diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index a4c6c8f9..679c2230 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -61,8 +61,7 @@
 - chmod +x socket when any client is attached
 - split clients into three RB trees by fd: attached/unattached/dead?
   or tailqs? what would be fastest per-char?
-- everything should write via a screen and modes should be done by switching
-  screen out
+- multiple paste buffers
 
 -- For 0.2 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 - window splitting?
diff --git a/cmd-copy-mode.c b/cmd-copy-mode.c
index c5945743..e9b30022 100644
--- a/cmd-copy-mode.c
+++ b/cmd-copy-mode.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: cmd-copy-mode.c,v 1.3 2007-12-06 09:46:21 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: cmd-copy-mode.c,v 1.4 2007-12-06 10:04:42 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -44,11 +44,8 @@ cmd_copy_mode_exec(unused void *ptr, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 {
 	struct window	*w = ctx->session->curw->window;
 
-	if (w->mode == NULL && ctx->flags & CMD_KEY) {
-		w->mode = &window_copy_mode;
-		w->mode->init(w);
-		server_redraw_window(w);
-	}
+	if (ctx->flags & CMD_KEY)
+		window_set_mode(w, &window_copy_mode);
 
 	if (ctx->cmdclient != NULL)
 		server_write_client(ctx->cmdclient, MSG_EXIT, NULL, 0);
diff --git a/cmd-scroll-mode.c b/cmd-scroll-mode.c
index 5bdf5bb6..2d444a9a 100644
--- a/cmd-scroll-mode.c
+++ b/cmd-scroll-mode.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: cmd-scroll-mode.c,v 1.5 2007-12-06 09:46:22 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: cmd-scroll-mode.c,v 1.6 2007-12-06 10:04:42 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -44,11 +44,8 @@ cmd_scroll_mode_exec(unused void *ptr, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 {
 	struct window	*w = ctx->session->curw->window;
 
-	if (w->mode == NULL && ctx->flags & CMD_KEY) {
-		w->mode = &window_scroll_mode;
-		w->mode->init(w);
-		server_redraw_window(w);
-	}
+	if (ctx->flags & CMD_KEY)
+		window_set_mode(w, &window_scroll_mode);
 
 	if (ctx->cmdclient != NULL)
 		server_write_client(ctx->cmdclient, MSG_EXIT, NULL, 0);
diff --git a/key-bindings.c b/key-bindings.c
index 8889d81a..e217d798 100644
--- a/key-bindings.c
+++ b/key-bindings.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: key-bindings.c,v 1.23 2007-12-06 09:46:22 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: key-bindings.c,v 1.24 2007-12-06 10:04:42 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -165,11 +165,7 @@ key_bindings_print(struct cmd_ctx *ctx, const char *fmt, ...)
 	struct window	*w = ctx->session->curw->window;
 	va_list		 ap;
 
-	if (w->mode == NULL) {
-		w->mode = &window_more_mode;
-		w->mode->init(w);
-		server_redraw_window(w);
-	} else if (w->mode != &window_more_mode)
+	if (window_set_mode(w, &window_more_mode) != 0)
 		return;
 
 	va_start(ap, fmt);
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 77901477..90d4549f 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: tmux.h,v 1.109 2007-12-06 09:46:23 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: tmux.h,v 1.110 2007-12-06 10:04:42 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ struct input_ctx {
  * right function to handle input and output.
  */
 struct window_mode {
-	void	(*init)(struct window *);
+	struct screen *(*init)(struct window *);
 	void	(*free)(struct window *);
 	void	(*resize)(struct window *, u_int, u_int);
 	void	(*key)(struct window *, int);
@@ -905,6 +905,8 @@ struct window	*window_create(
     		     const char *, const char *, const char **, u_int, u_int);
 void		 window_destroy(struct window *);
 int		 window_resize(struct window *, u_int, u_int);
+int		 window_set_mode(struct window *, const struct window_mode *);
+void		 window_reset_mode(struct window *);
 void		 window_parse(struct window *);
 void		 window_key(struct window *, int);
 
diff --git a/window-copy.c b/window-copy.c
index afbeb31d..bcf4b218 100644
--- a/window-copy.c
+++ b/window-copy.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: window-copy.c,v 1.13 2007-12-06 09:46:23 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: window-copy.c,v 1.14 2007-12-06 10:04:43 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "tmux.h"
 
-void	window_copy_init(struct window *);
+struct screen *window_copy_init(struct window *);
 void	window_copy_free(struct window *);
 void	window_copy_resize(struct window *, u_int, u_int);
 void	window_copy_key(struct window *, int);
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ struct window_copy_mode_data {
 	u_int	cy;
 };
 
-void
+struct screen *
 window_copy_init(struct window *w)
 {
 	struct window_copy_mode_data	*data;
@@ -94,13 +94,14 @@ window_copy_init(struct window *w)
 	screen_create(s, screen_size_x(&w->base), screen_size_y(&w->base));
 	s->cx = data->cx;
 	s->cy = data->cy;
-	w->screen = s;
 
 	screen_write_start(&ctx, s, NULL, NULL);
 	for (i = 0; i < screen_size_y(s); i++)
 		window_copy_write_line(w, &ctx, i);
 	screen_write_move_cursor(&ctx, data->cx, data->cy);
 	screen_write_stop(&ctx);
+
+	return (s);
 }
 
 void
@@ -108,11 +109,8 @@ window_copy_free(struct window *w)
 {
 	struct window_copy_mode_data	*data = w->modedata;
 
-	w->screen = &w->base;
 	screen_destroy(&data->screen);
-
-	w->mode = NULL;
-	xfree(w->modedata);
+	xfree(data);
 }
 
 void
@@ -136,8 +134,7 @@ window_copy_key(struct window *w, int key)
 	switch (key) {
 	case 'Q':
 	case 'q':
-		window_copy_free(w);
-		server_redraw_window(w);
+		window_reset_mode(w);
 		break;
 	case 'h':
 	case KEYC_LEFT:
@@ -185,8 +182,7 @@ window_copy_key(struct window *w, int key)
 	case '\027':	/* C-w */
 	case '\r':	/* enter */
 		window_copy_copy_selection(w);
-		window_copy_free(w);
-		server_redraw_window(w);
+		window_reset_mode(w);
 		break;
 	case '\001':	/* C-a */
 		window_copy_cursor_start_of_line(w);
diff --git a/window-more.c b/window-more.c
index 64e4f03f..fc201500 100644
--- a/window-more.c
+++ b/window-more.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: window-more.c,v 1.6 2007-12-06 09:46:23 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: window-more.c,v 1.7 2007-12-06 10:04:43 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "tmux.h"
 
-void	window_more_init(struct window *);
+struct screen *window_more_init(struct window *);
 void	window_more_free(struct window *);
 void	window_more_resize(struct window *, u_int, u_int);
 void	window_more_key(struct window *, int);
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ window_more_add(struct window *w, const char *fmt, ...)
 	va_end(ap);
 }
 
-void
+struct screen *
 window_more_init(struct window *w)
 {
 	struct window_more_mode_data	*data;
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ window_more_init(struct window *w)
 	s = &data->screen;
 	screen_create(s, screen_size_x(&w->base), screen_size_y(&w->base));
 	s->mode = 0;
-	w->screen = s;
+	
+	return (s);
 }
 
 void
@@ -105,15 +106,12 @@ window_more_free(struct window *w)
 	struct window_more_mode_data	*data = w->modedata;
 	u_int				 i;
 
-	w->screen = &w->base;
-	screen_destroy(&data->screen);
-
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_LENGTH(&data->list); i++)
 		xfree(ARRAY_ITEM(&data->list, i));
 	ARRAY_FREE(&data->list);
 
-	w->mode = NULL;
-	xfree(w->modedata);
+	screen_destroy(&data->screen);
+	xfree(data);
 }
 
 void
@@ -135,8 +133,7 @@ window_more_key(struct window *w, int key)
 	switch (key) {
 	case 'Q':
 	case 'q':
-		window_more_free(w);
-		server_redraw_window(w);
+		window_reset_mode(w);
 		break;
 	case 'k':
 	case 'K':
diff --git a/window-scroll.c b/window-scroll.c
index 60d3d9cd..dee8d094 100644
--- a/window-scroll.c
+++ b/window-scroll.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: window-scroll.c,v 1.15 2007-12-06 09:46:23 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: window-scroll.c,v 1.16 2007-12-06 10:04:43 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "tmux.h"
 
-void	window_scroll_init(struct window *);
+struct screen *window_scroll_init(struct window *);
 void	window_scroll_free(struct window *);
 void	window_scroll_resize(struct window *, u_int, u_int);
 void	window_scroll_key(struct window *, int);
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ struct window_scroll_mode_data {
 	u_int		oy;
 };
 
-void
+struct screen *
 window_scroll_init(struct window *w)
 {
 	struct window_scroll_mode_data	*data;
@@ -67,12 +67,13 @@ window_scroll_init(struct window *w)
 	s = &data->screen;
 	screen_create(s, screen_size_x(&w->base), screen_size_y(&w->base));
 	s->mode = 0;
-	w->screen = s;
 
 	screen_write_start(&ctx, s, NULL, NULL);
 	for (i = 0; i < screen_size_y(s); i++)
 		window_scroll_write_line(w, &ctx, i);
 	screen_write_stop(&ctx);
+
+	return (s);
 }
 
 void
@@ -80,11 +81,8 @@ window_scroll_free(struct window *w)
 {
 	struct window_scroll_mode_data	*data = w->modedata;
 
-	w->screen = &w->base;
 	screen_destroy(&data->screen);
-
-	w->mode = NULL;
-	xfree(w->modedata);
+	xfree(data);
 }
 
 void
@@ -107,8 +105,7 @@ window_scroll_key(struct window *w, int key)
 	switch (key) {
 	case 'Q':
 	case 'q':
-		window_scroll_free(w);
-		server_redraw_window(w);
+		window_reset_mode(w);
 		break;
 	case 'h':
 	case KEYC_LEFT:
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index 47d4f05d..366f80d3 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: window.c,v 1.33 2007-12-06 09:46:23 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: window.c,v 1.34 2007-12-06 10:04:43 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -244,9 +244,8 @@ window_destroy(struct window *w)
 
 	input_free(w);
 
+	window_reset_mode(w);
 	screen_destroy(&w->base);
-	if (w->mode != NULL)
-		w->mode->free(w);
 
 	buffer_destroy(w->in);
 	buffer_destroy(w->out);
@@ -276,6 +275,35 @@ window_resize(struct window *w, u_int sx, u_int sy)
 	return (0);
 }
 
+int
+window_set_mode(struct window *w, const struct window_mode *mode)
+{
+	struct screen	*s;
+
+	if (w->mode != NULL || w->mode == mode)
+		return (1);
+
+	w->mode = mode;
+
+	if ((s = w->mode->init(w)) != NULL)
+		w->screen = s;
+	server_redraw_window(w);
+	return (0);
+}
+
+void
+window_reset_mode(struct window *w)
+{
+	if (w->mode == NULL)
+		return;
+
+	w->mode->free(w);
+	w->mode = NULL;
+
+	w->screen = &w->base;
+	server_redraw_window(w);
+}
+
 void
 window_parse(struct window *w)
 {