diff --git a/README b/README
index d8fd12af..b9b0ccbd 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -281,6 +281,8 @@ New commands
   stopvideo               - stop video capture
   stopmusic               - stop background music
   minimize                - Minimize the game and show desktop
+  togglemenu              - causes escape key event for opening/closing menu, or
+                            going to a pervious menu. works in binds, even in UI
 
   print                   - print out the contents of a cvar
   unset                   - unset a user created cvar
diff --git a/code/client/cl_console.c b/code/client/cl_console.c
index 3d5ef021..2ee92db3 100644
--- a/code/client/cl_console.c
+++ b/code/client/cl_console.c
@@ -81,6 +81,16 @@ void Con_ToggleConsole_f (void) {
 	Key_SetCatcher( Key_GetCatcher( ) ^ KEYCATCH_CONSOLE );
 }
 
+/*
+===================
+Con_ToggleMenu_f
+===================
+*/
+void Con_ToggleMenu_f( void ) {
+	CL_KeyEvent( K_ESCAPE, qtrue, Sys_Milliseconds() );
+	CL_KeyEvent( K_ESCAPE, qfalse, Sys_Milliseconds() );
+}
+
 /*
 ================
 Con_MessageMode_f
@@ -332,6 +342,7 @@ void Con_Init (void) {
 	CL_LoadConsoleHistory( );
 
 	Cmd_AddCommand ("toggleconsole", Con_ToggleConsole_f);
+	Cmd_AddCommand ("togglemenu", Con_ToggleMenu_f);
 	Cmd_AddCommand ("messagemode", Con_MessageMode_f);
 	Cmd_AddCommand ("messagemode2", Con_MessageMode2_f);
 	Cmd_AddCommand ("messagemode3", Con_MessageMode3_f);
@@ -349,6 +360,7 @@ Con_Shutdown
 void Con_Shutdown(void)
 {
 	Cmd_RemoveCommand("toggleconsole");
+	Cmd_RemoveCommand("togglemenu");
 	Cmd_RemoveCommand("messagemode");
 	Cmd_RemoveCommand("messagemode2");
 	Cmd_RemoveCommand("messagemode3");
diff --git a/code/client/cl_keys.c b/code/client/cl_keys.c
index 80e66754..73af33e5 100644
--- a/code/client/cl_keys.c
+++ b/code/client/cl_keys.c
@@ -1120,6 +1120,23 @@ void CL_InitKeyCommands( void ) {
 	Cmd_AddCommand ("bindlist",Key_Bindlist_f);
 }
 
+/*
+===================
+CL_BindUICommand
+
+Returns qtrue if bind command should be executed while user interface is shown
+===================
+*/
+static qboolean CL_BindUICommand( const char *cmd ) {
+	if ( Key_GetCatcher( ) & KEYCATCH_CONSOLE )
+		return qfalse;
+
+	if ( !Q_stricmp( cmd, "togglemenu" ) )
+		return qtrue;
+
+	return qfalse;
+}
+
 /*
 ===================
 CL_ParseBinding
@@ -1130,11 +1147,20 @@ Execute the commands in the bind string
 void CL_ParseBinding( int key, qboolean down, unsigned time )
 {
 	char buf[ MAX_STRING_CHARS ], *p = buf, *end;
+	qboolean allCommands, allowUpCmds;
 
+	if( clc.state == CA_DISCONNECTED && Key_GetCatcher( ) == 0 )
+		return;
 	if( !keys[key].binding || !keys[key].binding[0] )
 		return;
 	Q_strncpyz( buf, keys[key].binding, sizeof( buf ) );
 
+	// run all bind commands if console, ui, etc aren't reading keys
+	allCommands = ( Key_GetCatcher( ) == 0 );
+
+	// allow button up commands if in game even if key catcher is set
+	allowUpCmds = ( clc.state != CA_DISCONNECTED );
+
 	while( 1 )
 	{
 		while( isspace( *p ) )
@@ -1147,16 +1173,20 @@ void CL_ParseBinding( int key, qboolean down, unsigned time )
 			// button commands add keynum and time as parameters
 			// so that multiple sources can be discriminated and
 			// subframe corrected
-			char cmd[1024];
-			Com_sprintf( cmd, sizeof( cmd ), "%c%s %d %d\n",
-				( down ) ? '+' : '-', p + 1, key, time );
-			Cbuf_AddText( cmd );
+			if ( allCommands || ( allowUpCmds && !down ) ) {
+				char cmd[1024];
+				Com_sprintf( cmd, sizeof( cmd ), "%c%s %d %d\n",
+					( down ) ? '+' : '-', p + 1, key, time );
+				Cbuf_AddText( cmd );
+			}
 		}
 		else if( down )
 		{
 			// normal commands only execute on key press
-			Cbuf_AddText( p );
-			Cbuf_AddText( "\n" );
+			if ( allCommands || CL_BindUICommand( p ) ) {
+				Cbuf_AddText( p );
+				Cbuf_AddText( "\n" );
+			}
 		}
 		if( !end )
 			break;
@@ -1250,10 +1280,10 @@ void CL_KeyDownEvent( int key, unsigned time )
 		Message_Key( key );
 	} else if ( clc.state == CA_DISCONNECTED ) {
 		Console_Key( key );
-	} else {
-		// send the bound action
-		CL_ParseBinding( key, qtrue, time );
 	}
+
+	// send the bound action
+	CL_ParseBinding( key, qtrue, time );
 	return;
 }
 
@@ -1285,8 +1315,7 @@ void CL_KeyUpEvent( int key, unsigned time )
 	// console mode and menu mode, to keep the character from continuing
 	// an action started before a mode switch.
 	//
-	if( clc.state != CA_DISCONNECTED )
-		CL_ParseBinding( key, qfalse, time );
+	CL_ParseBinding( key, qfalse, time );
 
 	if ( Key_GetCatcher( ) & KEYCATCH_UI && uivm ) {
 		VM_Call( uivm, UI_KEY_EVENT, key, qfalse );