diff --git a/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts b/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
index bc246f6ed0c..0a6b5ed6263 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ export class ListService implements IListService {
 const RawWorkbenchListFocusContextKey = new RawContextKey<boolean>('listFocus', true);
 export const WorkbenchListSupportsMultiSelectContextKey = new RawContextKey<boolean>('listSupportsMultiselect', true);
 export const WorkbenchListFocusContextKey = ContextKeyExpr.and(RawWorkbenchListFocusContextKey, ContextKeyExpr.not(InputFocusedContextKey));
+export const WorkbenchListHasSelectionOrFocus = new RawContextKey<boolean>('listHasSelectionOrFocus', false);
 export const WorkbenchListDoubleSelection = new RawContextKey<boolean>('listDoubleSelection', false);
 export const WorkbenchListMultiSelection = new RawContextKey<boolean>('listMultiSelection', false);
 
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@ export class WorkbenchList<T> extends List<T> {
 
 	readonly contextKeyService: IContextKeyService;
 
+	private listHasSelectionOrFocus: IContextKey<boolean>;
 	private listDoubleSelection: IContextKey<boolean>;
 	private listMultiSelection: IContextKey<boolean>;
 
@@ -225,6 +227,7 @@ export class WorkbenchList<T> extends List<T> {
 		);
 
 		this.contextKeyService = createScopedContextKeyService(contextKeyService, this);
+		this.listHasSelectionOrFocus = WorkbenchListHasSelectionOrFocus.bindTo(this.contextKeyService);
 		this.listDoubleSelection = WorkbenchListDoubleSelection.bindTo(this.contextKeyService);
 		this.listMultiSelection = WorkbenchListMultiSelection.bindTo(this.contextKeyService);
 
@@ -236,8 +239,17 @@ export class WorkbenchList<T> extends List<T> {
 			attachListStyler(this, themeService),
 			this.onSelectionChange(() => {
 				const selection = this.getSelection();
+				const focus = this.getFocus();
+
+				this.listHasSelectionOrFocus.set(selection.length > 0 || focus.length > 0);
 				this.listMultiSelection.set(selection.length > 1);
 				this.listDoubleSelection.set(selection.length === 2);
+			}),
+			this.onFocusChange(() => {
+				const selection = this.getSelection();
+				const focus = this.getFocus();
+
+				this.listHasSelectionOrFocus.set(selection.length > 0 || focus.length > 0);
 			})
 		]));
 
@@ -323,6 +335,7 @@ export class WorkbenchTree extends Tree {
 
 	protected disposables: IDisposable[];
 
+	private listHasSelectionOrFocus: IContextKey<boolean>;
 	private listDoubleSelection: IContextKey<boolean>;
 	private listMultiSelection: IContextKey<boolean>;
 
@@ -352,6 +365,7 @@ export class WorkbenchTree extends Tree {
 
 		this.disposables = [];
 		this.contextKeyService = createScopedContextKeyService(contextKeyService, this);
+		this.listHasSelectionOrFocus = WorkbenchListHasSelectionOrFocus.bindTo(this.contextKeyService);
 		this.listDoubleSelection = WorkbenchListDoubleSelection.bindTo(this.contextKeyService);
 		this.listMultiSelection = WorkbenchListMultiSelection.bindTo(this.contextKeyService);
 
@@ -366,10 +380,20 @@ export class WorkbenchTree extends Tree {
 
 		this.disposables.push(this.onDidChangeSelection(() => {
 			const selection = this.getSelection();
+			const focus = this.getFocus();
+
+			this.listHasSelectionOrFocus.set((selection && selection.length > 0) || !!focus);
 			this.listDoubleSelection.set(selection && selection.length === 2);
 			this.listMultiSelection.set(selection && selection.length > 1);
 		}));
 
+		this.disposables.push(this.onDidChangeFocus(() => {
+			const selection = this.getSelection();
+			const focus = this.getFocus();
+
+			this.listHasSelectionOrFocus.set((selection && selection.length > 0) || !!focus);
+		}));
+
 		this.disposables.push(configurationService.onDidChangeConfiguration(e => {
 			if (e.affectsConfiguration(openModeSettingKey)) {
 				this._openOnSingleClick = useSingleClickToOpen(configurationService);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/commands.ts b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/commands.ts
index ecb6e315f43..63fce9d272b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/commands.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/commands.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { IWindowsService, IWindowService } from 'vs/platform/windows/common/wind
 import { List } from 'vs/base/browser/ui/list/listWidget';
 import * as errors from 'vs/base/common/errors';
 import { CommandsRegistry } from 'vs/platform/commands/common/commands';
-import { WorkbenchListFocusContextKey, IListService, WorkbenchListSupportsMultiSelectContextKey, ListWidget } from 'vs/platform/list/browser/listService';
+import { WorkbenchListFocusContextKey, IListService, WorkbenchListSupportsMultiSelectContextKey, ListWidget, WorkbenchListHasSelectionOrFocus } from 'vs/platform/list/browser/listService';
 import { PagedList } from 'vs/base/browser/ui/list/listPaging';
 import { range } from 'vs/base/common/arrays';
 import { ContextKeyExpr } from 'vs/platform/contextkey/common/contextkey';
@@ -471,13 +471,30 @@ export function registerCommands(): void {
 	KeybindingsRegistry.registerCommandAndKeybindingRule({
 		id: 'list.clear',
 		weight: KeybindingsRegistry.WEIGHT.workbenchContrib(),
-		when: WorkbenchListFocusContextKey,
+		when: ContextKeyExpr.and(WorkbenchListFocusContextKey, WorkbenchListHasSelectionOrFocus),
 		primary: KeyCode.Escape,
 		handler: (accessor) => {
 			const focused = accessor.get(IListService).lastFocusedList;
 
-			// Tree only
-			if (focused && !(focused instanceof List || focused instanceof PagedList)) {
+			// List
+			if (focused instanceof List || focused instanceof PagedList) {
+				const list = focused;
+
+				if (list.getSelection().length > 0) {
+					list.setSelection([]);
+
+					return void 0;
+				}
+
+				if (list.getFocus().length > 0) {
+					list.setFocus([]);
+
+					return void 0;
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Tree
+			else if (focused) {
 				const tree = focused;
 
 				if (tree.getSelection().length) {