diff --git a/src/ui/Tree.test.tsx b/src/ui/Tree.test.tsx
index c1282f642..b9ba814d8 100644
--- a/src/ui/Tree.test.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/Tree.test.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import { createRef } from "react";
 import { act, fireEvent, render, screen, within } from "@testing-library/react";
 import { Tree, type TreeHandle } from "./Tree";
 import { getContext } from "@/platform/context";
+import { registerAction } from "@/platform/actions";
+import { installKeyboardDispatcher, useKeymap } from "@/platform/keymap";
 
 interface N {
   id: string;
@@ -251,6 +253,30 @@ describe("Tree speed search", () => {
     expect(labels(tree)).toContain("App.tsx");
   });
 
+  it("⌘⌫ erases the query and ⌥⌫ its last word instead of running the view's ⌘⌫ action", () => {
+    const drop = vi.fn();
+    useKeymap.setState({ preset: "intellij-macos", overrides: { "test.drop": ["Meta+Backspace", "Alt+Backspace"] } });
+    const dispose = [registerAction({ id: "test.drop", title: "Drop", run: drop }), installKeyboardDispatcher()];
+    try {
+      const { tree, lead, key } = setup({ defaultExpanded: ["src", "main"] });
+      key("ArrowDown");
+      for (const c of "index.t") key(c);
+      expect(lead()).toBe("index.ts");
+      key("Backspace", { altKey: true });
+      expect(screen.getByRole("status")).toHaveTextContent(/^index\.$/);
+      key("Backspace", { metaKey: true });
+      expect(screen.queryByRole("status")).toBeNull();
+      expect(drop).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      // Without a query the shortcut reaches the view again.
+      key("Backspace", { metaKey: true });
+      expect(drop).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+      expect(tree).toHaveFocus();
+    } finally {
+      dispose.forEach((d) => d());
+      useKeymap.setState({ overrides: {} });
+    }
+  });
+
   it("filter mode hides non-matching rows but keeps ancestors", () => {
     const { tree, key } = setup({ defaultExpanded: ["src", "main"], speedSearchMode: "filter" });
     key("ArrowDown");
diff --git a/src/ui/Tree.tsx b/src/ui/Tree.tsx
index 99b5bf3a1..2f337523e 100644
--- a/src/ui/Tree.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/Tree.tsx
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import { acquirePopup } from "./popupState";
 import styles from "./Tree.module.css";
 import { T } from "./T";
 import { setContext } from "@/platform/context";
+import { registerKeyClaim } from "@/platform/keymap";
 import { useGivenTx } from "@/platform/i18n";
 import { useTreeReorder, type TreeReorder } from "./treeReorder";
 import { startPointerDrag, type DragData } from "./pointerDrag";
@@ -367,10 +368,18 @@ export function Tree<T>(props: TreeProps<T>) {
     pendingScrollToLead.current = null;
   }, [lead, indexOfKey, virtualizer]);
 
-  // Speed search owns Escape while active.
+  // Speed search owns Escape while active, and ⌫ with any modifier: the query is edited like a
+  // text field instead of the view's shortcuts running (⌘⌫ is Drop… in the Database view).
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!query) return;
-    return acquirePopup();
+    const release = acquirePopup();
+    const unclaim = registerKeyClaim(
+      (e) => e.key === "Backspace" && e.target instanceof Node && !!scrollRef.current?.contains(e.target),
+    );
+    return () => {
+      release();
+      unclaim();
+    };
   }, [query]);
 
   const setExpanded = (row: Row<T>, open: boolean) => {
@@ -524,7 +533,8 @@ export function Tree<T>(props: TreeProps<T>) {
         break;
       case "Backspace":
         if (!query) return;
-        setQuery(query.slice(0, -1));
+        // ⌘⌫ erases the query, ⌥⌫ / Ctrl+⌫ its last word, as in a text field.
+        setQuery(e.metaKey ? "" : e.altKey || e.ctrlKey ? query.replace(/\w*\W*$/, "") : query.slice(0, -1));
         break;
       case "ArrowDown":
       case "ArrowUp": {