diff --git a/src/view/view.cpp b/src/view/view.cpp
index 42914826a..18823d5fc 100644
--- a/src/view/view.cpp
+++ b/src/view/view.cpp
@@ -101,32 +101,41 @@ auto perframe(struct ncvisual* ncv, struct ncvisual_options* vopts,
   int dimx, dimy, oldx, oldy;
   nc.get_term_dim(&dimy, &dimx);
   ncplane_dim_yx(vopts->n, &oldy, &oldx);
-  struct timespec interval;
-  clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &interval);
-  uint64_t nsnow = timespec_to_ns(&interval);
   uint64_t absnow = timespec_to_ns(abstime);
-  if(absnow > nsnow){
-    ns_to_timespec(absnow - nsnow, &interval);
-    char32_t keyp;
-    while((keyp = nc.getc(&interval, nullptr, nullptr)) != (char32_t)-1){
-      if(keyp == ' '){
-        if((keyp = nc.getc(true)) == (char32_t)-1){
-          return -1;
-        }
-      }
-      // if we just hit a non-space character to unpause, interpret it
-      if(keyp == ' '){ // space for unpause
-        continue;
-      }
-      if(keyp == NCKey::Resize){
-        return 0;
-      }else if(keyp >= '0' && keyp <= '8'){ // FIXME eliminate ctrl/alt
-        vopts->blitter = static_cast<ncblitter_e>(keyp - '0');
-        continue;
-      }
-      return 1;
+  char32_t keyp;
+  bool gotinput;
+  do{
+    gotinput = false;
+    struct timespec interval;
+    clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &interval);
+    uint64_t nsnow = timespec_to_ns(&interval);
+    if(absnow > nsnow){
+      ns_to_timespec(absnow - nsnow, &interval);
+      keyp = nc.getc(&interval, nullptr, nullptr);
+    }else{
+      keyp = nc.getc();
     }
-  }
+    if(keyp == (char32_t)-1){
+      break;
+    }
+    gotinput = true;
+    if(keyp == ' '){
+      if((keyp = nc.getc(true)) == (char32_t)-1){
+        return -1;
+      }
+    }
+    // if we just hit a non-space character to unpause, interpret it
+    if(keyp == ' '){ // space for unpause
+      continue;
+    }
+    if(keyp == NCKey::Resize){
+      return 0;
+    }else if(keyp >= '0' && keyp <= '8'){ // FIXME eliminate ctrl/alt
+      vopts->blitter = static_cast<ncblitter_e>(keyp - '0');
+      continue;
+    }
+    return 1;
+  }while(gotinput);
   return 0;
 }