diff --git a/src/debugger/Debugger.cxx b/src/debugger/Debugger.cxx
index ceb48daab..afab08bfa 100644
--- a/src/debugger/Debugger.cxx
+++ b/src/debugger/Debugger.cxx
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ bool Debugger::startWithFatalError(const string& message)
 void Debugger::quit(bool exitrom)
 {
   if(exitrom)
-    myOSystem.eventHandler().handleEvent(Event::ExitMode);
+    myOSystem.eventHandler().handleEvent(Event::ExitGame);
   else
   {
     myOSystem.eventHandler().leaveDebugMode();
diff --git a/src/debugger/gui/DebuggerDialog.cxx b/src/debugger/gui/DebuggerDialog.cxx
index 356fe2783..83688d4bf 100644
--- a/src/debugger/gui/DebuggerDialog.cxx
+++ b/src/debugger/gui/DebuggerDialog.cxx
@@ -562,7 +562,6 @@ void DebuggerDialog::addRomArea()
                        bwidth, bheight, "Run", kDDRunCmd);
   b->setHelpAnchor("GlobalButtons", true);
   wid2.push_back(b);
-  addCancelWidget(b);
 
   bwidth = bheight; // 7 + 12;
   bheight = bheight * 3 + 4 * 2;
diff --git a/src/emucore/EventHandler.cxx b/src/emucore/EventHandler.cxx
index 0f1c56525..f9a25433c 100644
--- a/src/emucore/EventHandler.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/EventHandler.cxx
@@ -1852,37 +1852,31 @@ void EventHandler::handleEvent(Event::Type event, Int32 value, bool repeated)
           if (pressed && !repeated) changeStateByEvent(Event::TogglePlayBackMode);
           return;
 
-        // this event is called when exiting a ROM from the debugger, so it acts like pressing ESC in emulation
         case EventHandlerState::EMULATION:
-        case EventHandlerState::DEBUGGER:
           if (pressed && !repeated)
           {
-            if (myState == EventHandlerState::EMULATION)
-            {
 #ifdef GUI_SUPPORT
-              if (myOSystem.settings().getBool("confirmexit"))
+            if (myOSystem.settings().getBool("confirmexit"))
+            {
+              StringList msg;
+              const string saveOnExit = myOSystem.settings().getString("saveonexit");
+              bool activeTM = myOSystem.settings().getBool(
+                myOSystem.settings().getBool("dev.settings") ? "dev.timemachine" : "plr.timemachine");
+
+
+              msg.push_back("Do you really want to exit emulation?");
+              if (saveOnExit != "all" || !activeTM)
               {
-                StringList msg;
-                const string saveOnExit = myOSystem.settings().getString("saveonexit");
-                bool activeTM = myOSystem.settings().getBool(
-                  myOSystem.settings().getBool("dev.settings") ? "dev.timemachine" : "plr.timemachine");
-
-
-                msg.push_back("Do you really want to exit emulation?");
-                if (saveOnExit != "all" || !activeTM)
-                {
-                  msg.push_back("");
-                  msg.push_back("You will lose all your progress.");
-                }
-                myOSystem.messageMenu().setMessage("Exit Emulation", msg, true);
-                enterMenuMode(EventHandlerState::MESSAGEMENU);
+                msg.push_back("");
+                msg.push_back("You will lose all your progress.");
               }
-              else
-#endif
-                exitEmulation(true);
+              myOSystem.messageMenu().setMessage("Exit Emulation", msg, true);
+              enterMenuMode(EventHandlerState::MESSAGEMENU);
             }
             else
+#endif
               exitEmulation(true);
+
           }
           return;
 
@@ -2193,6 +2187,15 @@ bool EventHandler::changeStateByEvent(Event::Type type)
         handled = false;
       break;
 
+    case Event::ExitMode:
+      // special handling for ESC key in debugger
+      if(myState != EventHandlerState::DEBUGGER)
+      {
+        handled = false;
+        break;
+      }
+      [[fallthrough]];
+
     case Event::DebuggerMode:
   #ifdef DEBUGGER_SUPPORT
       if(myState == EventHandlerState::EMULATION || myState == EventHandlerState::PAUSE