diff --git a/src/client/composer/composer-window.vala b/src/client/composer/composer-window.vala
index d8d88015..23fb8edc 100644
--- a/src/client/composer/composer-window.vala
+++ b/src/client/composer/composer-window.vala
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ public class ComposerWindow : Gtk.Window {
     private const string ACTION_COLOR = "color";
     private const string ACTION_INSERT_LINK = "insertlink";
     private const string ACTION_COMPOSE_AS_HTML = "compose as html";
+    private const string ACTION_CLOSE = "close";
     
     private const string URI_LIST_MIME_TYPE = "text/uri-list";
     private const string FILE_URI_PREFIX = "file://";
@@ -275,11 +276,15 @@ public class ComposerWindow : Gtk.Window {
         actions.get_action(ACTION_COLOR).activate.connect(on_select_color);
         actions.get_action(ACTION_INSERT_LINK).activate.connect(on_insert_link);
         
+        actions.get_action(ACTION_CLOSE).activate.connect(on_close);
+        
         ui = new Gtk.UIManager();
         ui.insert_action_group(actions, 0);
         add_accel_group(ui.get_accel_group());
         GearyApplication.instance.load_ui_file_for_manager(ui, "composer_accelerators.ui");
         
+        add_extra_accelerators();
+        
         from = account.information.get_from().to_rfc822_string();
         update_from_field();
         from_multiple.changed.connect(on_from_changed);
@@ -489,6 +494,12 @@ public class ComposerWindow : Gtk.Window {
         update_actions();
     }
     
+    // Glade only allows one accelerator per-action. This method adds extra accelerators not defined
+    // in the Glade file.
+    private void add_extra_accelerators() {
+        GtkUtil.add_accelerator(ui, actions, "Escape", ACTION_CLOSE);
+    }
+    
     private void setup_drag_destination(Gtk.Widget destination) {
         const Gtk.TargetEntry[] target_entries = { { URI_LIST_MIME_TYPE, 0, 0 } };
         Gtk.drag_dest_set(destination, Gtk.DestDefaults.MOTION | Gtk.DestDefaults.HIGHLIGHT,
@@ -630,6 +641,12 @@ public class ComposerWindow : Gtk.Window {
             destroy();
     }
     
+    private void on_close() {
+        // Accelerator <Primary>w was pressed to close the composer window. Do the same as
+        // when clicking the Discard button, at least for now.
+        on_discard();
+    }
+    
     private bool should_send() {
         bool has_subject = !Geary.String.is_empty(subject.strip());
         bool has_body_or_attachment = !Geary.String.is_empty(get_html()) || attachment_files.size > 0;
@@ -1176,13 +1193,6 @@ public class ComposerWindow : Gtk.Window {
                     return true;
                 }
             break;
-            
-            case "Escape":
-                if (should_close()) {
-                    destroy();
-                    return true;
-                }
-            break;
         }
         
         return base.key_press_event(event);
diff --git a/src/client/geary-controller.vala b/src/client/geary-controller.vala
index 5e373a22..7c77ae18 100644
--- a/src/client/geary-controller.vala
+++ b/src/client/geary-controller.vala
@@ -151,21 +151,8 @@ public class GearyController {
     }
 
     private void add_accelerator(string accelerator, string action) {
-        // Parse the accelerator.
-        uint key = 0;
-        Gdk.ModifierType modifiers = 0;
-        Gtk.accelerator_parse(accelerator, out key, out modifiers);
-        if (key == 0) {
-            debug("Failed to parse accelerator '%s'", accelerator);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // Connect the accelerator to the action.
-        GearyApplication.instance.ui_manager.get_accel_group().connect(key, modifiers,
-            Gtk.AccelFlags.VISIBLE, (group, obj, key, modifiers) => {
-                GearyApplication.instance.actions.get_action(action).activate();
-                return false;
-            });
+        GtkUtil.add_accelerator(GearyApplication.instance.ui_manager, GearyApplication.instance.actions,
+            accelerator, action);
     }
 
     private Gtk.ActionEntry[] create_actions() {
diff --git a/src/client/util/util-gtk.vala b/src/client/util/util-gtk.vala
index ab6c469d..f1beb991 100644
--- a/src/client/util/util-gtk.vala
+++ b/src/client/util/util-gtk.vala
@@ -192,5 +192,24 @@ public void add_proxy_menu(Gtk.ToolItem tool_item, string label, Gtk.Menu proxy_
     });
 }
 
+public void add_accelerator(Gtk.UIManager ui_manager, Gtk.ActionGroup action_group,
+    string accelerator, string action) {
+    // Parse the accelerator.
+    uint key = 0;
+    Gdk.ModifierType modifiers = 0;
+    Gtk.accelerator_parse(accelerator, out key, out modifiers);
+    if (key == 0) {
+        debug("Failed to parse accelerator '%s'", accelerator);
+        return;
+    }
+    
+    // Connect the accelerator to the action.
+    ui_manager.get_accel_group().connect(key, modifiers, Gtk.AccelFlags.VISIBLE,
+        (group, obj, key, modifiers) => {
+            action_group.get_action(action).activate();
+            return false;
+        });
+}
+
 }
 
diff --git a/ui/composer.glade b/ui/composer.glade
index 1d17666f..728d7e30 100644
--- a/ui/composer.glade
+++ b/ui/composer.glade
@@ -149,6 +149,10 @@
         <property name="label" translatable="yes">Rich Text</property>
       </object>
     </child>
+    <child>
+      <object class="GtkAction" id="close"/>
+      <accelerator key="w" modifiers="GDK_CONTROL_MASK"/>
+    </child>
   </object>
   <object class="GtkBox" id="composer">
     <property name="visible">True</property>
diff --git a/ui/composer_accelerators.ui b/ui/composer_accelerators.ui
index ea6b90bb..3503c5f9 100644
--- a/ui/composer_accelerators.ui
+++ b/ui/composer_accelerators.ui
@@ -27,4 +27,6 @@
     <accelerator action="font" />
     <accelerator action="color" />
     <accelerator action="insertlink" />
+    
+    <accelerator action="close" />
 </ui>