diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js b/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
index 75455518a1..8d46146e18 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
@@ -447,6 +447,8 @@ export default class BasicMessageEditor extends React.Component {
             } else if (event.key === Key.TAB) {
                 this._tabCompleteName();
                 handled = true;
+            } else if (event.key === Key.BACKSPACE) {
+                this._formatBarRef.hide();
             }
         }
         if (handled) {