diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 5c98405d..844cdb3f 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
 
 -- For 0.1 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 - man page
+- sort out bell: passing through should be optional, and toolbar should change
+  window colour or something
 - commands:
 	refresh client	
 	rename sessions
@@ -56,4 +58,3 @@
 	set shell
 - handle tmux in tmux (check $TMUX and abort)
 - check for some reqd terminfo caps on startup
-- sort out the pause mess
diff --git a/client-msg.c b/client-msg.c
index bea15246..7942d994 100644
--- a/client-msg.c
+++ b/client-msg.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: client-msg.c,v 1.7 2007-10-04 11:52:02 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: client-msg.c,v 1.8 2007-10-05 14:23:28 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -51,27 +51,24 @@ client_msg_dispatch(struct client_ctx *cctx, char **error)
 	struct hdr		 hdr;
 	struct client_msg	*msg;
 	u_int		 	 i;
-	int			 n;
 
-	for (;;) {
-		if (BUFFER_USED(cctx->srv_in) < sizeof hdr)
+	if (BUFFER_USED(cctx->srv_in) < sizeof hdr)
+		return (1);
+	memcpy(&hdr, BUFFER_OUT(cctx->srv_in), sizeof hdr);
+	if (BUFFER_USED(cctx->srv_in) < (sizeof hdr) + hdr.size)
+		return (1);
+	buffer_remove(cctx->srv_in, sizeof hdr);
+	
+	for (i = 0; i < NCLIENTMSG; i++) {
+		msg = client_msg_table + i;
+		if (msg->type == hdr.type) {
+			if (msg->fn(&hdr, cctx, error) != 0)
+				return (-1);
 			return (0);
-		memcpy(&hdr, BUFFER_OUT(cctx->srv_in), sizeof hdr);
-		if (BUFFER_USED(cctx->srv_in) < (sizeof hdr) + hdr.size)
-			return (0);
-		buffer_remove(cctx->srv_in, sizeof hdr);
-		
-		for (i = 0; i < NCLIENTMSG; i++) {
-			msg = client_msg_table + i;
-			if (msg->type == hdr.type) {
-				if ((n = msg->fn(&hdr, cctx, error)) != 0)
-					return (n);
-				break;
-			}
 		}
-		if (i == NCLIENTMSG)
-			fatalx("unexpected message");
 	}
+	if (i == NCLIENTMSG)
+		fatalx("unexpected message");
 }
 
 int
@@ -88,7 +85,10 @@ client_msg_fn_pause(
 {
 	if (hdr->size != 0)
 		fatalx("bad MSG_PAUSE size");
-	return (1);
+
+	cctx->flags |= CCTX_PAUSE;
+
+	return (0);
 }
 
 int
@@ -106,24 +106,24 @@ client_msg_fn_error(struct hdr *hdr, struct client_ctx *cctx, char **error)
 
 int
 client_msg_fn_exit(
-    struct hdr *hdr, unused struct client_ctx *cctx, char **error)
+    struct hdr *hdr, unused struct client_ctx *cctx, unused char **error)
 {
 	if (hdr->size != 0)
 		fatalx("bad MSG_EXIT size");
 
-	*error = xstrdup("");
+	cctx->flags |= CCTX_EXIT;
 
 	return (-1);
 }
 
 int
 client_msg_fn_detach(
-    struct hdr *hdr, unused struct client_ctx *cctx, char **error)
+    struct hdr *hdr, unused struct client_ctx *cctx, unused char **error)
 {
 	if (hdr->size != 0)
 		fatalx("bad MSG_DETACH size");
 
-	*error = NULL;
+	cctx->flags |= CCTX_DETACH;
 
 	return (-1);
 }
diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 889ebf20..c51df390 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: client.c,v 1.13 2007-10-04 19:03:51 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: client.c,v 1.14 2007-10-05 14:23:28 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ client_main(struct client_ctx *cctx)
 {
 	struct pollfd	 pfds[2];
 	char		*error;
-	int		 n;
+	int		 timeout;
 
 	logfile("client");
 	setproctitle("client");
@@ -135,8 +135,8 @@ client_main(struct client_ctx *cctx)
 	if ((cctx->loc_fd = local_init(&cctx->loc_in, &cctx->loc_out)) == -1)
 		return (1);
 
-	n = 0;
 	error = NULL;
+	timeout = INFTIM;
 	while (!sigterm) {
 		if (sigwinch)
 			client_handle_winch(cctx);
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ client_main(struct client_ctx *cctx)
 		if (BUFFER_USED(cctx->loc_out) > 0)
 			pfds[1].events |= POLLOUT;
 	
-		if (poll(pfds, 2, INFTIM) == -1) {
+		if (poll(pfds, 2, timeout) == -1) {
 			if (errno == EAGAIN || errno == EINTR)
 				continue;
 			fatal("poll failed");
@@ -161,32 +161,48 @@ client_main(struct client_ctx *cctx)
 		if (buffer_poll(&pfds[1], cctx->loc_in, cctx->loc_out) != 0)
 			goto local_dead;
 
-		/* XXX Output flushed; pause if required. */
-		if (n)
-			usleep(750000);
-		/* XXX XXX special return code for pause? or flag in cctx? */
-		if ((n = client_process_local(cctx, &error)) == -1)
-			break;
-		if ((n = client_msg_dispatch(cctx, &error)) == -1)
-			break;
-	}
-
-	local_done();
-
-	if (error != NULL) {
-		if (*error == '\0') {
-			printf("[exited]\n");
-			return (0);
+		if (cctx->flags & CCTX_PAUSE) {
+			usleep(750000);	
+			cctx->flags = 0;
+		}
+
+		if (client_process_local(cctx, &error) == -1)
+			goto out;
+		
+		switch (client_msg_dispatch(cctx, &error)) {
+		case -1:
+			goto out;
+		case 0:
+			/* May be more in buffer, don't let poll block. */
+			timeout = 0;
+			break;
+		default:
+			/* Out of data, poll may block. */
+			timeout = INFTIM;
+			break;
 		}
-		printf("[error: %s]\n", error);
-		return (1);
 	}
-	if (sigterm) {
-		printf("[terminated]\n");
-		return (1);
+ 
+out:
+ 	local_done();
+ 
+ 	if (sigterm) {
+ 		printf("[terminated]\n");
+ 		return (1);
+ 	}
+ 
+	if (cctx->flags & CCTX_EXIT) {
+		printf("[exited]\n");
+		return (0);
 	}
-	printf("[detached]\n");
-	return (0);
+	
+	if (cctx->flags & CCTX_DETACH) {
+		printf("[detached]\n");
+		return (0);
+	}
+
+	printf("[error: %s]\n", error);
+	return (1);
 
 server_dead:
 	local_done();
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 0100f042..147be57b 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: tmux.h,v 1.50 2007-10-04 22:04:01 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: tmux.h,v 1.51 2007-10-05 14:23:28 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -453,6 +453,11 @@ struct client_ctx {
 	int		 loc_fd;
 	struct buffer	*loc_in;
 	struct buffer	*loc_out;
+
+#define CCTX_PAUSE 0x1
+#define CCTX_DETACH 0x2
+#define CCTX_EXIT 0x4
+	int 		 flags;
 };
 
 /* Key/command line command. */