diff --git a/libpod/container_exec.go b/libpod/container_exec.go
index 42f6eae9e4..ea573881bc 100644
--- a/libpod/container_exec.go
+++ b/libpod/container_exec.go
@@ -291,9 +291,14 @@ func (c *Container) ExecStartAndAttach(sessionID string, streams *define.AttachS
 // ExecStartAndAttach starts and attaches to an exec session in a container.
 // newSize resizes the tty to this size before the process is started, must be nil if the exec session has no tty
 func (c *Container) execStartAndAttach(sessionID string, streams *define.AttachStreams, newSize *resize.TerminalSize, isHealthcheck bool) error {
+	unlock := true
 	if !c.batched {
 		c.lock.Lock()
-		defer c.lock.Unlock()
+		defer func() {
+			if unlock {
+				c.lock.Unlock()
+			}
+		}()
 
 		if err := c.syncContainer(); err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -348,6 +353,12 @@ func (c *Container) execStartAndAttach(sessionID string, streams *define.AttachS
 	}
 
 	tmpErr := <-attachChan
+	// user detached
+	if errors.Is(tmpErr, define.ErrDetach) {
+		// ensure we the defer does nto unlock as we are not locked here
+		unlock = false
+		return tmpErr
+	}
 	if lastErr != nil {
 		logrus.Errorf("Container %s exec session %s error: %v", c.ID(), session.ID(), lastErr)
 	}
@@ -769,11 +780,14 @@ func (c *Container) exec(config *ExecConfig, streams *define.AttachStreams, resi
 	if err != nil {
 		return -1, err
 	}
+	cleanup := true
 	defer func() {
-		if err := c.ExecRemove(sessionID, false); err != nil {
-			if retErr == nil && !errors.Is(err, define.ErrNoSuchExecSession) {
-				exitCode = -1
-				retErr = err
+		if cleanup {
+			if err := c.ExecRemove(sessionID, false); err != nil {
+				if retErr == nil && !errors.Is(err, define.ErrNoSuchExecSession) {
+					exitCode = -1
+					retErr = err
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}()
@@ -807,6 +821,11 @@ func (c *Container) exec(config *ExecConfig, streams *define.AttachStreams, resi
 	}
 
 	if err := c.execStartAndAttach(sessionID, streams, size, isHealthcheck); err != nil {
+		// user detached, there will be no exit just exit without reporting an error
+		if errors.Is(err, define.ErrDetach) {
+			cleanup = false
+			return 0, nil
+		}
 		return -1, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/system/450-interactive.bats b/test/system/450-interactive.bats
index c9f8d2942d..c09328135f 100644
--- a/test/system/450-interactive.bats
+++ b/test/system/450-interactive.bats
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ function teardown() {
         kill $PODMAN_SOCAT_PID
         PODMAN_SOCAT_PID=
     fi
-    rm -f $PODMAN_TEST_PTY $PODMAN_DUMMY_PTY
+    rm -f $PODMAN_TEST_PTY $PODMAN_DUMMY
 
     basic_teardown
 }
@@ -124,4 +124,57 @@ function teardown() {
     is "$output" "$expected_tty" "passthrough-tty: tty matches"
 }
 
+@test "podman run detach keys" {
+    local cname1=c1-$(safename)
+    local cname2=c2-$(safename)
+
+    local msg=$(random_string)
+    # First "type" a command then send CTRL-p,CTRL-q sequence to the run command.
+    # We must send that sequence in two echo commands if I use a single echo it
+    # doesn't work, I don't know why.
+    # If the detach does not work podman run will hang and timeout.
+    # The sleep is needed to ensure the output can be printed before we detach.
+    (echo "echo $msg" > $PODMAN_DUMMY; sleep 1; echo -n $'\cp' > $PODMAN_DUMMY; echo -n $'\cq' > $PODMAN_DUMMY ) &
+    run_podman run -it --name $cname1 $IMAGE sh <$PODMAN_TEST_PTY
+    # Because we print to a terminal it appends "\r"
+    assert "$output" =~ "$msg"$'\r' "run output contains message"
+
+    # The container should still be running
+    run_podman inspect --format {{.State.Status}} $cname1
+    assert "$output" == "running" "container status"
+
+    # Now a second test with --detach-keys to make sure the cli option works
+    (echo "echo $msg" > $PODMAN_DUMMY; sleep 1; echo -n $'\cc' > $PODMAN_DUMMY; echo -n $'J' > $PODMAN_DUMMY ) &
+    run_podman run -it --name $cname2 --detach-keys ctrl-c,J $IMAGE sh <$PODMAN_TEST_PTY
+    assert "$output" =~ "$msg"$'\r' "run output with --detach-keys contains message"
+
+    run_podman rm -f -t0 $cname1 $cname2
+}
+
+@test "podman exec detach keys" {
+    local cname=c-$(safename)
+    run_podman run -d --name $cname $IMAGE sleep inf
+
+    local msg=$(random_string)
+    # First "type" a command then send CTRL-p,CTRL-q sequence to the exec command.
+    # If the detach does not work podman exec will hang and timeout.
+    # The sleep is needed to ensure the output can be printed before we detach.
+    (echo "echo $msg" > $PODMAN_DUMMY; sleep 1; echo -n $'\cp' > $PODMAN_DUMMY; echo -n $'\cq' > $PODMAN_DUMMY ) &
+    run_podman exec -it $cname sh <$PODMAN_TEST_PTY
+    # Because we print to a terminal it appends "\r"
+    assert "$output" =~ "$msg"$'\r' "exec output contains message"
+
+    # The previous exec session/process should still be running
+    run_podman exec $cname ps aux
+    # Match PID=2 USER=root and COMMAND=sh from the ps output
+    assert "$output" =~ "2 root.*sh" "sh exec process still running"
+
+    # Now a second test with --detach-keys to make sure the cli option works
+    (echo "echo $msg" > $PODMAN_DUMMY; sleep 1; echo -n $'\ct' > $PODMAN_DUMMY; echo -n $'f' > $PODMAN_DUMMY ) &
+    run_podman exec -it --detach-keys ctrl-t,f $cname sh <$PODMAN_TEST_PTY
+    assert "$output" =~ "$msg"$'\r' "exec output with --detach-keys contains message"
+
+    run_podman rm -f -t0 $cname
+}
+
 # vim: filetype=sh