diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index b60e3f1bd..24ecbc51d 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@
       myFunc` should be changed to `historyCompletionP myConf myFunc`.
       If not `myConf` is lying around, `def` can be used instead.
 
+  * `XMonad.Actions.GridSelect`
+
+    - Added `gs_cancelOnEmptyClick` field in `GSConfig`. Previously when a
+      GridSelect is shown, user has to use keyboard to cancel it (ESC key by
+      default). With this field added, when it is set to True (the default),
+      mouse click on empty space can cancel the GridSelect. When set to False,
+      the old behavior is preserved.
+
 ### New Modules
 
   * `XMonad.Actions.Profiles`
diff --git a/XMonad/Actions/GridSelect.hs b/XMonad/Actions/GridSelect.hs
index 8ef7e2f4e..22072fb01 100644
--- a/XMonad/Actions/GridSelect.hs
+++ b/XMonad/Actions/GridSelect.hs
@@ -203,10 +203,14 @@ data GSConfig a = GSConfig {
       gs_colorizer :: a -> Bool -> X (String, String),
       gs_font :: String,
       gs_navigate :: TwoD a (Maybe a),
+                                -- ^ Customize key bindings for a GridSelect
       gs_rearranger :: Rearranger a,
       gs_originFractX :: Double,
       gs_originFractY :: Double,
-      gs_bordercolor :: String
+      gs_bordercolor :: String,
+      gs_cancelOnEmptyClick :: Bool
+                                -- ^ When True, click on empty space will
+                                -- cancel GridSelect
 }
 
 -- | That is 'fromClassName' if you are selecting a 'Window', or
@@ -386,13 +390,18 @@ updateElementsWithColorizer colorizer elementmap = do
 stdHandle :: Event -> TwoD a (Maybe a) -> TwoD a (Maybe a)
 stdHandle ButtonEvent{ ev_event_type = t, ev_x = x, ev_y = y } contEventloop
     | t == buttonRelease = do
-        s@TwoDState { td_paneX = px, td_paneY = py,
-                         td_gsconfig = (GSConfig ch cw _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) } <- get
-        let gridX = (fi x - (px - cw) `div` 2) `div` cw
+        s@TwoDState { td_paneX = px, td_paneY = py, td_gsconfig = gsconfig } <- get
+        let ch = gs_cellheight gsconfig
+            cw = gs_cellwidth gsconfig
+            gridX = (fi x - (px - cw) `div` 2) `div` cw
             gridY = (fi y - (py - ch) `div` 2) `div` ch
         case lookup (gridX,gridY) (td_elementmap s) of
              Just (_,el) -> return (Just el)
-             Nothing -> contEventloop
+             Nothing -> if gs_cancelOnEmptyClick gsconfig
+               then
+                 return Nothing
+               else
+                 contEventloop
     | otherwise = contEventloop
 
 stdHandle ExposeEvent{} contEventloop = updateAllElements >> contEventloop
@@ -648,7 +657,7 @@ gridselect gsconfig elements =
     liftIO $ mapWindow dpy win
     liftIO $ selectInput dpy win (exposureMask .|. keyPressMask .|. buttonReleaseMask)
     status <- io $ grabKeyboard dpy win True grabModeAsync grabModeAsync currentTime
-    io $ grabPointer dpy win True buttonReleaseMask grabModeAsync grabModeAsync none none currentTime
+    _ <- io $ grabPointer dpy win True buttonReleaseMask grabModeAsync grabModeAsync none none currentTime
     font <- initXMF (gs_font gsconfig)
     let screenWidth = toInteger $ rect_width scr
         screenHeight = toInteger $ rect_height scr
@@ -706,7 +715,7 @@ decorateName' w = do
 
 -- | Builds a default gs config from a colorizer function.
 buildDefaultGSConfig :: (a -> Bool -> X (String,String)) -> GSConfig a
-buildDefaultGSConfig col = GSConfig 50 130 10 col "xft:Sans-8" defaultNavigation noRearranger (1/2) (1/2) "white"
+buildDefaultGSConfig col = GSConfig 50 130 10 col "xft:Sans-8" defaultNavigation noRearranger (1/2) (1/2) "white" True
 
 -- | Brings selected window to the current workspace.
 bringSelected :: GSConfig Window -> X ()