diff --git a/src/actions/commands/actions.ts b/src/actions/commands/actions.ts
index dc9becb4e03..9b70c679722 100644
--- a/src/actions/commands/actions.ts
+++ b/src/actions/commands/actions.ts
@@ -502,7 +502,6 @@ class CommandEsc extends BaseCommand {
     ModeName.VisualLine,
     ModeName.VisualBlock,
     ModeName.Normal,
-    ModeName.SearchInProgressMode,
     ModeName.SurroundInputMode,
     ModeName.EasyMotionMode,
     ModeName.EasyMotionInputMode,
@@ -536,12 +535,6 @@ class CommandEsc extends BaseCommand {
       vimState.cursors = vimState.cursors.map(x => x.withNewStop(x.stop.getLeft()));
     }
 
-    if (vimState.currentMode === ModeName.SearchInProgressMode) {
-      if (vimState.globalState.searchState) {
-        vimState.cursorStopPosition = vimState.globalState.searchState.searchCursorStartPosition;
-      }
-    }
-
     if (vimState.currentMode === ModeName.Normal && vimState.isMultiCursor) {
       vimState.isMultiCursor = false;
     }
@@ -961,8 +954,16 @@ class CommandEscInSearchMode extends BaseCommand {
   }
 
   public async exec(position: Position, vimState: VimState): Promise<VimState> {
-    await vimState.setCurrentMode(ModeName.Normal);
-    vimState.globalState.searchState = undefined;
+    const searchState = vimState.globalState.searchState!;
+
+    vimState.cursorStopPosition = searchState.searchCursorStartPosition;
+
+    const prevSearchList = vimState.globalState.searchStatePrevious;
+    vimState.globalState.searchState = prevSearchList
+      ? prevSearchList[prevSearchList.length - 1]
+      : undefined;
+
+    await vimState.setCurrentMode(searchState.previousMode);
 
     return vimState;
   }
diff --git a/test/mode/normalModeTests/motions.test.ts b/test/mode/normalModeTests/motions.test.ts
index 9da26a64309..9859460761e 100644
--- a/test/mode/normalModeTests/motions.test.ts
+++ b/test/mode/normalModeTests/motions.test.ts
@@ -381,6 +381,13 @@ suite('Motions in Normal Mode', () => {
   //   });
   // });
 
+  newTest({
+    title: 'cancelled search reverts to previous search state',
+    start: ['|one', 'two two', 'three three three'],
+    keysPressed: '/two\n/three<Esc>n',
+    end: ['one', 'two |two', 'three three three'],
+  });
+  
   newTest({
     title: 'Backspace on empty search cancels',
     start: ['|one two three'],