diff --git a/src/material-experimental/mdc-menu/menu.spec.ts b/src/material-experimental/mdc-menu/menu.spec.ts
index 84f57591c88a..d310f46000f8 100644
--- a/src/material-experimental/mdc-menu/menu.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material-experimental/mdc-menu/menu.spec.ts
@@ -439,7 +439,6 @@ 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();
@@ -447,7 +446,6 @@ 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 4c9d4c32be18..cb5c593dbc9b 100644
--- a/src/material/menu/menu.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/menu/menu.spec.ts
@@ -440,7 +440,6 @@ describe('MatMenu', () => {
 
     const panel = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.mat-menu-panel')!;
     const event = createKeyboardEvent('keydown', ESCAPE);
-    spyOn(event, 'stopPropagation').and.callThrough();
 
     dispatchEvent(panel, event);
     fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -448,7 +447,6 @@ 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 9068383c6ee3..85a1d9a034f6 100644
--- a/src/material/menu/menu.ts
+++ b/src/material/menu/menu.ts
@@ -337,12 +337,7 @@ 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();
   }
 
   /**