diagram.h
index d2e0f0e12..aa9cb1d9f 100644
--- a/sources/diagram.h
+++ b/sources/diagram.h
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ class Diagram : public QGraphicsScene
 		// methods related to graphics items addition/removal on the diagram
 		virtual void addItem    (QGraphicsItem *item);
 		virtual void removeItem (QGraphicsItem *item);
+		bool hasEventInterface() const { return m_event_interface != nullptr; }
 	
 		// methods related to graphics options
 		ExportProperties applyProperties(const ExportProperties &);
diff --git a/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddpaste.cpp b/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddpaste.cpp
index b08406b68..d9be0f159 100644
--- a/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddpaste.cpp
+++ b/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddpaste.cpp
@@ -87,12 +87,12 @@ DiagramEventAddPaste::DiagramEventAddPaste(Diagram *diagram, const QPointF &star
 */
 DiagramEventAddPaste::~DiagramEventAddPaste()
 {
-	if (!m_finished && m_diagram) {
-		cancel();
-	}
-	if (m_status_bar) {
-		m_status_bar->clearMessage();
+	if (!m_finished) {
+		removeItems();
+		m_finished = true;
+		m_running = false;
 	}
+	if (m_status_bar) m_status_bar->clearMessage();
 }
 
 /**
@@ -139,6 +139,10 @@ void DiagramEventAddPaste::moveTo(const QPointF &scene_pos)
 			it.key()->setPos(anchor + it.value());
 		}
 	}
+	const auto conductors = m_content.conductors();  // AnyConductor by default
+	for (auto *cond : conductors) {
+		cond->updatePath();
+	}
 }
 
 void DiagramEventAddPaste::mouseMoveEvent(QGraphicsSceneMouseEvent *event)
@@ -216,13 +220,14 @@ void DiagramEventAddPaste::commit()
 void DiagramEventAddPaste::cancel()
 {
 	if (m_finished || !m_diagram) return;
+	removeItems();
 	m_finished = true;
 	m_running = false;
+	emit finish();  // only the user-driven path signals
+}
 
-		//Conductors first: they hold pointers to the terminals of the
-		//elements below, so removing an element out from under one would
-		//leave it pointing at freed memory for as long as it is still in the
-		//scene.
+void DiagramEventAddPaste::removeItems()
+{
 	const QList<Conductor *> conductors = m_content.conductors(DiagramContent::AnyConductor);
 	for (auto *conductor : conductors) {
 		m_diagram->removeItem(conductor);
@@ -237,5 +242,4 @@ void DiagramEventAddPaste::cancel()
 
 	m_content.clear();
 	m_relative_pos.clear();
-	emit finish();
 }
diff --git a/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddpaste.h b/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddpaste.h
index a200ca04d..8c7bcf86f 100644
--- a/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddpaste.h
+++ b/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddpaste.h
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ class DiagramEventAddPaste : public DiagramEventInterface
 		void commit();
 		void cancel();
 		void showHint();
+		void removeItems();
 
 		DiagramContent m_content;
 			///Each movable item's position relative to the group's top left,
diff --git a/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddshape.cpp b/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddshape.cpp
index d19669e76..9795d86f8 100644
--- a/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddshape.cpp
+++ b/sources/diagramevent/diagrameventaddshape.cpp
@@ -317,10 +317,16 @@ void DiagramEventAddShape::mouseMoveEvent(QGraphicsSceneMouseEvent *event)
 	did anything. Re-running the last known mouse position through
 	applyPosition() here makes the key press or release itself the
 	trigger, giving immediate feedback instead of waiting on chance.
+	Any other key falls back to standard handling, e.g. pressing ESC aborts the operation.
 */
 void DiagramEventAddShape::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *event)
 {
-	reapplyLastPosition(event);
+	if (event->key() == Qt::Key_Shift || event->key() == Qt::Key_Control) {
+		reapplyLastPosition(event);
+		event->setAccepted(true);
+	} else {
+		DiagramEventInterface::keyPressEvent(event);
+	}
 }
 
 void DiagramEventAddShape::keyReleaseEvent(QKeyEvent *event)
diff --git a/sources/diagramview.cpp b/sources/diagramview.cpp
index e16a02840..3d2a6d340 100644
--- a/sources/diagramview.cpp
+++ b/sources/diagramview.cpp
@@ -733,6 +733,10 @@ void DiagramView::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *e)
 				//way off the canvas for someone working without a mouse.
 				//Escape steps back out: first it drops the selection, then it
 				//hands focus to the next widget.
+			if (m_diagram && m_diagram->hasEventInterface()) {
+				QGraphicsView::keyPressEvent(e);  // let the active tool see it
+				return;
+			}
 			if (m_diagram && !m_diagram->selectedItems().isEmpty()) {
 				m_diagram->clearSelection();
 			} else {
diff --git a/sources/qetdiagrameditor.cpp b/sources/qetdiagrameditor.cpp
index c9f4c868e..247d889ad 100644
--- a/sources/qetdiagrameditor.cpp
+++ b/sources/qetdiagrameditor.cpp
@@ -1754,6 +1754,10 @@ void QETDiagramEditor::addItemGroupTriggered(QAction *action)
 		// here makes the button's appearance match its actual state
 		// regardless of whether Qt's own change notification fired
 		// correctly.
+		
+		if (DiagramView *dv = currentDiagramView())
+			dv->setFocus();  // so the view (and the active tool) actually receives Escape etc
+
 		if (QWidget *button = m_add_item_tool_bar->widgetForAction(action))
 			button->update();
 	}