diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/component/vim/vim-handler.ts b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/component/vim/vim-handler.ts
index ebff796899f9..95f17eb5273c 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/component/vim/vim-handler.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/component/vim/vim-handler.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import { vimJump, type VimJump } from "./vim-motion-jump"
 import {
   appendAfterCursor,
   appendLineEnd,
-  clampCursorToLine,
   clearSelection,
   deleteLine,
   deleteLineEnd,
@@ -1316,9 +1315,9 @@ export function createVimHandler(input: {
 
       if (input.state.isInsert()) {
         if (event.name !== "escape") return false
-        clampCursorToLine(input.textarea())
         input.state.setMode("normal")
         input.state.commitEdit(snapshot())
+        moveLeft(input.textarea())
         event.preventDefault()
         return true
       }
diff --git a/packages/opencode/test/cli/tui/vim-motions.test.ts b/packages/opencode/test/cli/tui/vim-motions.test.ts
index f68181c7b5b3..dbda392caad8 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/test/cli/tui/vim-motions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/test/cli/tui/vim-motions.test.ts
@@ -1142,7 +1142,7 @@ describe("vim motion handler", () => {
     expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(1)
   })
 
-  test("escape from insert leaves cursor inside line content alone", () => {
+  test("escape from empty insert moves cursor back like vim", () => {
     const ctx = createHandler("abc")
     ctx.textarea.cursorOffset = 1
     expect(ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("i").event)).toBe(true)
@@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ describe("vim motion handler", () => {
 
     expect(ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("escape").event)).toBe(true)
     expect(ctx.state.mode()).toBe("normal")
-    expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(1)
+    expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(0)
   })
 
   test("o opens line below and enters insert", () => {
@@ -1499,6 +1499,7 @@ describe("vim motion handler", () => {
 
   test("insert mode only handles escape", () => {
     const ctx = createHandler("abc", { mode: "insert" })
+    ctx.textarea.cursorOffset = 2
 
     const w = createEvent("w")
     expect(ctx.handler.handleKey(w.event)).toBe(false)
@@ -1508,6 +1509,60 @@ describe("vim motion handler", () => {
     expect(ctx.handler.handleKey(esc.event)).toBe(true)
     expect(esc.prevented()).toBe(true)
     expect(ctx.state.mode()).toBe("normal")
+    expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(1)
+  })
+
+  test("escape from insert mode moves cursor back like vim", () => {
+    const ctx = createHandler("abcd")
+    ctx.textarea.cursorOffset = 1
+
+    ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("i").event)
+    ctx.textarea.insertText("X")
+    ctx.textarea.insertText("Y")
+    ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("escape").event)
+
+    expect(ctx.textarea.plainText).toBe("aXYbcd")
+    expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(2)
+    expect(ctx.state.mode()).toBe("normal")
+  })
+
+  test("escape from insert mode stays on inserted text at end of line", () => {
+    const ctx = createHandler("abcd")
+    ctx.textarea.cursorOffset = 3
+
+    ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("a").event)
+    ctx.textarea.insertText("X")
+    ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("escape").event)
+
+    expect(ctx.textarea.plainText).toBe("abcdX")
+    expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(4)
+    expect(ctx.state.mode()).toBe("normal")
+  })
+
+  test("escape from insert mode stays on a new empty line", () => {
+    const ctx = createHandler("abc")
+    ctx.textarea.cursorOffset = 1
+
+    ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("o").event)
+    ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("escape").event)
+
+    expect(ctx.textarea.plainText).toBe("abc\n")
+    expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(4)
+    expect(ctx.state.mode()).toBe("normal")
+  })
+
+  test("db after insert escape keeps the character under cursor like vim", () => {
+    const ctx = createHandler("")
+
+    ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("i").event)
+    ctx.textarea.insertText("word")
+    ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("escape").event)
+    expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(3)
+
+    ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("d").event)
+    ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("b").event)
+    expect(ctx.textarea.plainText).toBe("d")
+    expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(0)
   })
 
   test("R enters replace mode and escape exits", () => {
@@ -4128,7 +4183,7 @@ describe("vim undo redo", () => {
 
     ctx.handler.handleKey(createEvent("u").event)
     expect(ctx.textarea.plainText).toBe("hello")
-    expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(5)
+    expect(ctx.textarea.cursorOffset).toBe(4)
   })
 
   test("redo is cleared after a new edit", () => {