diff --git a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options.cpp b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options.cpp
index b195ec83ed..07f8c70052 100644
--- a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options.cpp
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ void PANEL_EESCHEMA_EDITING_OPTIONS::loadEEschemaSettings( EESCHEMA_SETTINGS* aC
     m_cbPinSelectionOpt->SetValue( aCfg->m_Selection.select_pin_selects_symbol );
 
     m_cbAutoStartWires->SetValue( aCfg->m_Drawing.auto_start_wires );
+    m_escClearsNetHighlight->SetValue( aCfg->m_Input.esc_clears_net_highlight );
 }
 
 
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ bool PANEL_EESCHEMA_EDITING_OPTIONS::TransferDataFromWindow()
     cfg->m_Selection.select_pin_selects_symbol = m_cbPinSelectionOpt->GetValue();
 
     cfg->m_Drawing.auto_start_wires = m_cbAutoStartWires->GetValue();
+    cfg->m_Input.esc_clears_net_highlight = m_escClearsNetHighlight->GetValue();
 
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.cpp b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.cpp
index ba4c386ad9..66c5dc8ab9 100644
--- a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ PANEL_EESCHEMA_EDITING_OPTIONS_BASE::PANEL_EESCHEMA_EDITING_OPTIONS_BASE( wxWind
 
 	m_staticText24 = new wxStaticText( sbSizerEditOpt->GetStaticBox(), wxID_ANY, _("Line Drawing Mode:"), wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize, 0 );
 	m_staticText24->Wrap( -1 );
-	sbSizerEditOpt->Add( m_staticText24, 0, wxALL, 5 );
+	sbSizerEditOpt->Add( m_staticText24, 0, wxLEFT|wxRIGHT|wxBOTTOM, 5 );
 
 	wxString m_choiceLineModeChoices[] = { _("Free Angle"), _("90 deg Angle"), _("45 deg Angle") };
 	int m_choiceLineModeNChoices = sizeof( m_choiceLineModeChoices ) / sizeof( wxString );
@@ -38,7 +38,12 @@ PANEL_EESCHEMA_EDITING_OPTIONS_BASE::PANEL_EESCHEMA_EDITING_OPTIONS_BASE( wxWind
 	m_cbAutoStartWires = new wxCheckBox( sbSizerEditOpt->GetStaticBox(), wxID_ANY, _("Automatically start wires on unconnected pins"), wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize, 0 );
 	m_cbAutoStartWires->SetToolTip( _("When enabled, you can start wiring by clicking on unconnected pins even when the wire tool is not active") );
 
-	sbSizerEditOpt->Add( m_cbAutoStartWires, 0, wxALL, 5 );
+	sbSizerEditOpt->Add( m_cbAutoStartWires, 0, wxLEFT|wxRIGHT|wxTOP, 5 );
+
+    m_escClearsNetHighlight = new wxCheckBox( sbSizerEditOpt->GetStaticBox(), wxID_ANY, _("<ESC> clears net highlighting"), wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize, 0 );
+    m_cbAutoStartWires->SetToolTip( _("First <ESC> in selection tool clears selection, next clears net highlighting") );
+
+   	sbSizerEditOpt->Add( m_escClearsNetHighlight, 0, wxALL, 5 );
 
 
 	bLeftColumn->Add( sbSizerEditOpt, 0, wxEXPAND|wxTOP|wxBOTTOM, 5 );
diff --git a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.fbp b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.fbp
index b6ee6a17b8..0a0de137bc 100644
--- a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.fbp
+++ b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.fbp
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
                                 <property name="permission">none</property>
                                 <object class="sizeritem" expanded="1">
                                     <property name="border">5</property>
-                                    <property name="flag">wxALL</property>
+                                    <property name="flag">wxLEFT|wxRIGHT|wxBOTTOM</property>
                                     <property name="proportion">0</property>
                                     <object class="wxStaticText" expanded="1">
                                         <property name="BottomDockable">1</property>
@@ -336,6 +336,71 @@
                                         <property name="window_style"></property>
                                     </object>
                                 </object>
+                                <object class="sizeritem" expanded="1">
+                                    <property name="border">5</property>
+                                    <property name="flag">wxLEFT|wxRIGHT|wxTOP</property>
+                                    <property name="proportion">0</property>
+                                    <object class="wxCheckBox" expanded="1">
+                                        <property name="BottomDockable">1</property>
+                                        <property name="LeftDockable">1</property>
+                                        <property name="RightDockable">1</property>
+                                        <property name="TopDockable">1</property>
+                                        <property name="aui_layer"></property>
+                                        <property name="aui_name"></property>
+                                        <property name="aui_position"></property>
+                                        <property name="aui_row"></property>
+                                        <property name="best_size"></property>
+                                        <property name="bg"></property>
+                                        <property name="caption"></property>
+                                        <property name="caption_visible">1</property>
+                                        <property name="center_pane">0</property>
+                                        <property name="checked">0</property>
+                                        <property name="close_button">1</property>
+                                        <property name="context_help"></property>
+                                        <property name="context_menu">1</property>
+                                        <property name="default_pane">0</property>
+                                        <property name="dock">Dock</property>
+                                        <property name="dock_fixed">0</property>
+                                        <property name="docking">Left</property>
+                                        <property name="drag_accept_files">0</property>
+                                        <property name="enabled">1</property>
+                                        <property name="fg"></property>
+                                        <property name="floatable">1</property>
+                                        <property name="font"></property>
+                                        <property name="gripper">0</property>
+                                        <property name="hidden">0</property>
+                                        <property name="id">wxID_ANY</property>
+                                        <property name="label">&lt;ESC&gt; clears net highlighting</property>
+                                        <property name="max_size"></property>
+                                        <property name="maximize_button">0</property>
+                                        <property name="maximum_size"></property>
+                                        <property name="min_size"></property>
+                                        <property name="minimize_button">0</property>
+                                        <property name="minimum_size"></property>
+                                        <property name="moveable">1</property>
+                                        <property name="name">m_escClearsNetHighlight</property>
+                                        <property name="pane_border">1</property>
+                                        <property name="pane_position"></property>
+                                        <property name="pane_size"></property>
+                                        <property name="permission">protected</property>
+                                        <property name="pin_button">1</property>
+                                        <property name="pos"></property>
+                                        <property name="resize">Resizable</property>
+                                        <property name="show">1</property>
+                                        <property name="size"></property>
+                                        <property name="style"></property>
+                                        <property name="subclass">; forward_declare</property>
+                                        <property name="toolbar_pane">0</property>
+                                        <property name="tooltip">First &lt;ESC&gt; in selection tool clears selection, next clears net highlighting</property>
+                                        <property name="validator_data_type"></property>
+                                        <property name="validator_style">wxFILTER_NONE</property>
+                                        <property name="validator_type">wxDefaultValidator</property>
+                                        <property name="validator_variable"></property>
+                                        <property name="window_extra_style"></property>
+                                        <property name="window_name"></property>
+                                        <property name="window_style"></property>
+                                    </object>
+                                </object>
                             </object>
                         </object>
                         <object class="sizeritem" expanded="1">
diff --git a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.h b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.h
index 424333f887..98ca17595e 100644
--- a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.h
+++ b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_eeschema_editing_options_base.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class PANEL_EESCHEMA_EDITING_OPTIONS_BASE : public RESETTABLE_PANEL
 		wxChoice* m_choiceLineMode;
 		wxCheckBox* m_mouseDragIsDrag;
 		wxCheckBox* m_cbAutoStartWires;
+        wxCheckBox* m_escClearsNetHighlight;
 		wxStaticText* m_borderColorLabel;
 		COLOR_SWATCH* m_borderColorSwatch;
 		wxStaticText* m_backgroundColorLabel;
diff --git a/eeschema/eeschema_settings.cpp b/eeschema/eeschema_settings.cpp
index 2de09eb4c0..edff33bef2 100644
--- a/eeschema/eeschema_settings.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/eeschema_settings.cpp
@@ -200,6 +200,9 @@ EESCHEMA_SETTINGS::EESCHEMA_SETTINGS() :
     m_params.emplace_back( new PARAM<bool>( "input.drag_is_move",
             &m_Input.drag_is_move, false ) );
 
+    m_params.emplace_back( new PARAM<bool>( "input.esc_clears_net_highlight",
+            &m_Input.esc_clears_net_highlight, true ) );
+
     m_params.emplace_back( new PARAM<int>( "selection.thickness",
             &m_Selection.selection_thickness, 3 ) );
 
diff --git a/eeschema/eeschema_settings.h b/eeschema/eeschema_settings.h
index b91e03a764..81e0bdd938 100644
--- a/eeschema/eeschema_settings.h
+++ b/eeschema/eeschema_settings.h
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ public:
     struct INPUT
     {
         bool drag_is_move;
+        bool esc_clears_net_highlight;
     };
 
     struct SELECTION
diff --git a/eeschema/tools/ee_selection_tool.cpp b/eeschema/tools/ee_selection_tool.cpp
index 5cd607ec8d..aa349585cc 100644
--- a/eeschema/tools/ee_selection_tool.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/tools/ee_selection_tool.cpp
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ int EE_SELECTION_TOOL::Main( const TOOL_EVENT& aEvent )
             {
                 SCH_EDITOR_CONTROL* editor = m_toolMgr->GetTool<SCH_EDITOR_CONTROL>();
 
-                if( editor )
+                if( editor && m_frame->eeconfig()->m_Input.esc_clears_net_highlight )
                     editor->ClearHighlight( *evt );
             }
         }