diff --git a/src/material-experimental/mdc-menu/menu.spec.ts b/src/material-experimental/mdc-menu/menu.spec.ts
index ac003751e194..85d9445c4fc9 100644
--- a/src/material-experimental/mdc-menu/menu.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material-experimental/mdc-menu/menu.spec.ts
@@ -436,6 +436,7 @@ describe('MDC-based MatMenu', () => {
 
     const panel = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.mat-mdc-menu-panel')!;
     const event = createKeyboardEvent('keydown', ESCAPE);
+    spyOn(event, 'stopPropagation').and.callThrough();
 
     dispatchEvent(panel, event);
     fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -443,6 +444,7 @@ describe('MDC-based MatMenu', () => {
 
     expect(overlayContainerElement.textContent).toBe('');
     expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(true);
+    expect(event.stopPropagation).toHaveBeenCalled();
   }));
 
   it('should not close the menu when pressing ESCAPE with a modifier', fakeAsync(() => {
diff --git a/src/material/menu/menu.spec.ts b/src/material/menu/menu.spec.ts
index b368ccbcb984..21c77c9aa6cb 100644
--- a/src/material/menu/menu.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/menu/menu.spec.ts
@@ -436,6 +436,7 @@ describe('MatMenu', () => {
 
     const panel = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.mat-menu-panel')!;
     const event = createKeyboardEvent('keydown', ESCAPE);
+    spyOn(event, 'stopPropagation').and.callThrough();
 
     dispatchEvent(panel, event);
     fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -443,6 +444,7 @@ describe('MatMenu', () => {
 
     expect(overlayContainerElement.textContent).toBe('');
     expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(true);
+    expect(event.stopPropagation).toHaveBeenCalled();
   }));
 
   it('should not close the menu when pressing ESCAPE with a modifier', fakeAsync(() => {
diff --git a/src/material/menu/menu.ts b/src/material/menu/menu.ts
index bacd6b63f634..e9966aba4656 100644
--- a/src/material/menu/menu.ts
+++ b/src/material/menu/menu.ts
@@ -337,7 +337,12 @@ export class _MatMenuBase implements AfterContentInit, MatMenuPanel<MatMenuItem>
         }
 
         manager.onKeydown(event);
+        return;
     }
+
+    // Don't allow the event to propagate if we've already handled it, or it may
+    // end up reaching other overlays that were opened earlier (see #22694).
+    event.stopPropagation();
   }
 
   /**