diff --git a/src/rich-text/commands/index.ts b/src/rich-text/commands/index.ts
index 0c66224b..d0597549 100644
--- a/src/rich-text/commands/index.ts
+++ b/src/rich-text/commands/index.ts
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ export function exitInclusiveMarkCommand(
     dispatch: (tr: Transaction) => void
 ) {
     const $cursor = (<TextSelection>state.selection).$cursor;
-    const marks = state.storedMarks || $cursor.marks();
+    const marks = state.storedMarks || $cursor?.marks();
 
     if (!marks?.length) {
         return false;
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ export function exitInclusiveMarkCommand(
     }
 
     // check if we're at the end of the exitable mark
-    const nextNode = $cursor.nodeAfter;
+    const nextNode = $cursor?.nodeAfter;
     let endExitables: Mark[];
 
     let tr = state.tr;
diff --git a/src/rich-text/key-bindings.ts b/src/rich-text/key-bindings.ts
index eda9c81a..962b4f41 100644
--- a/src/rich-text/key-bindings.ts
+++ b/src/rich-text/key-bindings.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import {
     toggleMark,
     wrapIn,
     setBlockType,
-    exitCode,
     baseKeymap,
 } from "prosemirror-commands";
 import { redo, undo } from "prosemirror-history";
@@ -26,12 +25,12 @@ import {
     moveToPreviousCellCommand,
     moveSelectionAfterTableCommand,
     insertRichTextTableCommand,
-    exitInclusiveMarkCommand,
     indentCodeBlockLinesCommand,
     unindentCodeBlockLinesCommand,
     toggleHeadingLevel,
     toggleTagLinkCommand,
     toggleList,
+    exitInclusiveMarkCommand,
 } from "./commands";
 
 export function allKeymaps(
@@ -86,9 +85,8 @@ export function allKeymaps(
         "Mod-,": toggleMark(schema.marks.sub),
         "Mod-.": toggleMark(schema.marks.sup),
         "Mod-'": toggleMark(schema.marks.kbd),
-        // users expect to be able to leave certain blocks/marks using the arrow keys
+        // exit inline code block using the right arrow key
         "ArrowRight": exitInclusiveMarkCommand,
-        "ArrowDown": exitCode,
     });
 
     const keymaps = [
diff --git a/test/rich-text/commands/index.test.ts b/test/rich-text/commands/index.test.ts
index e22c3177..bf31c10b 100644
--- a/test/rich-text/commands/index.test.ts
+++ b/test/rich-text/commands/index.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { EditorState, Transaction } from "prosemirror-state";
+import { EditorState, TextSelection, Transaction } from "prosemirror-state";
 import {
     exitInclusiveMarkCommand,
     insertRichTextHorizontalRuleCommand,
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ describe("commands", () => {
         );
     });
 
-    describe("exitMarkCommand", () => {
+    describe("exitInclusiveMarkCommand", () => {
         it("all exitable marks should also be inclusive: true", () => {
             Object.keys(testRichTextSchema.marks).forEach((markName) => {
                 const mark = testRichTextSchema.marks[markName];
@@ -783,6 +783,23 @@ describe("commands", () => {
                 expect(exitInclusiveMarkCommand(state, null)).toBe(true);
             }
         );
+
+        it("should handle the case when $cursor is null", () => {
+            // suppress console.warn
+            const consoleWarnSpy = jest
+                .spyOn(console, "warn")
+                .mockImplementation(() => {});
+
+            let state = createState("this is my state", []);
+            state = state.apply(
+                state.tr.setSelection(TextSelection.create(state.doc, 0, null))
+            );
+            expect((<TextSelection>state.selection).$cursor).toBeNull();
+            expect(() => exitInclusiveMarkCommand(state, null)).not.toThrow();
+
+            // restore console.warn
+            consoleWarnSpy.mockRestore();
+        });
     });
 
     describe("indentCodeBlockLinesCommand", () => {