diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index 0c09c4d..0645b2b 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ static const int THUMB_SIZE = 3;
 /* Following modifiers (NumLock | CapsLock) will be ignored when processing keybindings */
 static const int ignore_mask = Mod2Mask | LockMask;
 
+/* abort the keyhandler */
+static const KeySym keyhandler_abort = XK_Escape;
+
 /* keyboard mappings for image and thumbnail mode: */
 static const keymap_t keys[] = {
 	/* modifiers    key               function              argument */
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 707e833..59f1f21 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ void on_keypress(XKeyEvent *kev)
 	}
 	if (IsModifierKey(ksym))
 		return;
-	if (extprefix && ksym == XK_Escape && MODMASK(kev->state) == 0) {
+	if (extprefix && ksym == keyhandler_abort && MODMASK(kev->state) == 0) {
 		extprefix = False;
 	} else if (extprefix) {
 		run_key_handler(XKeysymToString(ksym), kev->state & ~sh);