diff --git a/src/client.cc b/src/client.cc
index 55fba617..af5ae20f 100644
--- a/src/client.cc
+++ b/src/client.cc
@@ -55,15 +55,14 @@ Client::~Client()
     m_window->set_client(nullptr);
 }
 
-void Client::process_pending_inputs()
+bool Client::process_pending_inputs()
 {
-    try
+    const bool debug_keys = (bool)(context().options()["debug"].get<DebugFlags>() & DebugFlags::Keys);
+    // steal keys as we might receive new keys while handling them.
+    Vector<Key, MemoryDomain::Client> keys = std::move(m_pending_keys);
+    for (auto& key : keys)
     {
-        const bool debug_keys = (bool)(context().options()["debug"].get<DebugFlags>() & DebugFlags::Keys);
-
-        // steal keys as we might receive new keys while handling them.
-        Vector<Key, MemoryDomain::Client> keys = std::move(m_pending_keys);
-        for (auto& key : keys)
+        try
         {
             if (debug_keys)
                 write_to_debug_buffer(format("Client '{}' got key '{}'",
@@ -81,12 +80,13 @@ void Client::process_pending_inputs()
             else
                 m_input_handler.handle_key(key);
         }
+        catch (Kakoune::runtime_error& error)
+        {
+            context().print_status({ error.what().str(), get_face("Error") });
+            context().hooks().run_hook("RuntimeError", error.what(), context());
+        }
     }
-    catch (Kakoune::runtime_error& error)
-    {
-        context().print_status({ error.what().str(), get_face("Error") });
-        context().hooks().run_hook("RuntimeError", error.what(), context());
-    }
+    return not keys.empty();
 }
 
 void Client::print_status(DisplayLine status_line, bool immediate)
diff --git a/src/client.hh b/src/client.hh
index 2ee7a867..7b2b36bd 100644
--- a/src/client.hh
+++ b/src/client.hh
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public:
 
     Client(Client&&) = delete;
 
-    void process_pending_inputs();
+    bool process_pending_inputs();
 
     void menu_show(Vector<DisplayLine> choices, BufferCoord anchor, MenuStyle style);
     void menu_select(int selected);
diff --git a/src/client_manager.cc b/src/client_manager.cc
index a77d7d13..8edaeb2f 100644
--- a/src/client_manager.cc
+++ b/src/client_manager.cc
@@ -63,8 +63,15 @@ Client* ClientManager::create_client(std::unique_ptr<UserInterface>&& ui,
 
 void ClientManager::process_pending_inputs() const
 {
-    for (auto& client : m_clients)
-        client->process_pending_inputs();
+    while (true)
+    {
+        bool had_input = false;
+        for (auto& client : m_clients)
+            had_input = client->process_pending_inputs() or had_input;
+
+        if (not had_input)
+            break;
+    }
 }
 
 void ClientManager::remove_client(Client& client, bool graceful)