diff --git a/src/Keyboard.ts b/src/Keyboard.ts
index 817d0a0b973..23e2bbf0d68 100644
--- a/src/Keyboard.ts
+++ b/src/Keyboard.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export const Key = {
     PAGE_UP: "PageUp",
     PAGE_DOWN: "PageDown",
     BACKSPACE: "Backspace",
+    DELETE: "Delete",
     ARROW_UP: "ArrowUp",
     ARROW_DOWN: "ArrowDown",
     ARROW_LEFT: "ArrowLeft",
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js b/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
index 75455518a13..df628233605 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
@@ -447,6 +447,8 @@ export default class BasicMessageEditor extends React.Component {
             } else if (event.key === Key.TAB) {
                 this._tabCompleteName();
                 handled = true;
+            } else if (event.key === Key.BACKSPACE || event.key === Key.DELETE) {
+                this._formatBarRef.hide();
             }
         }
         if (handled) {