diff --git a/core/core-popups.el b/core/core-popups.el
index 531e63187..13588f54a 100644
--- a/core/core-popups.el
+++ b/core/core-popups.el
@@ -296,21 +296,14 @@ properties."
     (define-key map [remap evil-window-vsplit]           #'ignore))
 
   (defun doom|popup-close-maybe ()
-    "Close the current window if it's a popup with no :noesc property."
-    (when (and (doom-popup-p)
-               (not (doom-popup-prop :noesc)))
-      (delete-window)))
-  (add-hook '+evil-esc-hook #'doom|popup-close-maybe)
-
-  (defun doom|popup-close-all-maybe ()
-    "Close popups with an :autoclose property when pressing ESC from normal
-mode in any evil-mode buffer."
-    (unless (or (doom-popup-p)
-                (minibuffer-window-active-p (minibuffer-window))
-                (and (bound-and-true-p evil-mode)
-                     (evil-ex-hl-active-p 'evil-ex-search)))
-      (doom/popup-close-all)))
-  (add-hook '+evil-esc-hook #'doom|popup-close-all-maybe)
+    "If current window is a popup, close it. If minibuffer is open, close it. If
+not in a popup, close all popups with an :autoclose property."
+    (cond ((doom-popup-p)
+           (unless (doom-popup-prop :noesc)
+             (delete-window)))
+          (t
+           (doom/popup-close-all))))
+  (add-hook '+evil-esc-hook #'doom|popup-close-maybe t)
 
   ;; Make evil-mode cooperate with popups
   (advice-add #'evil-command-window :override #'doom*popup-evil-command-window)
diff --git a/modules/feature/evil/config.el b/modules/feature/evil/config.el
index bbd44cf67..6ddd1900e 100644
--- a/modules/feature/evil/config.el
+++ b/modules/feature/evil/config.el
@@ -93,27 +93,24 @@
 
 
   ;; --- evil hacks -------------------------
-  (defvar +evil-esc-hook nil
+  (defvar +evil-esc-hook '(t)
     "A hook run after ESC is pressed in normal mode (invoked by
-`evil-force-normal-state').")
+`evil-force-normal-state'). If a hook returns non-nil, all hooks after it are
+ignored.")
 
   (defun +evil*attach-escape-hook ()
     "Run the `+evil-esc-hook'."
-    (run-hooks '+evil-esc-hook))
+    (cond ((minibuffer-window-active-p (minibuffer-window))
+           ;; quit the minibuffer if open.
+           (abort-recursive-edit))
+          ((evil-ex-hl-active-p 'evil-ex-search)
+           ;; disable ex search buffer highlights.
+           (evil-ex-nohighlight))
+          (t
+           ;; Run all escape hooks. If any returns non-nil, then stop there.
+           (run-hook-with-args-until-success '+evil-esc-hook))))
   (advice-add #'evil-force-normal-state :after #'+evil*attach-escape-hook)
 
-  (defun +evil|escape-minibuffer ()
-    "Quit the minibuffer if open."
-    (when (minibuffer-window-active-p (minibuffer-window))
-      (abort-recursive-edit)))
-
-  (defun +evil|escape-highlights ()
-    "Disable ex search buffer highlights."
-    (when (evil-ex-hl-active-p 'evil-ex-search)
-      (evil-ex-nohighlight)))
-
-  (add-hook! '+evil-esc-hook '(+evil|escape-minibuffer +evil|escape-highlights))
-
   (defun +evil*restore-normal-state-on-windmove (orig-fn &rest args)
     "If in anything but normal or motion mode when moving to another window,
 restore normal mode. This prevents insert state from bleeding into other modes
@@ -292,7 +289,9 @@ across windows."
   :commands evil-exchange
   :config
   (defun +evil|escape-exchange ()
-    (if evil-exchange--overlays (evil-exchange-cancel)))
+    (when evil-exchange--overlays
+      (evil-exchange-cancel)
+      t))
   (add-hook '+evil-esc-hook #'+evil|escape-exchange))
 
 
@@ -348,7 +347,8 @@ the new algorithm is confusing, like in python or ruby."
   (defun +evil|escape-multiple-cursors ()
     "Undo cursors and freeze them again (for next time)."
     (when (evil-mc-has-cursors-p)
-      (evil-mc-undo-all-cursors)))
+      (evil-mc-undo-all-cursors)
+      t))
   (add-hook '+evil-esc-hook #'+evil|escape-multiple-cursors)
 
   ;; disable evil-escape in evil-mc
diff --git a/modules/feature/syntax-checker/config.el b/modules/feature/syntax-checker/config.el
index be2bc8f29..26e94810a 100644
--- a/modules/feature/syntax-checker/config.el
+++ b/modules/feature/syntax-checker/config.el
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@
   (after! evil
     ;; Flycheck buffer on ESC in normal mode.
     (defun +syntax-checkers|flycheck-buffer ()
-      (if flycheck-mode (ignore-errors (flycheck-buffer))))
-    (add-hook '+evil-esc-hook #'+syntax-checkers|flycheck-buffer)))
+      (when flycheck-mode
+        (ignore-errors (flycheck-buffer))
+        nil))
+    (add-hook '+evil-esc-hook #'+syntax-checkers|flycheck-buffer t)))
 
 
 (def-package! flycheck-pos-tip
diff --git a/modules/feature/version-control/+git.el b/modules/feature/version-control/+git.el
index 3a4682b82..903b99b7c 100644
--- a/modules/feature/version-control/+git.el
+++ b/modules/feature/version-control/+git.el
@@ -25,8 +25,11 @@
   (add-hook 'focus-in-hook #'git-gutter:update-all-windows)
 
   (after! evil
-    ;; Refresh git-gutter on ESC
-    (add-hook '+evil-esc-hook #'git-gutter)))
+    (defun +version-control|update-git-gutter ()
+      "Refresh git-gutter on ESC. Return nil to prevent shadowing other
+`+evil-esc-hook' hooks."
+      (ignore (git-gutter)))
+    (add-hook '+evil-esc-hook #'+version-control|update-git-gutter t)))
 
 
 (def-package! git-timemachine
diff --git a/modules/lang/org/config.el b/modules/lang/org/config.el
index 88ac87738..b2343a005 100644
--- a/modules/lang/org/config.el
+++ b/modules/lang/org/config.el
@@ -381,7 +381,8 @@
   ;; Remove highlights on ESC
   (defun +org|remove-occur-highlights (&rest args)
     (when (derived-mode-p 'org-mode)
-      (org-remove-occur-highlights)))
+      (org-remove-occur-highlights)
+      t))
   (add-hook '+evil-esc-hook #'+org|remove-occur-highlights)
 
   (after! org-bullets