diff --git a/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeCurrentAccount.swift b/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeCurrentAccount.swift
index 6bb471ff..878c6139 100644
--- a/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeCurrentAccount.swift
+++ b/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeCurrentAccount.swift
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ struct ComposeCurrentAccount: View {
             ComposeAvatarImageView(url: account?.avatar)
                 .frame(width: 50, height: 50)
                 .cornerRadius(preferences.avatarStyle.cornerRadiusFraction * 50)
-                .accessibility(label: Text(account != nil ? "\(account!.displayName) avatar" : "Avatar"))
+                .accessibilityHidden(true)
             
             if let id = account?.id,
                let account = mastodonController.persistentContainer.account(for: id) {
diff --git a/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeHostingController.swift b/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeHostingController.swift
index d2dd2509..d346604d 100644
--- a/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeHostingController.swift
+++ b/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeHostingController.swift
@@ -107,6 +107,11 @@ class ComposeHostingController: UIHostingController<ComposeHostingController.Wra
         }
     }
     
+    override func accessibilityPerformEscape() -> Bool {
+        dismissCompose(mode: .cancel)
+        return true
+    }
+    
     // MARK: Duckable
     
     func duckableViewControllerWillAnimateDuck(withDuration duration: CGFloat, afterDelay delay: CGFloat) {
diff --git a/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeReplyView.swift b/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeReplyView.swift
index 8f380359..0ada5abe 100644
--- a/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeReplyView.swift
+++ b/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeReplyView.swift
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ struct ComposeReplyView: View {
             .frame(width: 50, height: 50)
             .cornerRadius(preferences.avatarStyle.cornerRadiusFraction * 50)
             .offset(x: 0, y: offset)
+            .accessibilityHidden(true)
     }
     
 }
diff --git a/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeView.swift b/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeView.swift
index 32f6a3ba..c9eaaedd 100644
--- a/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeView.swift
+++ b/Tusker/Screens/Compose/ComposeView.swift
@@ -202,11 +202,16 @@ struct ComposeView: View {
     private var header: some View {
         HStack(alignment: .top) {
             ComposeCurrentAccount()
+                .accessibilitySortPriority(1)
+            
             Spacer()
+            
             Text(verbatim: charactersRemaining.description)
                 .foregroundColor(charactersRemaining < 0 ? .red : .secondary)
                 .font(Font.body.monospacedDigit())
                 .accessibility(label: Text(charactersRemaining < 0 ? "\(-charactersRemaining) characters too many" : "\(charactersRemaining) characters remaining"))
+                // this should come first, so VO users can back to it from the main compose text view
+                .accessibilitySortPriority(0)
         }.frame(height: 50)
     }