diff --git a/schema/plugin.json b/schema/plugin.json
index 3a5083c..5db429b 100644
--- a/schema/plugin.json
+++ b/schema/plugin.json
@@ -96,15 +96,25 @@
       "command": "vim:select-above-execute-markdown"
     },
     {
-      "selector": ".jp-NotebookPanel[data-jp-vim-mode='true'] .jp-Notebook.jp-mod-editMode",
+      "selector": ".jp-NotebookPanel[data-jp-vim-mode='true'][data-jp-vim-esc-to-cmd-mode='false'] .jp-Notebook.jp-mod-editMode",
       "keys": ["Escape"],
       "command": "vim:leave-insert-mode"
     },
     {
-      "selector": ".jp-NotebookPanel[data-jp-vim-mode='true'] .jp-Notebook.jp-mod-editMode",
+      "selector": ".jp-NotebookPanel[data-jp-vim-mode='true'][data-jp-vim-esc-to-cmd-mode='true'] .jp-Notebook.jp-mod-editMode",
+      "keys": ["Escape"],
+      "command": "vim:leave-current-mode"
+    },
+    {
+      "selector": ".jp-NotebookPanel[data-jp-vim-mode='true'][data-jp-vim-esc-to-cmd-mode='false'] .jp-Notebook.jp-mod-editMode",
       "keys": ["Ctrl ["],
       "command": "vim:leave-insert-mode"
     },
+    {
+      "selector": ".jp-NotebookPanel[data-jp-vim-mode='true'][data-jp-vim-esc-to-cmd-mode='true'] .jp-Notebook.jp-mod-editMode",
+      "keys": ["Ctrl ["],
+      "command": "vim:leave-current-mode"
+    },
     {
       "selector": ".jp-NotebookPanel[data-jp-vim-mode='true'] .jp-Notebook:focus",
       "keys": ["Ctrl I"],
@@ -126,7 +136,7 @@
       "command": "notebook:enter-command-mode"
     },
     {
-      "selector": ".jp-Notebook.jp-mod-commandMode",
+      "selector": ".jp-NotebookPanel[data-jp-vim-mode='true'][data-jp-vim-shift-esc-override-browser='true'] .jp-Notebook.jp-mod-commandMode",
       "keys": ["Shift Escape"],
       "command": ""
     },
@@ -285,6 +295,22 @@
       "description": "Enable/disable vim in text editors (may require a page refresh)",
       "default": true
     },
+    "cmdModeKeys": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "title": "Notebook shortcut key bindings for switching from vim Normal mode to Jupyter Command mode",
+      "properties": {
+        "escToCmdMode": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "title": "Enable `Esc` and `Ctrl-[` leaving vim Normal mode to Jupyter Command mode",
+          "default": true
+        },
+        "shiftEscOverrideBrowser": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "title": "Override `Shift-Esc` browser shortcut in Jupyter Command mode",
+          "default": true
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "extraKeybindings": {
       "type": "array",
       "title": "Extra Vim Keybindings",
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 2e74f48..048797c 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -23,11 +23,14 @@ import {
   IKeybinding
 } from './codemirrorCommands';
 import { addNotebookCommands } from './labCommands';
+import { PartialJSONObject } from '@lumino/coreutils';
 
 const PLUGIN_NAME = '@axlair/jupyterlab_vim';
 const TOGGLE_ID = 'jupyterlab-vim:toggle';
 let enabled = false;
 let enabledInEditors = true;
+let escToCmdMode = true;
+let shiftEscOverrideBrowser = true;
 
 /**
  * Initialization data for the jupyterlab_vim extension.
@@ -170,6 +173,18 @@ async function activateCellVim(
 
     enabled = settings.get('enabled').composite === true;
     enabledInEditors = settings.get('enabledInEditors').composite === true;
+
+    const cmdModeKeys = settings.get('cmdModeKeys')
+      .composite as PartialJSONObject;
+    if (!cmdModeKeys) {
+      // no-op
+    } else {
+      escToCmdMode = cmdModeKeys['escToCmdMode'] as boolean;
+      shiftEscOverrideBrowser = cmdModeKeys[
+        'shiftEscOverrideBrowser'
+      ] as boolean;
+    }
+
     app.commands.notifyCommandChanged(TOGGLE_ID);
 
     cellManager.enabled = enabled;
@@ -194,6 +209,8 @@ async function activateCellVim(
 
     notebookTracker.forEach(notebook => {
       notebook.node.dataset.jpVimMode = `${enabled}`;
+      notebook.node.dataset.jpVimEscToCmdMode = `${escToCmdMode}`;
+      notebook.node.dataset.jpVimShiftEscOverrideBrowser = `${shiftEscOverrideBrowser}`;
     });
     editorTracker.forEach(document => {
       document.node.dataset.jpVimMode = `${enabled && enabledInEditors}`;
@@ -204,6 +221,8 @@ async function activateCellVim(
     // make sure our css selector is added to new notebooks
     notebookTracker.widgetAdded.connect((sender, notebook) => {
       notebook.node.dataset.jpVimMode = `${enabled}`;
+      notebook.node.dataset.jpVimEscToCmdMode = `${escToCmdMode}`;
+      notebook.node.dataset.jpVimShiftEscOverrideBrowser = `${shiftEscOverrideBrowser}`;
     });
     editorTracker.widgetAdded.connect((sender, document) => {
       document.node.dataset.jpVimMode = `${enabled && enabledInEditors}`;