diff --git a/src/lib/input.c b/src/lib/input.c
index 68a71a3e5..2acb8ecd3 100644
--- a/src/lib/input.c
+++ b/src/lib/input.c
@@ -431,15 +431,12 @@ enqueue_cursor_report(ncinputlayer* nc, const ncinput* ni){
   }
   clr->y = ni->y;
   clr->x = ni->x;
-  pthread_mutex_lock(&nc->creport_lock);
   // i don't think we ever want to have more than one here. we don't actually
   // have any control logic which leads to multiple outstanding requests, so
   // any that arrive are presumably garbage from the bulk input (and probably
   // ought be returned to the user).
   free(nc->creport_queue);
   nc->creport_queue = clr;
-  pthread_mutex_unlock(&nc->creport_lock);
-  pthread_cond_signal(&nc->creport_cond);
   return 0;
 }
 
@@ -467,16 +464,18 @@ handle_queued_input(ncinputlayer* nc, ncinput* ni, int leftmargin, int topmargin
   return ret;
 }
 
-// this is where the user input chain actually calls read(2).
-static char32_t
-handle_input(ncinputlayer* nc, ncinput* ni, int leftmargin, int topmargin,
-             const sigset_t* sigmask){
+// this is the only function which actually reads, and it can be called from
+// either our context (looking for cursor reports) or the user's. all it does
+// is attempt to fill up the input ringbuffer, exiting either when that
+// condition is met, or when we get an EAGAIN. it does no processing.
+static int
+fill_buffer(ncinputlayer* nc, const sigset_t* sigmask){
   ssize_t r = 0;
   size_t rlen;
 //fprintf(stderr, "OCCUPY: %u@%u read: %d %zd\n", nc->inputbuf_occupied, nc->inputbuf_write_at, nc->inputbuf[nc->inputbuf_write_at], r);
   if((rlen = input_queue_space(nc)) > 0){
     // if we have at least as much available as we do room to the end, read
-    // all the way to the end. otherwise, read as much as we have available.
+    // only to the end. otherwise, read as much as we have available.
     if(rlen >= sizeof(nc->inputbuf) / sizeof(*nc->inputbuf) - nc->inputbuf_write_at){
       rlen = sizeof(nc->inputbuf) / sizeof(*nc->inputbuf) - nc->inputbuf_write_at;
     }
@@ -486,12 +485,31 @@ handle_input(ncinputlayer* nc, ncinput* ni, int leftmargin, int topmargin,
         nc->inputbuf_write_at = 0;
       }
       nc->inputbuf_occupied += r;
+      // specify a 0 timeout, meaning we only check to see if there's more
+      // input available immediately. basically, if we only read through the
+      // end of the ringbuffer, this gets us the first part filled as well.
+      // this is less about performance, and more about avoiding partial
+      // reads of multibyte characters and control sequences.
       const struct timespec ts = {};
       if(block_on_input(nc->infd, &ts, sigmask) < 1){
         break;
       }
     }
+    if(r < 0){
+      if(errno != EAGAIN && errno != EBUSY && errno != EWOULDBLOCK){
+        return -1;
+      }
+    }
   }
+  return 0;
+}
+
+// user-mode call to actual input i/o, which will get the next character from
+// the input buffer.
+static char32_t
+handle_input(ncinputlayer* nc, ncinput* ni, int leftmargin, int topmargin,
+             const sigset_t* sigmask){
+  fill_buffer(nc, sigmask);
   // highest priority is resize notifications, since they don't queue
   if(resize_seen){
     resize_seen = 0;
@@ -693,12 +711,12 @@ prep_special_keys(ncinputlayer* nc){
 }
 
 void ncinputlayer_stop(ncinputlayer* nilayer){
-  if(pthread_mutex_destroy(&nilayer->creport_lock)){
-    logerror("Error destroying cqueue mutex\n");
-  }
   if(pthread_cond_destroy(&nilayer->creport_cond)){
     logerror("Error destroying cqueue condvar\n");
   }
+  if(pthread_mutex_destroy(&nilayer->lock)){
+    logerror("Error destroying mutex\n");
+  }
   cursorreport* clr;
   while( (clr = nilayer->creport_queue) ){
     nilayer->creport_queue = clr->next;
@@ -1378,11 +1396,16 @@ err:
 int ncinputlayer_init(tinfo* tcache, FILE* infp, queried_terminals_e* detected,
                       unsigned* appsync, int* cursor_y, int* cursor_x){
   ncinputlayer* nilayer = &tcache->input;
+  // FIXME unsafe to do after infp has been used; do we need this?
   setbuffer(infp, NULL, 0);
+  if(pthread_mutex_init(&nilayer->lock, NULL)){
+    return -1;
+  }
   nilayer->inputescapes = NULL;
   nilayer->infd = fileno(infp);
   nilayer->ttyfd = isatty(nilayer->infd) ? -1 : get_tty_fd(infp);
   if(prep_special_keys(nilayer)){
+    pthread_mutex_destroy(&nilayer->lock);
     return -1;
   }
   nilayer->inputbuf_occupied = 0;
@@ -1390,7 +1413,6 @@ int ncinputlayer_init(tinfo* tcache, FILE* infp, queried_terminals_e* detected,
   nilayer->inputbuf_write_at = 0;
   nilayer->input_events = 0;
   nilayer->creport_queue = NULL;
-  pthread_mutex_init(&nilayer->creport_lock, NULL);
   pthread_cond_init(&nilayer->creport_cond, NULL);
   int csifd = nilayer->ttyfd >= 0 ? nilayer->ttyfd : nilayer->infd;
   if(isatty(csifd)){
@@ -1404,6 +1426,8 @@ int ncinputlayer_init(tinfo* tcache, FILE* infp, queried_terminals_e* detected,
     if(control_read(csifd, &inits)){
       input_free_esctrie(&nilayer->inputescapes);
       free(inits.version);
+      pthread_cond_destroy(&nilayer->creport_cond);
+      pthread_mutex_destroy(&nilayer->lock);
       return -1;
     }
     tcache->bg_collides_default = inits.bg;
diff --git a/src/lib/termdesc.c b/src/lib/termdesc.c
index bda356995..1aed607ef 100644
--- a/src/lib/termdesc.c
+++ b/src/lib/termdesc.c
@@ -784,19 +784,19 @@ int locate_cursor(tinfo* ti, int fd, int* cursor_y, int* cursor_x){
   }
   bool emitted_u7 = false; // only want to send one max
   cursorreport* clr;
-  pthread_mutex_lock(&ti->input.creport_lock);
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&ti->input.lock);
   while((clr = ti->input.creport_queue) == NULL){
     if(!emitted_u7){
       // FIXME i'd rather not do this while holding the lock =[
       if(tty_emit(u7, fd)){
-        pthread_mutex_unlock(&ti->input.creport_lock);
+        pthread_mutex_unlock(&ti->input.lock);
         return -1;
       }
       emitted_u7 = true;
     }
-    pthread_cond_wait(&ti->input.creport_cond, &ti->input.creport_lock);
+    pthread_cond_wait(&ti->input.creport_cond, &ti->input.lock);
   }
-  pthread_mutex_unlock(&ti->input.creport_lock);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&ti->input.lock);
   *cursor_y = clr->y;
   *cursor_x = clr->x;
   if(ti->inverted_cursor){
diff --git a/src/lib/termdesc.h b/src/lib/termdesc.h
index 9ce95c01d..75527958d 100644
--- a/src/lib/termdesc.h
+++ b/src/lib/termdesc.h
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ typedef struct cursorreport {
 // read data only from stdin and control only from the tty. if we have
 // no connected tty, only data is available.
 typedef struct ncinputlayer {
+  // only allow one reader at a time, whether it's the user trying to do so,
+  // or our desire for a cursor report competing with the user.
+  pthread_mutex_t lock;
   // ttyfd is only valid if we are connected to a tty, *and* stdin is not
   // connected to that tty. in that case, we read control sequences only
   // from ttyfd.
@@ -103,7 +106,6 @@ typedef struct ncinputlayer {
   uint64_t input_events;
   struct esctrie* inputescapes; // trie of input escapes -> ncspecial_keys
   cursorreport* creport_queue; // queue of cursor reports
-  pthread_mutex_t creport_lock;
   pthread_cond_t creport_cond;
 } ncinputlayer;
 
diff --git a/src/poc/sgr-full.c b/src/poc/sgr-full.c
index 7e715b10f..9ef1971f4 100644
--- a/src/poc/sgr-full.c
+++ b/src/poc/sgr-full.c
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ int main(void){
   // FIXME do full permutations?
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_NONE);
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ none");
-  ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_BLINK);
-  ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ blink");
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_ITALIC);
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ italic");
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_BOLD);
@@ -32,16 +30,18 @@ int main(void){
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ struck");
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_ITALIC | NCSTYLE_BOLD);
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ italic bold");
+  ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_ITALIC | NCSTYLE_BOLD | NCSTYLE_STRUCK);
+  ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ italic bold struck");
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_ITALIC | NCSTYLE_UNDERCURL);
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ italic undercurl");
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_ITALIC | NCSTYLE_UNDERLINE);
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ italic underline");
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_ITALIC | NCSTYLE_STRUCK);
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ italic struck");
-  ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_ITALIC | NCSTYLE_STRUCK);
-  ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ italic struck");
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_STRUCK | NCSTYLE_BOLD);
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ struck bold");
+  ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_STRUCK | NCSTYLE_BOLD | NCSTYLE_ITALIC);
+  ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ struck bold italic");
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_STRUCK | NCSTYLE_UNDERCURL);
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ struck undercurl");
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_STRUCK | NCSTYLE_UNDERLINE);
@@ -66,10 +66,6 @@ int main(void){
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ bold underline italic struck");
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_BOLD | NCSTYLE_UNDERCURL | NCSTYLE_ITALIC | NCSTYLE_STRUCK);
   ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ bold undercurl italic struck");
-  ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_BOLD | NCSTYLE_UNDERLINE | NCSTYLE_ITALIC | NCSTYLE_STRUCK | NCSTYLE_BLINK);
-  ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ bold underline italic struck blink");
-  ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_BOLD | NCSTYLE_UNDERCURL | NCSTYLE_ITALIC | NCSTYLE_STRUCK | NCSTYLE_BLINK);
-  ncplane_putstr_yx(n, y++, 0, "a ═ bold undercurl italic struck blink");
 
   ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_NONE);
   if(notcurses_render(nc)){