diff --git a/include/wx/event.h b/include/wx/event.h
index f052255bed..7b4d53c6a2 100644
--- a/include/wx/event.h
+++ b/include/wx/event.h
@@ -1744,6 +1744,14 @@ public:
     wxUint32      m_rawFlags;
 
 private:
+    // Set the event to propagate if necessary, i.e. if it's of wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK
+    // type. This is used by all ctors.
+    void InitPropagation()
+    {
+        if ( m_eventType == wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK )
+            m_propagationLevel = wxEVENT_PROPAGATE_MAX;
+    }
+
     // Copy only the event data present in this class, this is used by
     // AssignKeyData() and copy ctor.
     void DoAssignMembers(const wxKeyEvent& evt)
diff --git a/interface/wx/event.h b/interface/wx/event.h
index db03625d00..afc71acc7d 100644
--- a/interface/wx/event.h
+++ b/interface/wx/event.h
@@ -1365,17 +1365,21 @@ enum wxKeyCategoryFlags
     @event{EVT_CHAR(func)}
         Process a @c wxEVT_CHAR event.
     @event{EVT_CHAR_HOOK(func)}
-        Process a @c wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK event which is sent to the active
-        wxTopLevelWindow (i.e. the one containing the currently focused window)
-        or wxApp global object if there is no active window before any other
-        keyboard events are generated giving the parent window the opportunity
-        to intercept all the keyboard entry. If the event is handled, i.e. the
-        handler doesn't call wxEvent::Skip(), neither @c wxEVT_KEY_DOWN nor @c
-        wxEVT_CHAR events will be generated (although @c wxEVT_KEY_UP still
-        will be). Notice that this event is not generated when the mouse is
-        captured as it is considered that the window which has the capture
-        should receive all the keyboard events too without allowing its parent
-        wxTopLevelWindow to interfere with their processing.
+        Process a @c wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK event. Unlike all the other key events,
+        this event is propagated upwards the window hierarchy which allows
+        intercepting it in the parent window of the focused window to which it
+        is sent initially (if there is no focused window, this event is sent to
+        the wxApp global object). It is also generated before any other key
+        events and so gives the parent window an opportunity to modify the
+        keyboard handling of its children, e.g. it is used internally by
+        wxWidgets in some ports to intercept pressing Esc key in any child of a
+        dialog to close the dialog itself when it's pressed. If the event is
+        handled, i.e. the handler doesn't call wxEvent::Skip(), neither @c
+        wxEVT_KEY_DOWN nor @c wxEVT_CHAR events will be generated (although @c
+        wxEVT_KEY_UP still will be). Notice that this event is not generated
+        when the mouse is captured as it is considered that the window which
+        has the capture should receive all the keyboard events too without
+        allowing its parent wxTopLevelWindow to interfere with their processing.
     @endEventTable
 
     @see wxKeyboardState
diff --git a/src/common/event.cpp b/src/common/event.cpp
index 088e5fdbfc..ce1e145c79 100644
--- a/src/common/event.cpp
+++ b/src/common/event.cpp
@@ -735,6 +735,8 @@ wxKeyEvent::wxKeyEvent(wxEventType type)
 #if wxUSE_UNICODE
     m_uniChar = WXK_NONE;
 #endif
+
+    InitPropagation();
 }
 
 wxKeyEvent::wxKeyEvent(const wxKeyEvent& evt)
@@ -742,6 +744,8 @@ wxKeyEvent::wxKeyEvent(const wxKeyEvent& evt)
             wxKeyboardState(evt)
 {
     DoAssignMembers(evt);
+
+    InitPropagation();
 }
 
 wxKeyEvent::wxKeyEvent(wxEventType eventType, const wxKeyEvent& evt)
@@ -751,6 +755,8 @@ wxKeyEvent::wxKeyEvent(wxEventType eventType, const wxKeyEvent& evt)
     DoAssignMembers(evt);
 
     m_eventType = eventType;
+
+    InitPropagation();
 }
 
 bool wxKeyEvent::IsKeyInCategory(int category) const
diff --git a/src/gtk/window.cpp b/src/gtk/window.cpp
index 3815c8e7e5..9e62caac35 100644
--- a/src/gtk/window.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/window.cpp
@@ -834,22 +834,15 @@ namespace
 // if it was processed (and not skipped).
 bool SendCharHookEvent(const wxKeyEvent& event, wxWindow *win)
 {
-    // wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK must be sent to the top level parent window to allow it
+    // wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK must be sent to allow the parent windows (e.g. a dialog
+    // which typically closes when Esc key is pressed in any of its controls)
     // to handle key events in all of its children unless the mouse is captured
     // in which case we consider that the keyboard should be "captured" too.
     if ( !g_captureWindow )
     {
-        wxWindow * const parent = wxGetTopLevelParent(win);
-        if ( parent )
-        {
-            // We need to make a copy of the event object because it is
-            // modified while it's handled, notably its WasProcessed() flag
-            // is set after it had been processed once.
-            wxKeyEvent eventCharHook(event);
-            eventCharHook.SetEventType(wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK);
-            if ( parent->HandleWindowEvent(eventCharHook) )
-                return true;
-        }
+        wxKeyEvent eventCharHook(wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK, event);
+        if ( win->HandleWindowEvent(eventCharHook) )
+            return true;
     }
 
     return false;
diff --git a/src/msw/window.cpp b/src/msw/window.cpp
index 6e8efa691e..506bc5175a 100644
--- a/src/msw/window.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/window.cpp
@@ -6622,7 +6622,14 @@ wxKeyboardHook(int nCode, WORD wParam, DWORD lParam)
 #endif // wxUSE_UNICODE
                     )
             {
-                const wxWindow * const win = wxGetActiveWindow();
+                wxWindow const* win = wxWindow::DoFindFocus();
+                if ( !win )
+                {
+                    // Even if the focus got lost somehow, still send the event
+                    // to the top level parent to allow a wxDialog to always
+                    // close on Escape.
+                    win = wxGetActiveWindow();
+                }
 
                 wxKeyEvent event(wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK);
                 MSWInitAnyKeyEvent(event, wParam, lParam, win);
diff --git a/src/osx/carbon/app.cpp b/src/osx/carbon/app.cpp
index 171eb0825b..a3ea022933 100644
--- a/src/osx/carbon/app.cpp
+++ b/src/osx/carbon/app.cpp
@@ -1616,20 +1616,16 @@ bool wxApp::MacSendCharEvent( wxWindow* focus , long keymessage , long modifiers
 
 #if wxOSX_USE_CARBON
     long keyval = event.m_keyCode ;
-    wxNonOwnedWindow *tlw = focus->MacGetTopLevelWindow() ;
 
-    if (tlw)
     {
-        event.SetEventType( wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK );
-        handled = tlw->HandleWindowEvent( event );
-        if ( handled && event.GetSkipped() )
+        wxKeyEvent eventCharHook(wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK, event);
+        handled = focus->HandleWindowEvent( eventCharHook );
+        if ( handled && eventCharHook.GetSkipped() )
             handled = false ;
     }
 
     if ( !handled )
     {
-        event.SetEventType( wxEVT_CHAR );
-        event.Skip( false ) ;
         handled = focus->HandleWindowEvent( event ) ;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/osx/cocoa/window.mm b/src/osx/cocoa/window.mm
index 0bf1872401..84f694dd02 100644
--- a/src/osx/cocoa/window.mm
+++ b/src/osx/cocoa/window.mm
@@ -2305,9 +2305,8 @@ bool wxWidgetCocoaImpl::DoHandleKeyEvent(NSEvent *event)
     // changed by SetupKeyEvent() so it can be wxEVT_KEY_UP too by now).
     if ( wxevent.GetEventType() == wxEVT_KEY_DOWN )
     {
-        wxKeyEvent eventHook(wxevent);
-        eventHook.SetEventType(wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK);
-        if ( wxGetTopLevelParent(GetWXPeer())->OSXHandleKeyEvent(eventHook) )
+        wxKeyEvent eventHook(wxEVT_CHAR_HOOK, wxevent);
+        if ( GetWXPeer()->OSXHandleKeyEvent(eventHook) )
             return true;
     }