diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/KeyboardQuickSwitchController.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/KeyboardQuickSwitchController.java
index 0bcf2d11f0..bed85d7bd9 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/KeyboardQuickSwitchController.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/KeyboardQuickSwitchController.java
@@ -97,7 +97,11 @@ public final class KeyboardQuickSwitchController implements
 
     private void openQuickSwitchView(int currentFocusedIndex) {
         if (mQuickSwitchViewController != null) {
-            return;
+            if (!mQuickSwitchViewController.isCloseAnimationRunning()) {
+                return;
+            }
+            // Allow the KQS to be reopened during the close animation to make it more responsive
+            closeQuickSwitchView(false);
         }
         TaskbarOverlayContext overlayContext =
                 mControllers.taskbarOverlayController.requestWindow();
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/KeyboardQuickSwitchViewController.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/KeyboardQuickSwitchViewController.java
index 847088d784..69641a030e 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/KeyboardQuickSwitchViewController.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/KeyboardQuickSwitchViewController.java
@@ -94,8 +94,12 @@ public class KeyboardQuickSwitchViewController {
                 mViewCallbacks);
     }
 
+    boolean isCloseAnimationRunning() {
+        return mCloseAnimation != null;
+    }
+
     protected void closeQuickSwitchView(boolean animate) {
-        if (mCloseAnimation != null) {
+        if (isCloseAnimationRunning()) {
             // Let currently-running animation finish.
             if (!animate) {
                 mCloseAnimation.end();
@@ -130,7 +134,7 @@ public class KeyboardQuickSwitchViewController {
     }
 
     private int launchTaskAt(int index) {
-        if (mCloseAnimation != null) {
+        if (isCloseAnimationRunning()) {
             // Ignore taps on task views and alt key unpresses while the close animation is running.
             return -1;
         }
@@ -186,7 +190,7 @@ public class KeyboardQuickSwitchViewController {
         pw.println(prefix + "KeyboardQuickSwitchViewController:");
 
         pw.println(prefix + "\thasFocus=" + mKeyboardQuickSwitchView.hasFocus());
-        pw.println(prefix + "\tcloseAnimationRunning=" + (mCloseAnimation != null));
+        pw.println(prefix + "\tisCloseAnimationRunning=" + isCloseAnimationRunning());
         pw.println(prefix + "\tmCurrentFocusIndex=" + mCurrentFocusIndex);
     }