diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 06cff1c..e7c7422 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -993,6 +993,16 @@ Sovereignty and service always.`;
 
   function trapFocusInOverlay(e) {
     if (!crisisOverlay.classList.contains('active')) return;
+
+    // Escape: close overlay and restore focus
+    if (e.key === 'Escape') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      if (!overlayDismissBtn.disabled) {
+        overlayDismissBtn.click();
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (e.key !== 'Tab') return;
 
     var focusable = getOverlayFocusableElements();
@@ -1001,6 +1011,20 @@ Sovereignty and service always.`;
     var first = focusable[0];
     var last = focusable[focusable.length - 1];
 
+    // If focus is outside the overlay entirely, bring it back
+    var focusInOverlay = false;
+    for (var i = 0; i < focusable.length; i++) {
+      if (focusable[i] === document.activeElement) {
+        focusInOverlay = true;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!focusInOverlay) {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      first.focus();
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (e.shiftKey) {
       // Shift+Tab: if on first, wrap to last
       if (document.activeElement === first) {
diff --git a/tests/test_crisis_overlay_focus_trap.py b/tests/test_crisis_overlay_focus_trap.py
index f657afc..78c4c0d 100644
--- a/tests/test_crisis_overlay_focus_trap.py
+++ b/tests/test_crisis_overlay_focus_trap.py
@@ -52,6 +52,50 @@ class TestCrisisOverlayFocusTrap(unittest.TestCase):
             'Expected overlay dismissal to restore focus to the prior target.',
         )
 
+    def test_overlay_escape_key_closes(self):
+        """Crisis overlay must close on Escape key press (issue #95)."""
+        self.assertIn(
+            "Escape: close overlay",
+            self.html,
+            'Expected trapFocusInOverlay to handle Escape key.',
+        )
+        self.assertRegex(
+            self.html,
+            r"e\.key\s*===\s*'Escape'",
+            'Expected Escape key check in focus trap handler.',
+        )
+        self.assertRegex(
+            self.html,
+            r"overlayDismissBtn\.click\(\)",
+            'Expected Escape to trigger dismiss button click.',
+        )
+
+    def test_overlay_focus_recovery(self):
+        """If focus escapes the overlay, Tab must bring it back (issue #95)."""
+        self.assertIn(
+            "focusInOverlay",
+            self.html,
+            'Expected focus trap to check if focus is inside overlay.',
+        )
+        self.assertIn(
+            "If focus is outside the overlay entirely, bring it back",
+            self.html,
+            'Expected comment documenting focus recovery behavior.',
+        )
+
+    def test_overlay_aria_modal(self):
+        """Overlay must have role=dialog and aria-modal for screen readers."""
+        self.assertRegex(
+            self.html,
+            r'id="crisis-overlay"[^>]*role="dialog"',
+            'Expected crisis overlay to have role="dialog".',
+        )
+        self.assertRegex(
+            self.html,
+            r'id="crisis-overlay"[^>]*aria-modal="true"',
+            'Expected crisis overlay to have aria-modal="true".',
+        )
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/test_crisis_overlay_keyboard.py b/tests/test_crisis_overlay_keyboard.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d932316
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_crisis_overlay_keyboard.py
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+"""
+Playwright E2E test: Crisis overlay keyboard navigation (issue #95).
+
+Acceptance criteria tested:
+- Tab cycles through all focusable elements in overlay
+- Shift+Tab reverses direction
+- Escape closes overlay and returns focus to chat input
+- Focus cannot escape the overlay while it is active
+
+Prerequisites:
+    pip install playwright
+    playwright install chromium
+
+Run:
+    pytest tests/test_crisis_overlay_keyboard.py -v
+"""
+import pytest
+
+try:
+    from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright, expect
+except ImportError:
+    pytest.skip("playwright not installed", allow_module_level=True)
+
+import pathlib
+import subprocess
+import time
+import socket
+
+INDEX = pathlib.Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / "index.html"
+PORT = 18923
+
+
+def _port_open(port):
+    with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as s:
+        return s.connect_ex(("127.0.0.1", port)) == 0
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def server():
+    """Serve index.html on localhost for Playwright."""
+    proc = subprocess.Popen(
+        ["python3", "-m", "http.server", str(PORT)],
+        cwd=str(INDEX.parent),
+        stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+        stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+    )
+    for _ in range(30):
+        if _port_open(PORT):
+            break
+        time.sleep(0.2)
+    yield f"http://127.0.0.1:{PORT}"
+    proc.kill()
+    proc.wait()
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def browser_ctx(server):
+    with sync_playwright() as pw:
+        browser = pw.chromium.launch(headless=True)
+        context = browser.new_context()
+        page = context.new_page()
+        page.goto(server, wait_until="domcontentloaded")
+        yield page
+        context.close()
+        browser.close()
+
+
+def _trigger_crisis_overlay(page):
+    """Programmatically show the crisis overlay (bypasses 10s countdown)."""
+    page.evaluate("""() => {
+        var overlay = document.getElementById('crisis-overlay');
+        overlay.classList.add('active');
+        var btn = document.getElementById('overlay-dismiss-btn');
+        btn.disabled = false;
+        btn.textContent = 'Continue to chat';
+        btn.focus();
+    }""")
+
+
+def _dismiss_overlay(page):
+    """Close overlay if open."""
+    page.evaluate("""() => {
+        var overlay = document.getElementById('crisis-overlay');
+        if (overlay.classList.contains('active')) {
+            overlay.classList.remove('active');
+            var btn = document.getElementById('overlay-dismiss-btn');
+            btn.disabled = false;
+        }
+    }""")
+
+
+class TestCrisisOverlayKeyboard:
+    def test_tab_cycles_through_focusable_elements(self, browser_ctx):
+        """Tab should cycle through focusable elements within the overlay."""
+        page = browser_ctx
+        _trigger_crisis_overlay(page)
+
+        focusable = page.evaluate("""() => {
+            var overlay = document.getElementById('crisis-overlay');
+            return overlay.querySelectorAll(
+                'a[href], button:not([disabled]), [tabindex]:not([tabindex="-1"])'
+            ).length;
+        }""")
+        assert focusable >= 1, "Overlay must have at least one focusable element"
+
+        # Get the dismiss button
+        dismiss = page.locator("#overlay-dismiss-btn")
+        expect(dismiss).to_be_focused()
+
+        # Tab to the call link
+        page.keyboard.press("Tab")
+        call_link = page.locator(".overlay-call")
+        expect(call_link).to_be_focused()
+
+        # Tab again should wrap back to dismiss button
+        page.keyboard.press("Tab")
+        expect(dismiss).to_be_focused()
+
+        _dismiss_overlay(page)
+
+    def test_shift_tab_reverses_direction(self, browser_ctx):
+        """Shift+Tab should reverse the tab order and wrap."""
+        page = browser_ctx
+        _trigger_crisis_overlay(page)
+
+        dismiss = page.locator("#overlay-dismiss-btn")
+        expect(dismiss).to_be_focused()
+
+        # Shift+Tab from dismiss should wrap to last element (call link)
+        page.keyboard.press("Shift+Tab")
+        call_link = page.locator(".overlay-call")
+        expect(call_link).to_be_focused()
+
+        # Shift+Tab from call link should wrap back to dismiss
+        page.keyboard.press("Shift+Tab")
+        expect(dismiss).to_be_focused()
+
+        _dismiss_overlay(page)
+
+    def test_escape_closes_overlay(self, browser_ctx):
+        """Escape key should close the crisis overlay."""
+        page = browser_ctx
+        _trigger_crisis_overlay(page)
+
+        overlay = page.locator("#crisis-overlay")
+        expect(overlay).to_have_class(/active/)
+
+        page.keyboard.press("Escape")
+
+        expect(overlay).not_to_have_class(/active/)
+
+    def test_escape_returns_focus_to_chat_input(self, browser_ctx):
+        """After Escape, focus should return to the chat input."""
+        page = browser_ctx
+
+        # Focus the message input first
+        msg_input = page.locator("#msg-input")
+        msg_input.focus()
+        expect(msg_input).to_be_focused()
+
+        # Show overlay
+        _trigger_crisis_overlay(page)
+
+        # Dismiss with Escape
+        page.keyboard.press("Escape")
+
+        # Focus should return to chat input
+        expect(msg_input).to_be_focused()
+
+    def test_focus_does_not_escape_overlay(self, browser_ctx):
+        """Focus must not reach background elements while overlay is active."""
+        page = browser_ctx
+        _trigger_crisis_overlay(page)
+
+        # Tab multiple times — focus should stay within overlay
+        for _ in range(10):
+            page.keyboard.press("Tab")
+            focused_tag = page.evaluate("() => document.activeElement.tagName.toLowerCase()")
+            focused_id = page.evaluate("() => document.activeElement.id || ''")
+            # Focus should be on overlay-dismiss-btn or overlay-call link
+            assert focused_id in ("overlay-dismiss-btn", "") or                    page.evaluate("() => document.activeElement.classList.contains('overlay-call')"),                 f"Focus escaped overlay to: {focused_tag}#{focused_id}"
+
+        _dismiss_overlay(page)