diff --git a/kernel/debug/kdb/kdb_io.c b/kernel/debug/kdb/kdb_io.c
index f794c0ca4557..8bcdded5d61f 100644
--- a/kernel/debug/kdb/kdb_io.c
+++ b/kernel/debug/kdb/kdb_io.c
@@ -163,8 +163,8 @@ char kdb_getchar(void)
 
 		*pbuf++ = key;
 		key = kdb_handle_escape(buf, pbuf - buf);
-		if (key < 0) /* no escape sequence; return first character */
-			return buf[0];
+		if (key < 0) /* no escape sequence; return best character */
+			return buf[pbuf - buf == 2 ? 1 : 0];
 		if (key > 0)
 			return key;
 	}