diff --git a/Controls/GuideGrid.xaml b/Controls/GuideGrid.xaml
index 7f62fa9..d9eb21b 100644
--- a/Controls/GuideGrid.xaml
+++ b/Controls/GuideGrid.xaml
@@ -4,16 +4,14 @@
              xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
              xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
              mc:Ignorable="d" x:Name="GuideGridControl"
-             d:DesignWidth="320" d:DesignHeight="240"
-             DataContext="{Binding ElementName=GuideGridControl}">
-
+             d:DesignWidth="320" d:DesignHeight="240">
     <UserControl.Resources>
-        <Grid x:Key="NoneGrid">
+        <Grid x:Key="NoneGrid" DataContext="{Binding ElementName=GuideGridControl}">
             <!-- Outer border -->
             <Border BorderThickness="1" BorderBrush="{Binding GridLineBrush}" />
         </Grid>
 
-        <Grid x:Key="RuleOfThirdsGrid">
+        <Grid x:Key="RuleOfThirdsGrid" DataContext="{Binding ElementName=GuideGridControl}">
             <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                 <ColumnDefinition />
                 <ColumnDefinition Width="1" />
@@ -57,7 +55,7 @@
                     BorderBrush="{Binding GridLineBrush}" />
         </Grid>
 
-        <Grid x:Key="GoldenRuleGrid">
+        <Grid x:Key="GoldenRuleGrid" DataContext="{Binding ElementName=GuideGridControl}">
             <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                 <ColumnDefinition Width="1*" />
                 <ColumnDefinition Width="1" />
@@ -102,7 +100,7 @@
         </Grid>
     </UserControl.Resources>
 
-    <Grid>
+    <Grid DataContext="{Binding ElementName=GuideGridControl}">
         <ContentControl Opacity="{Binding GridOpacity}">
             <ContentControl.Style>
                 <Style TargetType="{x:Type ContentControl}">
diff --git a/DeadEye.csproj b/DeadEye.csproj
index 779be51..de90603 100644
--- a/DeadEye.csproj
+++ b/DeadEye.csproj
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
 		<Copyright>Copyright © 2021–2023 Emma Alyx Wunder</Copyright>
 		<PackageReadmeFile>README.md</PackageReadmeFile>
 		<NeutralLanguage>en</NeutralLanguage>
-		<AssemblyVersion>0.7.5.0</AssemblyVersion>
+		<AssemblyVersion>0.7.5.2</AssemblyVersion>
 		<FileVersion>$(AssemblyVersion)</FileVersion>
 		<Title>DeadEye</Title>
 		<SupportedOSPlatformVersion>10.0.19041.0</SupportedOSPlatformVersion>
diff --git a/ShortcutKey.cs b/ShortcutKey.cs
index 9275446..1c71f60 100644
--- a/ShortcutKey.cs
+++ b/ShortcutKey.cs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ public sealed class ShortcutKey
 
 	public static readonly Key[] IgnoredKeys =
 	{
+		// do not put Key.Escape in here
 		Key.System,
 		Key.LeftCtrl, Key.RightCtrl,
 		Key.LeftShift, Key.RightShift,
diff --git a/Windows/ColorPickerWindow.xaml b/Windows/ColorPickerWindow.xaml
index 3c6869a..41d948b 100644
--- a/Windows/ColorPickerWindow.xaml
+++ b/Windows/ColorPickerWindow.xaml
@@ -8,11 +8,10 @@
         xmlns:windows="clr-namespace:DeadEye.Windows"
         mc:Ignorable="d" WindowStyle="None" Background="Magenta" ResizeMode="NoResize"
         Title="DeadEye Color Picker Window" Height="240" Width="320"
-        UseLayoutRounding="True" Cursor="None"
+        UseLayoutRounding="True" Cursor="None" Topmost="True"
         TextOptions.TextHintingMode="Fixed" TextOptions.TextFormattingMode="Display"
         RenderOptions.BitmapScalingMode="NearestNeighbor"
         DataContext="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}"
-        SourceInitialized="ColorPickerWindow_OnSourceInitialized"
         Activated="ColorPickerWindow_OnActivated"
         Deactivated="ColorPickerWindow_OnDeactivated"
         KeyDown="ColorPickerWindow_OnKeyDown"
diff --git a/Windows/ColorPickerWindow.xaml.cs b/Windows/ColorPickerWindow.xaml.cs
index ac0a0e7..0a1433a 100644
--- a/Windows/ColorPickerWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/Windows/ColorPickerWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -47,11 +47,6 @@ private void OnColorPicked(ColorPickEventArgs e)
 		this.ColorPicked?.Invoke(this, e);
 	}
 
-	private void ColorPickerWindow_OnSourceInitialized(object sender, EventArgs e)
-	{
-		this.Topmost = !DebugHelper.IsDebugMode;
-	}
-
 	private void ColorPickerWindow_OnActivated(object? sender, EventArgs e)
 	{
 		Debug.WriteLine("got focus");
diff --git a/Windows/ScreenshotFrameWindow.xaml b/Windows/ScreenshotFrameWindow.xaml
index d2d4cce..f84a26f 100644
--- a/Windows/ScreenshotFrameWindow.xaml
+++ b/Windows/ScreenshotFrameWindow.xaml
@@ -8,11 +8,10 @@
         xmlns:windows="clr-namespace:DeadEye.Windows"
         mc:Ignorable="d" WindowStyle="None" Background="Magenta" ResizeMode="NoResize"
         Title="DeadEye Screenshot Window" Height="240" Width="320"
-        UseLayoutRounding="True" Cursor="Cross"
+        UseLayoutRounding="True" Cursor="Cross" Topmost="True"
         TextOptions.TextHintingMode="Fixed" TextOptions.TextFormattingMode="Display"
         RenderOptions.BitmapScalingMode="NearestNeighbor"
         DataContext="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}"
-        SourceInitialized="ScreenshotFrameWindow_OnSourceInitialized"
         Deactivated="ScreenshotFrameWindow_OnDeactivated"
         KeyDown="ScreenshotFrameWindow_OnKeyDown" KeyUp="ScreenshotFrameWindow_OnKeyUp"
         MouseLeftButtonDown="ScreenshotFrameWindow_OnMouseLeftButtonDown"
@@ -28,7 +27,8 @@
                                DataContext="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource AncestorType=Window}}" />
 
         <Canvas x:Name="GridCanvas" Background="Transparent">
-            <ctrl:GuideGrid GridOpacity="0.6"
+            <ctrl:GuideGrid x:Name="GuideGrid" 
+                            GridOpacity="0.6"
                             GridType="{Binding Source={x:Static local:Settings.Shared}, Path=GridType}"
                             MarkCenter="{Binding Source={x:Static local:Settings.Shared}, Path=MarkCenter}"
                             Canvas.Left="{Binding SelectionBoundsClamped.Left}"
diff --git a/Windows/ScreenshotFrameWindow.xaml.cs b/Windows/ScreenshotFrameWindow.xaml.cs
index b46a074..46ee8dc 100644
--- a/Windows/ScreenshotFrameWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/Windows/ScreenshotFrameWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -60,11 +60,6 @@ private void OnScreenshot(ScreenshotEventArgs e)
 		this.ScreenshotTaken?.Invoke(this, e);
 	}
 
-	private void ScreenshotFrameWindow_OnSourceInitialized(object sender, EventArgs e)
-	{
-		this.Topmost = !DebugHelper.IsDebugMode;
-	}
-
 	private void ScreenshotFrameWindow_OnDeactivated(object sender, EventArgs e)
 	{
 		Debug.WriteLine("lost focus");
diff --git a/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml b/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml
index 8234a83..88e819d 100644
--- a/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml
+++ b/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
         TextOptions.TextHintingMode="Fixed" TextOptions.TextFormattingMode="Display"
         Title="Settings" Width="340" Height="500" SizeToContent="Height" ResizeMode="NoResize"
         Background="{x:Static SystemColors.MenuBrush}"
-        PreviewKeyDown="SettingsWindow_OnPreviewKeyDown">
+        PreviewKeyDown="SettingsWindow_OnPreviewKeyDown" Deactivated="SettingsWindow_OnDeactivated">
     <Window.Resources>
         <DrawingImage x:Key="CrossCursor">
             <DrawingImage.Drawing>
diff --git a/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs b/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
index 6e0db88..174b99a 100644
--- a/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/Windows/SettingsWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -83,14 +83,25 @@ private static void EnsureHotkeyStatus()
 		Debug.WriteLine($"Color Picker Hotkey active: {HotkeyManager.Shared.IsColorPickerHotkeyRegistered}");
 	}
 
+	private static void CancelRebinding()
+	{
+		Settings.Shared.WaitingForHotkey = null;
+		EnsureHotkeyStatus();
+	}
+
 	private void Selector_OnSelectionChanged(object sender, SelectionChangedEventArgs e)
 	{
 		if (e.Source is not TabControl || !Settings.Shared.WaitingForHotkey.HasValue)
 			return;
 
-		// cancel hotkey process when switching tabs
-		Settings.Shared.WaitingForHotkey = null;
-		EnsureHotkeyStatus();
+		// cancel hotkey rebinding when switching tabs
+		CancelRebinding();
+	}
+
+	private void SettingsWindow_OnDeactivated(object? sender, EventArgs e)
+	{
+		// cancel hotkey rebinding when window loses focus
+		CancelRebinding();
 	}
 
 	private void SettingsWindow_OnPreviewKeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
@@ -111,24 +122,31 @@ private void SettingsWindow_OnPreviewKeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
 
 		Debug.WriteLine($"key: {key}");
 
-		// if key is not null here, we may have found our new hotkey
-		if (key.HasValue && key != Key.Escape)
+		switch (key)
 		{
-			// we actually have a new hotkey
-			var newHotkey = new ShortcutKey(modifiers, key.Value);
-			switch (Settings.Shared.WaitingForHotkey)
-			{
-				case HotkeyType.Screenshot:
-					Settings.Shared.ScreenshotKey = newHotkey;
-					break;
-				case HotkeyType.ColorPicker:
-					Settings.Shared.ColorPickerKey = newHotkey;
-					break;
-			}
-
-			Settings.Shared.WaitingForHotkey = null;
+			case null:
+				// no non-modifier key has been pressed yet
+				EnsureHotkeyStatus();
+				break;
+			case Key.Escape:
+				// escape was pressed, cancel rebinding
+				CancelRebinding();
+				break;
+			default:
+				// we actually have a new hotkey
+				var newHotkey = new ShortcutKey(modifiers, key.Value);
+				switch (Settings.Shared.WaitingForHotkey)
+				{
+					case HotkeyType.Screenshot:
+						Settings.Shared.ScreenshotKey = newHotkey;
+						break;
+					case HotkeyType.ColorPicker:
+						Settings.Shared.ColorPickerKey = newHotkey;
+						break;
+				}
+
+				Settings.Shared.WaitingForHotkey = null;
+				break;
 		}
-
-		EnsureHotkeyStatus();
 	}
 }