diff --git a/cmd-split-window.c b/cmd-split-window.c
index c907dd152..641792e2c 100644
--- a/cmd-split-window.c
+++ b/cmd-split-window.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: cmd-split-window.c,v 1.150 2026/08/20 09:19:24 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: cmd-split-window.c,v 1.151 2026/09/10 11:02:18 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2009 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ const struct cmd_entry cmd_new_pane_entry = {
 	.name = "new-pane",
 	.alias = "newp",
 
-	.args = { "AbB:Cc:de:EfF:hIkl:KLMm:Op:PR:s:S:t:T:vWx:X:y:Y:Z", 0, -1, NULL },
-	.usage = "[-AbCdefhIkKLMOPvWZ] [-B border-lines] "
+	.args = { "AbB:Cc:Dde:EfF:hIkl:KLMm:Op:PR:s:S:t:T:vWx:X:y:Y:Z", 0, -1, NULL },
+	.usage = "[-AbCDefhIkKLMOPvWZ] [-B border-lines] "
 		 "[-c start-directory] [-e environment] "
 		 "[-F format] [-l size] [-m message] [-p percentage] "
 		 "[-s style] [-S active-border-style] "
@@ -219,6 +219,8 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 		new_wp->flags |= PANE_CAPTUREALLKEYS;
 	if (args_has(args, 'C') && args_has(args, 'O'))
 		new_wp->flags |= PANE_CLOSEONCLICK;
+	if (args_has(args, 'D') && args_has(args, 'O'))
+		new_wp->flags |= PANE_CLOSEONCANCEL;
 
 	style = args_get(args, 's');
 	if (style != NULL) {
diff --git a/options-table.c b/options-table.c
index 5d171b16f..7a758395d 100644
--- a/options-table.c
+++ b/options-table.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: options-table.c,v 1.244 2026/09/01 12:49:49 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: options-table.c,v 1.245 2026/09/10 11:02:18 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2011 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ static const char *options_table_window_size_list[] = {
 	"largest", "smallest", "manual", "latest", NULL
 };
 static const char *options_table_remain_on_exit_list[] = {
-	"off", "on", "failed", "key", NULL
+	"off", "on", "failed", "key", "failed-key", NULL
 };
 static const char *options_table_destroy_unattached_list[] = {
 	"off", "on", "keep-last", "keep-group", NULL
@@ -1698,7 +1698,8 @@ const struct options_table_entry options_table[] = {
 	  .choices = options_table_remain_on_exit_list,
 	  .default_num = 0,
 	  .text = "Whether panes should remain ('on'), remain until a key is "
-		  "pressed ('key') or be automatically killed ('off' or "
+		  "pressed after any exit ('key') or after a failure "
+		  "('failed-key'), or be automatically killed ('off' or "
 		  "'failed') when the program inside exits."
 	},
 
diff --git a/server-client.c b/server-client.c
index d4bf3cc07..6aa0b562b 100644
--- a/server-client.c
+++ b/server-client.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: server-client.c,v 1.511 2026/09/08 10:20:08 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: server-client.c,v 1.512 2026/09/10 11:02:18 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2009 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -1391,15 +1391,19 @@ server_client_repeat_time(struct client *c, struct key_binding *bd)
 	return (repeat);
 }
 
-/* Handle a key press on a dead pane waiting for a key. */
+/* Handle a key press which closes a dead pane. */
 static int
 server_client_handle_dead_key(struct window_pane *wp, key_code key)
 {
+	int	remain_on_exit;
+
 	if (wp == NULL ||
 	    (~wp->flags & PANE_EXITED) ||
 	    KEYC_IS_MOUSE(key) ||
-	    KEYC_IS_PASTE(key) ||
-	    options_get_number(wp->options, "remain-on-exit") != 3)
+	    KEYC_IS_PASTE(key))
+		return (0);
+	remain_on_exit = options_get_number(wp->options, "remain-on-exit");
+	if (remain_on_exit != 3 && remain_on_exit != 4)
 		return (0);
 	options_set_number(wp->options, "remain-on-exit", 0);
 	server_destroy_pane(wp, 0);
@@ -1756,9 +1760,10 @@ server_client_handle_key0(struct client *c, struct key_event *event,
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * Key presses in overlay mode, for panes capturing all keys and in the
-	 * command prompt are a special case. The queue might be blocked so they
-	 * need to be processed immediately rather than queued.
+	 * Key presses in overlay mode, dead panes waiting for a key, modal cancel
+	 * keys, panes capturing all keys and the command prompt are special cases.
+	 * The queue might be blocked so they need to be processed immediately
+	 * rather than queued.
 	 */
 	if (~c->flags & CLIENT_READONLY) {
 		if (c->message_string != NULL) {
@@ -1780,12 +1785,18 @@ server_client_handle_key0(struct client *c, struct key_event *event,
 		server_client_clear_overlay(c);
 
 		wp = s->curw->window->active;
+		if (server_client_handle_dead_key(wp, event->key))
+			return (0);
+		if (wp != NULL && wp == wp->window->modal &&
+		    (wp->flags & PANE_CLOSEONCANCEL) &&
+		    (event->key == '\033' || event->key == ('c'|KEYC_CTRL))) {
+			server_kill_pane(wp);
+			return (0);
+		}
 		if (wp != NULL &&
 		    (wp->flags & PANE_CAPTUREALLKEYS) &&
 		    TAILQ_EMPTY(&wp->modes) &&
 		    !KEYC_IS_MOUSE(event->key)) {
-			if (server_client_handle_dead_key(wp, event->key))
-				return (0);
 			if (~wp->flags & PANE_EXITED) {
 				window_pane_key(wp, c, s, s->curw, event->key,
 				    &event->m);
diff --git a/server-fn.c b/server-fn.c
index 697d7abc5..585e4511b 100644
--- a/server-fn.c
+++ b/server-fn.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: server-fn.c,v 1.152 2026/09/03 19:12:36 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: server-fn.c,v 1.153 2026/09/10 11:02:18 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -386,6 +386,7 @@ server_destroy_pane(struct window_pane *wp, int notify)
 	case 0:
 		break;
 	case 2:
+	case 4:
 		if (WIFEXITED(wp->status) && WEXITSTATUS(wp->status) == 0)
 			break;
 		/* FALLTHROUGH */
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index 06567fa80..0254f5de1 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.\" $OpenBSD: tmux.1,v 1.1168 2026/09/09 07:03:39 nicm Exp $
+.\" $OpenBSD: tmux.1,v 1.1169 2026/09/10 11:02:18 nicm Exp $
 .\"
 .\" Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
 .\"
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 .\" IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING
 .\" OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 .\"
-.Dd $Mdocdate: September 9 2026 $
+.Dd $Mdocdate: September 10 2026 $
 .Dt TMUX 1
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -3655,7 +3655,7 @@ but a different format may be specified with
 .Fl F .
 .Tg newp
 .It Xo Ic new\-pane
-.Op Fl AbCdefhIkKLMOPvWZ
+.Op Fl AbCDefhIkKLMOPvWZ
 .Op Fl B Ar border\-lines
 .Op Fl c Ar start\-directory
 .Op Fl e Ar environment
@@ -3717,6 +3717,13 @@ all keys, including the prefix key, are passed directly to the modal pane.
 With
 .Fl C ,
 the modal pane is closed when the mouse is clicked outside it.
+With
+.Fl D ,
+the modal pane is closed when
+.Ql Escape
+or
+.Ql C-c
+is pressed.
 .Pp
 The
 .Fl L
@@ -6328,7 +6335,7 @@ uses when the colour with that index is requested.
 The index may be from zero to 255.
 .Pp
 .It Xo Ic remain\-on\-exit
-.Op Ic on | off | failed | key
+.Op Ic on | off | failed | key | failed\-key
 .Xc
 A pane with this flag set is not destroyed when the program running in it
 exits.
@@ -6338,6 +6345,10 @@ then only when the program exit status is not zero.
 If set to
 .Ic key ,
 the pane stays open and closes when a key is pressed.
+If set to
+.Ic failed\-key ,
+the pane stays open and closes when a key is pressed only if the program exit
+status is not zero.
 The pane may be reactivated with the
 .Ic respawn\-pane
 command.
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 191c6d153..ce7afe95d 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: tmux.h,v 1.1438 2026/09/09 08:30:05 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: tmux.h,v 1.1439 2026/09/10 11:02:18 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -1339,6 +1339,7 @@ struct window_pane {
 #define PANE_CLOSEONCLICK 0x80000
 #define PANE_CAPTUREALLKEYS 0x100000
 #define PANE_FLOATOVERZOOM 0x200000
+#define PANE_CLOSEONCANCEL 0x400000
 
 	bitstr_t	*sync_dirty;
 	u_int		 sync_dirty_size;