diff --git a/assets/keymaps/vim.json b/assets/keymaps/vim.json
index a45b3a25d3..621046e2b4 100644
--- a/assets/keymaps/vim.json
+++ b/assets/keymaps/vim.json
@@ -657,6 +657,13 @@
       "ctrl-[": ["vim::SwitchMode", "Normal"]
     }
   },
+  {
+    "context": "Editor && vim_mode == insert && VimWaiting",
+    "bindings": {
+      "escape": "vim::NormalBefore",
+      "ctrl-[": "vim::NormalBefore"
+    }
+  },
   {
     "context": "BufferSearchBar && !in_replace",
     "bindings": {
diff --git a/crates/vim/src/insert.rs b/crates/vim/src/insert.rs
index 38b08a7d80..ad97a4af3d 100644
--- a/crates/vim/src/insert.rs
+++ b/crates/vim/src/insert.rs
@@ -124,5 +124,9 @@ mod test {
         cx.set_shared_state("heˇllo\n").await;
         cx.simulate_shared_keystrokes("y y i ctrl-r \"").await;
         cx.shared_state().await.assert_eq("hehello\nˇllo\n");
+
+        cx.simulate_shared_keystrokes("ctrl-r x ctrl-r escape")
+            .await;
+        cx.shared_state().await.assert_eq("hehello\nˇllo\n");
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/vim/src/vim.rs b/crates/vim/src/vim.rs
index 83eaa25f03..4f5ca7b558 100644
--- a/crates/vim/src/vim.rs
+++ b/crates/vim/src/vim.rs
@@ -896,6 +896,7 @@ impl Vim {
                             )
                         }
                     });
+                    vim.clear_operator(cx);
                 }
                 _ => {
                     vim.select_register(text, cx);
diff --git a/crates/vim/test_data/test_insert_ctrl_r.json b/crates/vim/test_data/test_insert_ctrl_r.json
index c61027157e..6167bc3f33 100644
--- a/crates/vim/test_data/test_insert_ctrl_r.json
+++ b/crates/vim/test_data/test_insert_ctrl_r.json
@@ -5,3 +5,8 @@
 {"Key":"ctrl-r"}
 {"Key":"\""}
 {"Get":{"state":"hehello\nˇllo\n","mode":"Insert"}}
+{"Key":"ctrl-r"}
+{"Key":"x"}
+{"Key":"ctrl-r"}
+{"Key":"escape"}
+{"Get":{"state":"hehello\nˇllo\n","mode":"Insert"}}