diff --git a/e2e/terminal.e2e.ts b/e2e/terminal.e2e.ts
index b27a68f..00e6903 100644
--- a/e2e/terminal.e2e.ts
+++ b/e2e/terminal.e2e.ts
@@ -64,4 +64,25 @@ test.describe('terminal dock', () => {
     await input.press('Tab');
     await expect(input).toHaveValue('navigate');
   });
+
+  test('Escape from a panel control collapses the dock and returns focus to the trigger', async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    const copy = SIGNATURE_COPY.de.terminal;
+    await page.goto('/');
+
+    const trigger = page.locator('.terminal-dock-trigger');
+    const panel = page.locator('.terminal-dock-panel');
+
+    await trigger.click();
+    await expect(panel).toBeVisible();
+
+    const collapse = page.getByRole('button', { name: copy.collapseLabel });
+    await collapse.focus();
+    await expect(collapse).toBeFocused();
+
+    await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
+    await expect(panel).toHaveCount(0);
+    await expect(trigger).toBeFocused();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/app/core/content/signature-copy.ts b/src/app/core/content/signature-copy.ts
index c0a6129..910f5d5 100644
--- a/src/app/core/content/signature-copy.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/content/signature-copy.ts
@@ -11,11 +11,9 @@ export interface SignatureCopy {
     readonly inputLabel: string;
     readonly inputPlaceholder: string;
     readonly collapseLabel: string;
-    readonly expandLabel: string;
     readonly restoreLabel: string;
     readonly maximizeLabel: string;
     readonly outputLabel: string;
-    readonly emptySuggestions: string;
     readonly unknownCommand: string;
     readonly unknownTarget: string;
     readonly validTargetsLabel: string;
@@ -61,11 +59,9 @@ export const SIGNATURE_COPY: Record<AppLocale, SignatureCopy> = {
       inputLabel: 'Befehl',
       inputPlaceholder: 'Befehl eingeben',
       collapseLabel: 'Terminal einklappen',
-      expandLabel: 'Terminal öffnen',
       restoreLabel: 'Terminal verkleinern',
       maximizeLabel: 'Terminal vergrößern',
       outputLabel: 'Ausgabe',
-      emptySuggestions: 'Keine passenden Befehle.',
       unknownCommand: 'Unbekannter Befehl: {command}',
       unknownTarget: 'Unbekanntes Ziel: {target}',
       validTargetsLabel: 'Gültige Ziele:',
@@ -117,11 +113,9 @@ export const SIGNATURE_COPY: Record<AppLocale, SignatureCopy> = {
       inputLabel: 'Command',
       inputPlaceholder: 'Type a command',
       collapseLabel: 'Collapse the terminal',
-      expandLabel: 'Open the terminal',
       restoreLabel: 'Restore the terminal',
       maximizeLabel: 'Maximise the terminal',
       outputLabel: 'Output',
-      emptySuggestions: 'No matching commands.',
       unknownCommand: 'Unknown command: {command}',
       unknownTarget: 'Unknown target: {target}',
       validTargetsLabel: 'Valid targets:',
diff --git a/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.html b/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.html
index f4e7faf..d73df48 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.html
@@ -13,7 +13,13 @@
   </button>
 
   @if (open()) {
-    <section class="terminal-dock-panel" [id]="panelId" [attr.aria-label]="copy().panelLabel">
+    <section
+      class="terminal-dock-panel"
+      [id]="panelId"
+      tabindex="-1"
+      [attr.aria-label]="copy().panelLabel"
+      (keydown)="onPanelKeydown($event)"
+    >
       <div class="terminal-dock-toolbar cluster">
         <p class="terminal-dock-title">{{ copy().panelLabel }}</p>
         <button
diff --git a/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.scss b/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.scss
index 492a04a..9d926eb 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.scss
+++ b/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.scss
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@
   background: var(--color-surface-raised);
   box-shadow: var(--shadow-raised);
   color: var(--color-text);
+  animation: terminal-dock-in var(--duration-base) var(--ease-standard);
+  transition:
+    width var(--duration-base) var(--ease-standard),
+    max-height var(--duration-base) var(--ease-standard);
 }
 
 .terminal-dock.is-open {
@@ -130,9 +134,21 @@
   }
 }
 
+@keyframes terminal-dock-in {
+  from {
+    opacity: 0;
+    transform: translateY(0.4rem);
+  }
+
+  to {
+    opacity: 1;
+    transform: translateY(0);
+  }
+}
+
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-  .terminal-dock,
   .terminal-dock-panel {
+    animation: none;
     transition: none;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.spec.ts
index d034f71..184c1c4 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.spec.ts
@@ -148,6 +148,24 @@ describe('TerminalDock', () => {
     expect(document.activeElement).toBe(trigger(fixture));
   });
 
+  it.each(APP_LOCALES)(
+    'closes on Escape from a panel control and returns focus to the trigger (%s)',
+    async (locale) => {
+      const fixture = await createFixture(locale);
+      await openViaTrigger(fixture);
+
+      const maximize = fixture.nativeElement.querySelector('[aria-pressed]') as HTMLButtonElement;
+      maximize.focus();
+      expect(document.activeElement).toBe(maximize);
+
+      maximize.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'Escape', bubbles: true }));
+      await flush(fixture);
+
+      expect(panel(fixture)).toBeNull();
+      expect(document.activeElement).toBe(trigger(fixture));
+    },
+  );
+
   it.each(APP_LOCALES)('does not lock scroll or mark the page inert (%s)', async (locale) => {
     document.body.style.overflow = 'auto';
     const fixture = await createFixture(locale);
diff --git a/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.ts b/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.ts
index 1f0399c..407aea7 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/terminal/terminal-dock.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import {
   COMMAND_IDS,
   navigateTargetKeys,
   parseCommand,
-  suggestCompletions,
 } from './terminal-commands';
 import { TerminalDockService } from './terminal-dock.service';
 
@@ -69,7 +68,6 @@ export class TerminalDock {
   );
   protected readonly open = computed(() => this.state() !== 'collapsed');
   protected readonly maximized = computed(() => this.state() === 'maximized');
-  protected readonly suggestions = computed(() => suggestCompletions(this.query()));
   protected readonly maximizeLabel = computed(() =>
     this.maximized() ? this.copy().restoreLabel : this.copy().maximizeLabel,
   );
@@ -121,13 +119,16 @@ export class TerminalDock {
     this.runRaw(this.query());
   }
 
-  protected onInputKeydown(event: KeyboardEvent): void {
-    if (event.key === 'Escape') {
-      event.preventDefault();
-      this.dock.collapse();
+  protected onPanelKeydown(event: KeyboardEvent): void {
+    if (event.key !== 'Escape') {
       return;
     }
 
+    event.preventDefault();
+    this.dock.collapse();
+  }
+
+  protected onInputKeydown(event: KeyboardEvent): void {
     if (event.key === 'ArrowUp') {
       event.preventDefault();
       this.stepHistory(-1);