diff --git a/components/modal/src/modal/modal.js b/components/modal/src/modal/modal.js
index aa52e9edcc..9da7beec7c 100644
--- a/components/modal/src/modal/modal.js
+++ b/components/modal/src/modal/modal.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { Layer } from '@dhis2-ui/layer'
 import { spacers, spacersNum, sharedPropTypes } from '@dhis2/ui-constants'
 import cx from 'classnames'
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types'
-import React, { useCallback, useEffect } from 'react'
+import React, { useEffect } from 'react'
 import { resolve } from 'styled-jsx/css'
 import { CloseButton } from './close-button.js'
 
@@ -29,26 +29,25 @@ export const Modal = ({
 }) => {
     const layerStyles = resolveLayerStyles(hide)
 
-    const handleKeyDown = useCallback(
-        (event) => {
-            if (event.key === 'Escape' && onClose) {
-                onClose()
-            }
-        },
-        [onClose]
-    )
-
     useEffect(() => {
         if (hide) {
             return
         }
-        const handleKeyDownCallback = handleKeyDown
-        document.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDownCallback)
+
+        const handleKeyDown = (event) => {
+            event.preventDefault()
+            if (event.key === 'Escape' && onClose) {
+                event.stopPropagation()
+                onClose()
+            }
+        }
+
+        document.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown)
 
         return () => {
-            document.removeEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDownCallback)
+            document.removeEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown)
         }
-    }, [handleKeyDown, hide])
+    }, [hide, onClose])
 
     return (
         <Layer
diff --git a/components/modal/src/modal/modal.test.js b/components/modal/src/modal/modal.test.js
index 25ddfd8e7b..51b72522bf 100644
--- a/components/modal/src/modal/modal.test.js
+++ b/components/modal/src/modal/modal.test.js
@@ -4,17 +4,34 @@ import { CloseButton } from './close-button.js'
 import { Modal } from './modal.js'
 
 describe('Modal', () => {
-    describe('Accessibility', () => {
+    describe('Modal Accessibility', () => {
         it('closes when ESC key is pressed', () => {
             const onCloseMock = jest.fn()
             render(<Modal onClose={onCloseMock} />)
 
             const modalElement = screen.getByRole('dialog')
             fireEvent.keyDown(modalElement, { key: 'Escape', code: 'Escape' })
-
             expect(onCloseMock).toHaveBeenCalled()
         })
 
+        it('does not close when "Enter" is pressed', () => {
+            const onCloseMock = jest.fn()
+            render(<Modal onClose={onCloseMock} />)
+
+            const modalElement = screen.getByRole('dialog')
+            fireEvent.keyDown(modalElement, { key: 'Enter', code: 'Enter' })
+            expect(onCloseMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+        })
+
+        it('does not close when "SpaceBar" is pressed', () => {
+            const onCloseMock = jest.fn()
+            render(<Modal onClose={onCloseMock} />)
+
+            const modalElement = screen.getByRole('dialog')
+            fireEvent.keyDown(modalElement, { key: ' ', code: ' ' })
+            expect(onCloseMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+        })
+
         it('has a close button with proper accessibility attributes', async () => {
             render(<CloseButton />)
             const closeButton = await screen.findByLabelText(
@@ -25,6 +42,7 @@ describe('Modal', () => {
             expect(closeButton.tagName).toBe('BUTTON')
         })
     })
+
     describe('Regular dimensions', () => {
         it('has the correct dimension styles in its default state', () => {
             render(<Modal />)