diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/vim.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/vim.test.ts
index f939982f..0139119e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/vim.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/vim.test.ts
@@ -1203,7 +1203,9 @@ describe('useVim hook', () => {
         });
 
         // Press escape to clear pending state
-        exitInsertMode(result);
+        act(() => {
+          result.current.handleInput({ name: 'escape' });
+        });
 
         // Now 'w' should just move cursor, not delete
         act(() => {
@@ -1215,6 +1217,69 @@ describe('useVim hook', () => {
         expect(testBuffer.vimMoveWordForward).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
       });
     });
+
+    describe('NORMAL mode escape behavior', () => {
+      it('should pass escape through when no pending operator is active', () => {
+        mockVimContext.vimMode = 'NORMAL';
+        const { result } = renderVimHook();
+
+        const handled = result.current.handleInput({ name: 'escape' });
+
+        expect(handled).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      it('should handle escape and clear pending operator', () => {
+        mockVimContext.vimMode = 'NORMAL';
+        const { result } = renderVimHook();
+
+        act(() => {
+          result.current.handleInput({ sequence: 'd' });
+        });
+
+        let handled: boolean | undefined;
+        act(() => {
+          handled = result.current.handleInput({ name: 'escape' });
+        });
+
+        expect(handled).toBe(true);
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('Shell command pass-through', () => {
+    it('should pass through ctrl+r in INSERT mode', () => {
+      mockVimContext.vimMode = 'INSERT';
+      const { result } = renderVimHook();
+
+      const handled = result.current.handleInput({ name: 'r', ctrl: true });
+
+      expect(handled).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should pass through ! in INSERT mode when buffer is empty', () => {
+      mockVimContext.vimMode = 'INSERT';
+      const emptyBuffer = createMockBuffer('');
+      const { result } = renderVimHook(emptyBuffer);
+
+      const handled = result.current.handleInput({ sequence: '!' });
+
+      expect(handled).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should handle ! as input in INSERT mode when buffer is not empty', () => {
+      mockVimContext.vimMode = 'INSERT';
+      const nonEmptyBuffer = createMockBuffer('not empty');
+      const { result } = renderVimHook(nonEmptyBuffer);
+      const key = { sequence: '!', name: '!' };
+
+      act(() => {
+        result.current.handleInput(key);
+      });
+
+      expect(nonEmptyBuffer.handleInput).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining(key),
+      );
+    });
   });
 
   // Line operations (dd, cc) are tested in text-buffer.test.ts
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/vim.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/vim.ts
index cb65e1ee..97b73121 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/vim.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/vim.ts
@@ -260,7 +260,8 @@ export function useVim(buffer: TextBuffer, onSubmit?: (value: string) => void) {
         normalizedKey.name === 'tab' ||
         (normalizedKey.name === 'return' && !normalizedKey.ctrl) ||
         normalizedKey.name === 'up' ||
-        normalizedKey.name === 'down'
+        normalizedKey.name === 'down' ||
+        (normalizedKey.ctrl && normalizedKey.name === 'r')
       ) {
         return false; // Let InputPrompt handle completion
       }
@@ -270,6 +271,11 @@ export function useVim(buffer: TextBuffer, onSubmit?: (value: string) => void) {
         return false; // Let InputPrompt handle clipboard functionality
       }
 
+      // Let InputPrompt handle shell commands
+      if (normalizedKey.sequence === '!' && buffer.text.length === 0) {
+        return false;
+      }
+
       // Special handling for Enter key to allow command submission (lower priority than completion)
       if (
         normalizedKey.name === 'return' &&
@@ -399,10 +405,14 @@ export function useVim(buffer: TextBuffer, onSubmit?: (value: string) => void) {
 
       // Handle NORMAL mode
       if (state.mode === 'NORMAL') {
-        // Handle Escape key in NORMAL mode - clear all pending states
+        // If in NORMAL mode, allow escape to pass through to other handlers
+        // if there's no pending operation.
         if (normalizedKey.name === 'escape') {
-          dispatch({ type: 'CLEAR_PENDING_STATES' });
-          return true; // Handled by vim
+          if (state.pendingOperator) {
+            dispatch({ type: 'CLEAR_PENDING_STATES' });
+            return true; // Handled by vim
+          }
+          return false; // Pass through to other handlers
         }
 
         // Handle count input (numbers 1-9, and 0 if count > 0)