diff --git a/rts/Game/UI/GuiHandler.cpp b/rts/Game/UI/GuiHandler.cpp
index 370e21cbe9..6cf530ad46 100644
--- a/rts/Game/UI/GuiHandler.cpp
+++ b/rts/Game/UI/GuiHandler.cpp
@@ -1851,16 +1851,18 @@ int CGuiHandler::GetIconPosCommand(int slot) const // only called by SetActiveCo
 }
 
 
+void CGuiHandler::CancelActiveCommand()
+{
+	activeMousePress = false;
+	SetActiveCommandIndex(-1);
+}
+
+
 bool CGuiHandler::KeyPressed(int keyCode, int scanCode, bool isRepeat)
 {
 	RECOIL_DETAILED_TRACY_ZONE;
-	if (keyCode == SDLK_ESCAPE && activeMousePress) {
-		activeMousePress = false;
-		SetActiveCommandIndex(-1);
-		return true;
-	}
-	if (keyCode == SDLK_ESCAPE && inCommand >= 0) {
-		SetActiveCommandIndex(-1);
+	if (keyCode == SDLK_ESCAPE && (activeMousePress || inCommand >= 0)) {
+		CancelActiveCommand();
 		return true;
 	}
 
diff --git a/rts/Game/UI/GuiHandler.h b/rts/Game/UI/GuiHandler.h
index ee22de092e..de1625aaf9 100644
--- a/rts/Game/UI/GuiHandler.h
+++ b/rts/Game/UI/GuiHandler.h
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ class CGuiHandler : public CInputReceiver {
 	bool SetActiveCommand(int cmdIndex, bool rightMouseButton);
 	bool SetActiveCommand(int cmdIndex, int button, bool leftMouseButton, bool rightMouseButton, bool alt, bool ctrl, bool meta, bool shift);
 	bool SetActiveCommand(const Action& action, const CKeySet& ks, int actionIndex);
+	void CancelActiveCommand();
 
 	void SetDrawSelectionInfo(bool dsi) { drawSelectionInfo = dsi; }
 	bool GetDrawSelectionInfo() const { return drawSelectionInfo; }
diff --git a/rts/Game/UnsyncedGameCommands.cpp b/rts/Game/UnsyncedGameCommands.cpp
index c49edc0a6a..19a96edd4b 100644
--- a/rts/Game/UnsyncedGameCommands.cpp
+++ b/rts/Game/UnsyncedGameCommands.cpp
@@ -254,6 +254,22 @@ class DeselectActionExecutor : public IUnsyncedActionExecutor {
 
 
 
+class CancelCommandActionExecutor : public IUnsyncedActionExecutor {
+public:
+	CancelCommandActionExecutor() : IUnsyncedActionExecutor("CancelCommand", "Cancels the active command (build/order mode)") {
+	}
+
+	bool Execute(const UnsyncedAction& action) const final {
+		if (guihandler == nullptr)
+			return false;
+
+		guihandler->CancelActiveCommand();
+		return true;
+	}
+};
+
+
+
 class MapMeshDrawerActionExecutor : public IUnsyncedActionExecutor {
 public:
 	MapMeshDrawerActionExecutor() : IUnsyncedActionExecutor("mapmeshdrawer", "Switch map-mesh rendering modes: 0=GCM, 1=HLOD, 2=ROAM") {
@@ -4038,6 +4054,7 @@ void UnsyncedGameCommands::AddDefaultActionExecutors()
 	AddActionExecutor(AllocActionExecutor<SelectUnitsActionExecutor>());
 	AddActionExecutor(AllocActionExecutor<SelectCycleActionExecutor>());
 	AddActionExecutor(AllocActionExecutor<DeselectActionExecutor>());
+	AddActionExecutor(AllocActionExecutor<CancelCommandActionExecutor>());
 	AddActionExecutor(AllocActionExecutor<ShadowsActionExecutor>());
 	AddActionExecutor(AllocActionExecutor<DumpShadowsActionExecutor>());
 	AddActionExecutor(AllocActionExecutor<MapShadowPolyOffsetActionExecutor>());