diff --git a/networktransport.hpp b/networktransport.hpp
index 2581686..7c2adaf 100644
--- a/networktransport.hpp
+++ b/networktransport.hpp
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ namespace Network {
     int fd( void ) { return connection.fd(); }
 
     void set_verbose( void ) { sender.set_verbose(); verbose = true; }
+
+    uint64_t timeout( void ) { return connection.timeout(); }
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/stmclient.cpp b/stmclient.cpp
index 460c851..e05113e 100644
--- a/stmclient.cpp
+++ b/stmclient.cpp
@@ -164,7 +164,8 @@ bool STMClient::process_user_input( int fd )
     for ( int i = 0; i < bytes_read; i++ ) {
       char the_byte = buf[ i ];
 
-      overlays.get_prediction_engine().new_user_byte( the_byte, *local_framebuffer );
+      overlays.get_prediction_engine().new_user_byte( the_byte, *local_framebuffer,
+						      network->timeout() );
 
       if ( quit_sequence_started ) {
 	if ( the_byte == '.' ) { /* Quit sequence is Ctrl-^ . */
@@ -259,7 +260,7 @@ void STMClient::main( void )
     try {
       output_new_frame();
 
-      int active_fds = poll( pollfds, 4, network->wait_time() );
+      int active_fds = poll( pollfds, 4, min( network->wait_time(), overlays.wait_time() ) );
       if ( active_fds < 0 ) {
 	perror( "poll" );
 	break;
diff --git a/terminaloverlay.cpp b/terminaloverlay.cpp
index 44a2a7f..0597200 100644
--- a/terminaloverlay.cpp
+++ b/terminaloverlay.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <wchar.h>
 #include <list>
 #include <typeinfo>
+#include <limits.h>
 
 #include "terminaloverlay.hpp"
 
@@ -19,8 +20,10 @@ void OverlayCell::apply( Framebuffer &fb ) const
     return;
   }
 
-  *(fb.get_mutable_cell( row, col )) = replacement;
-  fb.get_mutable_cell( row, col )->renditions.bold = true; /* XXX */
+  if ( !(*(fb.get_mutable_cell( row, col )) == replacement) ) {
+    *(fb.get_mutable_cell( row, col )) = replacement;
+    fb.get_mutable_cell( row, col )->renditions.bold = true; /* XXX */
+  }
 }
 
 Validity ConditionalOverlayCell::get_validity( const Framebuffer &fb ) const
@@ -288,10 +291,9 @@ void OverlayManager::calculate_score( const Framebuffer &fb )
   }
 }
 
-void PredictionEngine::new_user_byte( char the_byte, const Framebuffer &fb )
+void PredictionEngine::new_user_byte( char the_byte, const Framebuffer &fb, int prediction_len )
 {
   uint64_t now = timestamp();
-  int prediction_len = 1000; /* XXX */
 
   if ( elements.empty() ) {
     /* starting from scratch */
@@ -330,3 +332,29 @@ void PredictionEngine::new_user_byte( char the_byte, const Framebuffer &fb )
     clear();
   }
 }
+
+int OverlayManager::wait_time( void )
+{
+  uint64_t now = timestamp();
+
+  uint64_t next_expiry = uint64_t( -1 );
+
+  for ( auto i = notifications.begin(); i != notifications.end(); i++ ) {
+    if ( (*i)->expiration_time < next_expiry ) {
+      next_expiry = (*i)->expiration_time;
+    }
+  }
+
+  for ( auto i = predictions.begin(); i != predictions.end(); i++ ) {
+    if ( (*i)->expiration_time < next_expiry ) {
+      next_expiry = (*i)->expiration_time;
+    }
+  }
+
+  int ret = next_expiry - now;
+  if ( ret < 0 ) {
+    return INT_MAX;
+  } else {
+    return ret;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/terminaloverlay.hpp b/terminaloverlay.hpp
index dd43843..0a927f1 100644
--- a/terminaloverlay.hpp
+++ b/terminaloverlay.hpp
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ namespace Overlay {
 
   class PredictionEngine : public OverlayEngine {
   public:
-    void new_user_byte( char the_byte, const Framebuffer &fb );
+    void new_user_byte( char the_byte, const Framebuffer &fb, int prediction_len );
   };
 
   /* the overlay manager */
@@ -126,7 +126,10 @@ namespace Overlay {
     NotificationEngine & get_notification_engine( void ) { return notifications; }
     PredictionEngine & get_prediction_engine( void ) { return predictions; }
 
-    OverlayManager() : notifications(), predictions(), prediction_score( 0 ) {} 
+    OverlayManager() : notifications(), predictions(),
+		       prediction_score( 0 ) {}
+
+    int wait_time( void );
   };
 }