diff --git a/src/app.zig b/src/app.zig
index 9acc49e..4e9dc86 100644
--- a/src/app.zig
+++ b/src/app.zig
@@ -178,10 +178,9 @@ pub fn App(comptime M: type, comptime E: type) type {
                     else => |e| return e,
                 };
             }
+            var remaining_bytes: usize = 0;
             while (true) {
                 this.quit_event.timedWait(20 * std.time.ns_per_ms) catch {
-                    var remaining_bytes: usize = 0;
-
                     // non-blocking read
                     const read_bytes = terminal.read(buf[remaining_bytes..]) catch |err| switch (err) {
                         error.WouldBlock => {
@@ -191,6 +190,7 @@ pub fn App(comptime M: type, comptime E: type) type {
                         },
                         else => return err,
                     } + remaining_bytes;
+                    remaining_bytes = 0;
 
                     // escape key presses
                     if (buf[0] == 0x1b and read_bytes > 1) {