diff --git a/voxygen/src/hud/chat.rs b/voxygen/src/hud/chat.rs
index a72dd655cd..eb198ad7ee 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/hud/chat.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/hud/chat.rs
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ impl Chat {
             new_messages: false,
         }
     }
-    pub fn is_input_box(&self, id: Id) -> bool {
-        id == self.ids.input
+    pub fn input_box_id(&self) -> Id {
+        self.ids.input
     }
     pub fn new_message(&mut self, msg: String) {
         self.messages.push_front(msg);
diff --git a/voxygen/src/hud/mod.rs b/voxygen/src/hud/mod.rs
index cf671afcd8..fd9643e325 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/hud/mod.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/hud/mod.rs
@@ -1155,7 +1155,7 @@ impl Hud {
         }
         // update whether keyboard is captured
         self.typing = if let Some(widget_id) = ui_widgets.global_input().current.widget_capturing_keyboard {
-            self.chat.is_input_box(widget_id)
+            widget_id == self.chat.input_box_id()
         } else {
             false
         };
@@ -1178,12 +1178,30 @@ impl Hud {
     pub fn handle_event(&mut self, event: WinEvent) -> bool {
         match event {
             WinEvent::Ui(event) => {
-                if !(self.cursor_grabbed && event.is_keyboard_or_mouse()) {
+                if (self.typing && event.is_keyboard()) || !(self.cursor_grabbed && event.is_keyboard_or_mouse()) {
                     self.ui.handle_event(event);
                 }
                 true
             },
-            _ if self.cursor_grabbed => false,
+            WinEvent::KeyDown(Key::Enter) => {
+                if self.cursor_grabbed && self.typing {
+                    self.ui.focus_widget(None);
+                    self.typing = false;
+                } else if !self.typing {
+                    self.ui.focus_widget(Some(self.chat.input_box_id()));
+                    self.typing = true;
+                };
+                true
+            }
+            WinEvent::KeyDown(Key::Escape) if self.typing => {
+                if self.typing {
+                    self.typing = false;
+                    self.ui.focus_widget(None);
+                    true
+                } else {
+                    false
+                }
+            }
             WinEvent::KeyDown(key) | WinEvent::KeyUp(key) => match key {
                 Key::ToggleCursor => false,
                 _ => self.typing,
diff --git a/voxygen/src/ui/mod.rs b/voxygen/src/ui/mod.rs
index e1f5e7649c..d7101e86f9 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/ui/mod.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/ui/mod.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use conrod_core::{
     widget::{Id as WidgId, id::Generator},
     render::Primitive,
     event::Input,
-    input::{touch::Touch, Widget, Motion},
+    input::{touch::Touch, Widget, Motion, Button, MouseButton},
 };
 use vek::*;
 use crate::{
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ impl Event {
             _ => false,
         }
     }
+    pub fn is_keyboard(&self) -> bool {
+        match self.0 {
+            Input::Press(Button::Keyboard(_)) | Input::Release(Button::Keyboard(_)) | Input::Text(_) => true,
+            _ => false,
+        }
+    }
     pub fn new_resize(dims: Vec2<f64>) -> Self {
         Self(Input::Resize(dims.x, dims.y))
     }
@@ -224,6 +230,33 @@ impl Ui {
         self.ui.set_widgets()
     }
 
+    // Workaround because conrod currently gives us no way to programmatically set which widget is capturing key input
+    // Note the widget must be visible and not covered by other widgets at its center for this to work
+    // Accepts option so widget can be "unfocused"
+    pub fn focus_widget(&mut self, id: Option<WidgId>) {
+        let (x, y) = match id {
+            // get position of widget
+            Some(id) => if let Some([x, y]) = self.ui.xy_of(id) {
+                (x, y)
+            } else {
+                return;
+            },
+            // outside window (origin is center)
+            None => (self.ui.win_h, self.ui.win_w)
+        };
+        // things to consider: does cursor need to be moved back?, should we check if the mouse if already pressed and then trigger a release?
+        self.ui.handle_event(
+            Input::Motion(Motion::MouseCursor { x, y })
+        );
+        self.ui.handle_event(
+            Input::Press(Button::Mouse(MouseButton::Left))
+        );
+        self.ui.handle_event(
+            Input::Release(Button::Mouse(MouseButton::Left))
+        );
+    }
+
+
     pub fn handle_event(&mut self, event: Event) {
         match event.0 {
             Input::Resize(w, h) => self.window_resized = Some(Vec2::new(w, h)),
diff --git a/voxygen/src/window.rs b/voxygen/src/window.rs
index d3fdbe8895..959fe36c9e 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/window.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/window.rs
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ impl Window {
         let mut key_map = HashMap::new();
         key_map.insert(glutin::VirtualKeyCode::Tab, Key::ToggleCursor);
         key_map.insert(glutin::VirtualKeyCode::Escape, Key::Escape);
+        key_map.insert(glutin::VirtualKeyCode::Return, Key::Enter);
         key_map.insert(glutin::VirtualKeyCode::W, Key::MoveForward);
         key_map.insert(glutin::VirtualKeyCode::A, Key::MoveLeft);
         key_map.insert(glutin::VirtualKeyCode::S, Key::MoveBack);
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ impl Window {
     pub fn renderer_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Renderer { &mut self.renderer }
 
     pub fn fetch_events(&mut self) -> Vec<Event> {
-        let mut events = vec![];        
+        let mut events = vec![];
         // Refresh ui size (used when changing playstates)
         if self.needs_refresh_resize {
             events.push(Event::Ui(ui::Event::new_resize(self.logical_size())));
@@ -168,6 +169,7 @@ pub enum Key {
     MoveBack,
     MoveLeft,
     MoveRight,
+    Enter,
 	Escape,
 }