diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Create.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Create.js
index 7c3c4ff3..177e951f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Create.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Create.js
@@ -140,7 +140,13 @@ const Create = {
   },
   newTopic: {
     init: function() {
-      $('#topic_name').keyup(function() {
+      $('#topic_name').keyup(function(e) {
+        const ESC = 27
+
+        if (e.keyCode === ESC) {
+          Create.newTopic.hide()
+        } // if
+
         Create.newTopic.name = $(this).val()
       })
 
@@ -301,13 +307,11 @@ const Create = {
 
       $('#synapse_desc').keyup(function(e) {
         const ESC = 27
-        const BACKSPACE = 8
-        const DELETE = 46
-        if (e.keyCode === BACKSPACE && $(this).val() === '' ||
-          e.keyCode === DELETE && $(this).val() === '' ||
-          e.keyCode === ESC) {
+
+        if (e.keyCode === ESC) {
           Create.newSynapse.hide()
         } // if
+
         Create.newSynapse.description = $(this).val()
       })
 
@@ -317,6 +321,14 @@ const Create = {
         }
       })
 
+      $('#synapse_desc').keydown(function(e) {
+        const TAB = 9
+        if (Create.newSynapse.beingCreated && e.keyCode === TAB) {
+          e.preventDefault()
+          Synapse.createSynapseLocally()
+        }
+      })
+
       $('#synapse_desc').bind('typeahead:select', function(event, datum, dataset) {
         if (datum.id) { // if they clicked on an existing synapse get it
           Synapse.getSynapseFromAutocomplete(datum.id)
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/JIT.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/JIT.js
index 3520b946..903cc11d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/JIT.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/JIT.js
@@ -420,6 +420,8 @@ const JIT = {
           $('.rightclickmenu').remove()
 
           if (Mouse.boxStartCoordinates) {
+            Create.newSynapse.hide()
+            Create.newTopic.hide()
             Visualize.mGraph.busy = false
             Mouse.boxEndCoordinates = eventInfo.getPos()
             JIT.selectWithBox(e)
@@ -434,7 +436,9 @@ const JIT = {
           } else if (node && !node.nodeFrom) {
             JIT.selectNodeOnRightClickHandler(node, e)
           } else {
-            // console.log('right clicked on open space')
+            // right click open space
+            Create.newSynapse.hide()
+            Create.newTopic.hide()
           }
         }
       },