diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FolderTrustDialog.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FolderTrustDialog.test.tsx
index 27405f0181..2f09b0ecd6 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FolderTrustDialog.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FolderTrustDialog.test.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 import { renderWithProviders } from '../../test-utils/render.js';
 import { waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { vi } from 'vitest';
-import { FolderTrustDialog, FolderTrustChoice } from './FolderTrustDialog.js';
+import { FolderTrustDialog } from './FolderTrustDialog.js';
 import * as processUtils from '../../utils/processUtils.js';
 
 vi.mock('../../utils/processUtils.js', () => ({
@@ -44,30 +44,23 @@ describe('FolderTrustDialog', () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it('should call onSelect with DO_NOT_TRUST when escape is pressed and not restarting', async () => {
+  it('should display exit message and call process.exit and not call onSelect when escape is pressed', async () => {
     const onSelect = vi.fn();
-    const { stdin } = renderWithProviders(
+    const { lastFrame, stdin } = renderWithProviders(
       <FolderTrustDialog onSelect={onSelect} isRestarting={false} />,
     );
 
     stdin.write('\x1b'); // escape key
 
     await waitFor(() => {
-      expect(onSelect).toHaveBeenCalledWith(FolderTrustChoice.DO_NOT_TRUST);
+      expect(lastFrame()).toContain(
+        'A folder trust level must be selected to continue. Exiting since escape was pressed.',
+      );
     });
-  });
-
-  it('should not call onSelect when escape is pressed and is restarting', async () => {
-    const onSelect = vi.fn();
-    const { stdin } = renderWithProviders(
-      <FolderTrustDialog onSelect={onSelect} isRestarting={true} />,
-    );
-
-    stdin.write('\x1b'); // escape key
-
     await waitFor(() => {
-      expect(onSelect).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(mockedExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
     });
+    expect(onSelect).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it('should display restart message when isRestarting is true', () => {
@@ -84,7 +77,7 @@ describe('FolderTrustDialog', () => {
     renderWithProviders(
       <FolderTrustDialog onSelect={vi.fn()} isRestarting={true} />,
     );
-    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1000);
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(250);
     expect(relaunchApp).toHaveBeenCalled();
     vi.useRealTimers();
   });
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FolderTrustDialog.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FolderTrustDialog.tsx
index 3292b22751..197f48548f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FolderTrustDialog.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FolderTrustDialog.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 import { Box, Text } from 'ink';
 import type React from 'react';
-import { useEffect } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { theme } from '../semantic-colors.js';
 import type { RadioSelectItem } from './shared/RadioButtonSelect.js';
 import { RadioButtonSelect } from './shared/RadioButtonSelect.js';
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export const FolderTrustDialog: React.FC<FolderTrustDialogProps> = ({
   onSelect,
   isRestarting,
 }) => {
+  const [exiting, setExiting] = useState(false);
   useEffect(() => {
     const doRelaunch = async () => {
       if (isRestarting) {
@@ -44,7 +45,10 @@ export const FolderTrustDialog: React.FC<FolderTrustDialogProps> = ({
   useKeypress(
     (key) => {
       if (key.name === 'escape') {
-        onSelect(FolderTrustChoice.DO_NOT_TRUST);
+        setExiting(true);
+        setTimeout(() => {
+          process.exit(1);
+        }, 100);
       }
     },
     { isActive: !isRestarting },
@@ -65,9 +69,9 @@ export const FolderTrustDialog: React.FC<FolderTrustDialogProps> = ({
       key: `Trust parent folder (${parentFolder})`,
     },
     {
-      label: "Don't trust (esc)",
+      label: "Don't trust",
       value: FolderTrustChoice.DO_NOT_TRUST,
-      key: "Don't trust (esc)",
+      key: "Don't trust",
     },
   ];
 
@@ -105,6 +109,14 @@ export const FolderTrustDialog: React.FC<FolderTrustDialogProps> = ({
           </Text>
         </Box>
       )}
+      {exiting && (
+        <Box marginLeft={1} marginTop={1}>
+          <Text color={theme.status.warning}>
+            A folder trust level must be selected to continue. Exiting since
+            escape was pressed.
+          </Text>
+        </Box>
+      )}
     </Box>
   );
 };