diff --git a/.changeset/dismissable-escape-sync.md b/.changeset/dismissable-escape-sync.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b6a3bc4e32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/dismissable-escape-sync.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"@zag-js/dismissable": patch
+---
+
+Fix issue where the escape key handler and layer registration were deferred by a frame when `defer: true`, leaving a just-opened dialog undismissable via the escape key until the next animation frame.
+
+`trackDismissableElement` now resolves the node eagerly and registers handlers synchronously when the node is available. The deferred pass remains only as a fallback for nodes that have not rendered yet. Interact-outside behavior is unchanged, since it applies its own deferral internally.
diff --git a/packages/utilities/dismissable/src/dismissable-layer.ts b/packages/utilities/dismissable/src/dismissable-layer.ts
index cd56c03c7e..031df729f0 100644
--- a/packages/utilities/dismissable/src/dismissable-layer.ts
+++ b/packages/utilities/dismissable/src/dismissable-layer.ts
@@ -165,14 +165,25 @@ function trackDismissableElementImpl(node: MaybeElement, options: DismissableEle
 
 export function trackDismissableElement(nodeOrFn: NodeOrFn, options: DismissableElementOptions) {
   const { defer } = options
-  const func = defer ? raf : (v: any) => v()
   const cleanups: (VoidFunction | undefined)[] = []
-  cleanups.push(
-    func(() => {
-      const node = isFunction(nodeOrFn) ? nodeOrFn() : nodeOrFn
-      cleanups.push(trackDismissableElementImpl(node, options))
-    }),
-  )
+
+  // Resolve the node eagerly so the layer (and its escape keydown handler) is registered
+  // synchronously whenever possible. `defer` only needs to gate node resolution; the
+  // interact-outside logic applies its own deferral internally (via `options.defer`),
+  // so registering early cannot cause the opening click to dismiss the layer.
+  const node = isFunction(nodeOrFn) ? nodeOrFn() : nodeOrFn
+
+  if (!defer || node) {
+    cleanups.push(trackDismissableElementImpl(node, options))
+  } else {
+    cleanups.push(
+      raf(() => {
+        const deferredNode = isFunction(nodeOrFn) ? nodeOrFn() : nodeOrFn
+        cleanups.push(trackDismissableElementImpl(deferredNode, options))
+      }),
+    )
+  }
+
   return () => {
     cleanups.forEach((fn) => fn?.())
   }
diff --git a/packages/utilities/dismissable/tests/dismissable-layer.test.ts b/packages/utilities/dismissable/tests/dismissable-layer.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..019db30da5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/utilities/dismissable/tests/dismissable-layer.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+// @vitest-environment jsdom
+
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, test, vi } from "vitest"
+import { trackDismissableElement } from "../src/dismissable-layer"
+import { layerStack } from "../src/layer-stack"
+
+function dispatchEscape(target: EventTarget = document) {
+  const event = new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key: "Escape", bubbles: true, cancelable: true })
+  target.dispatchEvent(event)
+  return event
+}
+
+function nextFrame() {
+  return new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => resolve())
+  })
+}
+
+/** Drain the double-rAF used by `nextTick` in `layerStack.remove` */
+function drainRemoval() {
+  return new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => resolve())
+    })
+  })
+}
+
+describe("trackDismissableElement", () => {
+  const cleanups: VoidFunction[] = []
+
+  function track(...args: Parameters<typeof trackDismissableElement>) {
+    const cleanup = trackDismissableElement(...args)
+    cleanups.push(cleanup)
+    return cleanup
+  }
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    cleanups.splice(0).forEach((fn) => fn())
+    document.body.innerHTML = ""
+    for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+      await drainRemoval()
+    }
+  })
+
+  test("escape key dismisses immediately when `defer: true` and node is available", () => {
+    const node = document.createElement("div")
+    document.body.appendChild(node)
+
+    const onDismiss = vi.fn()
+    track(() => node, { defer: true, onDismiss })
+
+    // no frame has elapsed yet; escape must already be wired up
+    dispatchEscape()
+    expect(onDismiss).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
+  test("registers the layer on the stack synchronously when node is available", () => {
+    const node = document.createElement("div")
+    document.body.appendChild(node)
+
+    track(() => node, { defer: true, onDismiss: vi.fn() })
+    expect(layerStack.isTopMost(node)).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  test("falls back to deferred registration when node is not yet available", async () => {
+    let node: HTMLElement | null = null
+    const onDismiss = vi.fn()
+    track(() => node, { defer: true, onDismiss })
+
+    // node commits after the effect ran (the case `defer` exists for)
+    node = document.createElement("div")
+    document.body.appendChild(node)
+
+    await nextFrame()
+
+    dispatchEscape()
+    expect(onDismiss).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
+  test("escape only dismisses the topmost layer", () => {
+    const parent = document.createElement("div")
+    const child = document.createElement("div")
+    document.body.append(parent, child)
+
+    const dismissParent = vi.fn()
+    const dismissChild = vi.fn()
+
+    track(() => parent, { defer: true, onDismiss: dismissParent })
+    track(() => child, { defer: true, onDismiss: dismissChild })
+
+    dispatchEscape()
+    expect(dismissChild).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(dismissParent).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  test("cleanup removes the escape handler", () => {
+    const node = document.createElement("div")
+    document.body.appendChild(node)
+
+    const onDismiss = vi.fn()
+    const cleanup = track(() => node, { defer: true, onDismiss })
+
+    cleanup()
+    dispatchEscape()
+    expect(onDismiss).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  test("cleanup before the deferred frame cancels registration", async () => {
+    let node: HTMLElement | null = null
+    const onDismiss = vi.fn()
+    const cleanup = track(() => node, { defer: true, onDismiss })
+
+    cleanup()
+
+    node = document.createElement("div")
+    document.body.appendChild(node)
+    await nextFrame()
+
+    dispatchEscape()
+    expect(onDismiss).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  test("without `defer`, registration is synchronous (unchanged behavior)", () => {
+    const node = document.createElement("div")
+    document.body.appendChild(node)
+
+    const onDismiss = vi.fn()
+    track(node, { onDismiss })
+
+    dispatchEscape()
+    expect(onDismiss).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+})