diff --git a/benches/navigation.rs b/benches/navigation.rs
index a0987f5..4c3a054 100644
--- a/benches/navigation.rs
+++ b/benches/navigation.rs
@@ -8,21 +8,26 @@ fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
         fs::File::create(format!("/tmp/xplr_bench/{}", i)).unwrap();
     });
 
-    let app = app::App::create("/tmp/xplr_bench".into())
-        .expect("failed to create app")
-        .handle_task(app::Task::new(
-            app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::ChangeDirectory("/tmp/xplr_bench".into())),
-            None,
-        ))
+    let mut app = app::App::create("/tmp/xplr_bench".into()).expect("failed to create app");
+
+    app = app
+        .clone()
+        .handle_task(
+            app::Task::new(
+                app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::ChangeDirectory("/tmp/xplr_bench".into())),
+                None,
+            ),
+            &app.clone(),
+        )
         .unwrap();
 
     c.bench_function("focus next item", |b| {
         b.iter(|| {
             app.clone()
-                .handle_task(app::Task::new(
-                    app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::FocusNext),
-                    None,
-                ))
+                .handle_task(
+                    app::Task::new(app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::FocusNext), None),
+                    &app.clone(),
+                )
                 .unwrap()
         })
     });
@@ -30,10 +35,10 @@ fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
     c.bench_function("focus previous item", |b| {
         b.iter(|| {
             app.clone()
-                .handle_task(app::Task::new(
-                    app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::FocusPrevious),
-                    None,
-                ))
+                .handle_task(
+                    app::Task::new(app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::FocusPrevious), None),
+                    &app.clone(),
+                )
                 .unwrap()
         })
     });
@@ -41,10 +46,10 @@ fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
     c.bench_function("focus first item", |b| {
         b.iter(|| {
             app.clone()
-                .handle_task(app::Task::new(
-                    app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::FocusFirst),
-                    None,
-                ))
+                .handle_task(
+                    app::Task::new(app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::FocusFirst), None),
+                    &app.clone(),
+                )
                 .unwrap()
         })
     });
@@ -52,10 +57,10 @@ fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
     c.bench_function("focus last item", |b| {
         b.iter(|| {
             app.clone()
-                .handle_task(app::Task::new(
-                    app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::FocusLast),
-                    None,
-                ))
+                .handle_task(
+                    app::Task::new(app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::FocusLast), None),
+                    &app.clone(),
+                )
                 .unwrap()
         })
     });
@@ -63,15 +68,15 @@ fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
     c.bench_function("leave and enter directory", |b| {
         b.iter(|| {
             app.clone()
-                .handle_task(app::Task::new(
-                    app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::Back),
-                    None,
-                ))
+                .handle_task(
+                    app::Task::new(app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::Back), None),
+                    &app.clone(),
+                )
                 .unwrap()
-                .handle_task(app::Task::new(
-                    app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::Enter),
-                    None,
-                ))
+                .handle_task(
+                    app::Task::new(app::MsgIn::External(app::ExternalMsg::Enter), None),
+                    &app.clone(),
+                )
                 .unwrap()
         })
     });
diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index 8898202..0b2dfae 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use std::collections::VecDeque;
 use std::env;
 use std::fs;
 use std::io;
+use std::io::prelude::*;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 pub const TEMPLATE_TABLE_ROW: &str = "TEMPLATE_TABLE_ROW";
@@ -1269,6 +1270,8 @@ impl App {
             ));
         }
 
+        fs::write(&app.pipe().global_help_menu_out, app.global_help_menu_str())?;
+
         Ok(app)
     }
 
@@ -1287,10 +1290,10 @@ impl App {
         self
     }
 
-    pub fn handle_task(self, task: Task) -> Result<Self> {
+    pub fn handle_task(self, task: Task, last_app: &Self) -> Result<Self> {
         match task.msg {
             MsgIn::Internal(msg) => self.handle_internal(msg),
-            MsgIn::External(msg) => self.handle_external(msg, task.key),
+            MsgIn::External(msg) => self.handle_external(msg, task.key, last_app),
         }
     }
 
@@ -1301,7 +1304,7 @@ impl App {
         }
     }
 
-    fn handle_external(self, msg: ExternalMsg, key: Option<Key>) -> Result<Self> {
+    fn handle_external(self, msg: ExternalMsg, key: Option<Key>, last_app: &Self) -> Result<Self> {
         if self.config().general.read_only.unwrap_or_default() && !msg.is_read_only() {
             self.log_error("Cannot call shell command in read-only mode.".into())
         } else {
@@ -1383,7 +1386,9 @@ impl App {
                 ExternalMsg::Debug(path) => self.debug(path),
                 ExternalMsg::Terminate => bail!(""),
             }
-        }
+        }?
+        .refresh_selection()
+        .write_pipes(&last_app)
     }
 
     fn handle_key(mut self, key: Key) -> Result<Self> {
@@ -2018,13 +2023,10 @@ impl App {
         &self.session_path
     }
 
-    pub fn refresh_selection(mut self) -> Result<Self> {
-        self.selection = self
-            .selection
-            .into_iter()
-            .filter(|n| PathBuf::from(&n.absolute_path).exists())
-            .collect();
-        Ok(self)
+    fn refresh_selection(mut self) -> Self {
+        self.selection
+            .retain(|n| PathBuf::from(&n.absolute_path).exists());
+        self
     }
 
     pub fn result(&self) -> Vec<&Node> {
@@ -2148,4 +2150,47 @@ impl App {
             .collect::<Vec<String>>()
             .join("")
     }
+
+    pub fn write_pipes(self, last_app: &Self) -> Result<Self> {
+        if self.focused_node() != last_app.focused_node() {
+            fs::write(&self.pipe().focus_out, self.focused_node_str())?;
+        };
+
+        if self.selection() != last_app.selection() {
+            fs::write(&self.pipe().selection_out, self.selection_str())?;
+        };
+
+        if self.history_str() != last_app.history_str() {
+            fs::write(&self.pipe().history_out, self.history_str())?;
+        };
+
+        if self.mode_str() != last_app.mode_str() {
+            fs::write(&self.pipe().mode_out, self.mode_str())?;
+        };
+
+        if self.directory_buffer() != last_app.directory_buffer() {
+            fs::write(&self.pipe().directory_nodes_out, self.directory_nodes_str())?;
+        };
+
+        if self.logs().len() != last_app.logs().len() {
+            let new_logs = self
+                .logs()
+                .iter()
+                .skip(last_app.logs().len())
+                .map(|l| format!("{}\n", l))
+                .collect::<Vec<String>>()
+                .join("");
+
+            let mut file = fs::OpenOptions::new()
+                .append(true)
+                .open(&self.pipe().logs_out)?;
+
+            file.write_all(new_logs.as_bytes())?;
+        };
+
+        if self.result() != last_app.result() {
+            fs::write(&self.pipe().result_out, self.result_str())?;
+        };
+        Ok(self)
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/runner.rs b/src/runner.rs
index 0d50cf8..363b1d9 100644
--- a/src/runner.rs
+++ b/src/runner.rs
@@ -78,8 +78,6 @@ pub fn run(mut app: app::App, focused_path: Option<String>) -> Result<Option<Str
     let (tx_event_reader, rx_event_reader) = mpsc::channel();
     let (tx_pwd_watcher, rx_pwd_watcher) = mpsc::channel();
 
-    fs::write(&app.pipe().global_help_menu_out, app.global_help_menu_str())?;
-
     explorer::explore(
         app.explorer_config().clone(),
         app.pwd().clone(),
@@ -124,7 +122,7 @@ pub fn run(mut app: app::App, focused_path: Option<String>) -> Result<Option<Str
     'outer: for task in rx_msg_in {
         let last_app = app.clone();
 
-        let (new_app, new_result) = match app.handle_task(task) {
+        let (new_app, new_result) = match app.handle_task(task, &last_app) {
             Ok(a) => (a, Ok(None)),
             Err(err) => (last_app.clone(), Err(err)),
         };
@@ -176,7 +174,6 @@ pub fn run(mut app: app::App, focused_path: Option<String>) -> Result<Option<Str
                 }
 
                 app::MsgOut::Refresh => {
-                    app = app.refresh_selection()?;
                     if app.pwd() != last_app.pwd() {
                         tx_pwd_watcher.send(app.pwd().clone())?;
                         explorer::explore(
@@ -242,46 +239,6 @@ pub fn run(mut app: app::App, focused_path: Option<String>) -> Result<Option<Str
                 }
             };
         }
-
-        if app.focused_node() != last_app.focused_node() {
-            fs::write(&app.pipe().focus_out, app.focused_node_str())?;
-        };
-
-        if app.selection() != last_app.selection() {
-            fs::write(&app.pipe().selection_out, app.selection_str())?;
-        };
-
-        if app.history_str() != last_app.history_str() {
-            fs::write(&app.pipe().history_out, app.history_str())?;
-        };
-
-        if app.mode_str() != last_app.mode_str() {
-            fs::write(&app.pipe().mode_out, app.mode_str())?;
-        };
-
-        if app.directory_buffer() != last_app.directory_buffer() {
-            fs::write(&app.pipe().directory_nodes_out, app.directory_nodes_str())?;
-        };
-
-        if app.logs().len() != last_app.logs().len() {
-            let new_logs = app
-                .logs()
-                .iter()
-                .skip(last_app.logs().len())
-                .map(|l| format!("{}\n", l))
-                .collect::<Vec<String>>()
-                .join("");
-
-            let mut file = fs::OpenOptions::new()
-                .append(true)
-                .open(&app.pipe().logs_out)?;
-
-            file.write_all(new_logs.as_bytes())?;
-        };
-
-        if app.result() != last_app.result() {
-            fs::write(&app.pipe().result_out, app.result_str())?;
-        };
     }
 
     terminal.clear()?;