diff --git a/src/buffer/controller.rs b/src/buffer/controller.rs
index 1d33f9d..6785b67 100644
--- a/src/buffer/controller.rs
+++ b/src/buffer/controller.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use tokio::sync::oneshot;
-use tokio::sync::{watch, mpsc, RwLock};
+use tokio::sync::{watch, mpsc};
 use tonic::async_trait;
 
 use crate::errors::IgnorableError;
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ pub struct BufferController {
 	/// unique identifier of buffer
 	pub name: String,
 	content: watch::Receiver<String>,
-	seen: Arc<RwLock<String>>,
+	seen: StatusCheck<String>,
 	operations: mpsc::UnboundedSender<TextChange>,
-	poller: mpsc::Sender<oneshot::Sender<()>>,
+	poller: mpsc::UnboundedSender<oneshot::Sender<()>>,
 	_stop: Arc<StopOnDrop>, // just exist
 }
 
@@ -43,18 +43,19 @@ impl BufferController {
 		name: String,
 		content: watch::Receiver<String>,
 		operations: mpsc::UnboundedSender<TextChange>,
-		poller: mpsc::Sender<oneshot::Sender<()>>,
+		poller: mpsc::UnboundedSender<oneshot::Sender<()>>,
 		stop: mpsc::UnboundedSender<()>,
 	) -> Self {
 		BufferController {
 			name,
 			content, operations, poller,
-			seen: Arc::new(RwLock::new("".into())),
+			seen: StatusCheck::default(),
 			_stop: Arc::new(StopOnDrop(stop)),
 		}
 	}
 
 	pub fn content(&self) -> String {
+		self.seen.update(self.content.borrow().clone());
 		self.content.borrow().clone()
 	}
 }
@@ -74,41 +75,66 @@ impl Controller<TextChange> for BufferController {
 
 	// block until a new text change is available
 	async fn poll(&self) -> crate::Result<()> {
+		if self.seen.check() != *self.content.borrow() {
+			return Ok(()); // short circuit: already available!
+		}
 		let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel::<()>();
-		self.poller.send(tx).await?;
-		Ok(rx.await.map_err(|_| crate::Error::Channel { send: false })?)
+		self.poller.send(tx)?;
+		tracing::info!("polling");
+		rx.await.map_err(|_| crate::Error::Channel { send: false })?;
+		tracing::info!("polling unblocked");
+		Ok(())
 	}
 
 	// if a new text change is available, return it immediately
 	fn try_recv(&self) -> crate::Result<Option<TextChange>> {
-		let seen = match self.seen.try_read() {
-			Err(_) => return Err(crate::Error::Deadlocked),
-			Ok(x) => x.clone(),
-		};
+		let seen = self.seen.check();
 		let actual = self.content.borrow().clone();
 		if seen == actual {
 			return Ok(None);
 		}
 		let change = TextChange::from_diff(&seen, &actual);
-		match self.seen.try_write() {
-			Err(_) => return Err(crate::Error::Deadlocked),
-			Ok(mut w) => *w = actual,
-		};
+		self.seen.update(actual);
 		Ok(Some(change))
 	}
 
 	// block until a new text change is available, and return it
 	async fn recv(&self) -> crate::Result<TextChange> {
 		self.poll().await?;
-		let cur = self.seen.read().await.clone();
-		let change = TextChange::from_diff(&cur, &self.content.borrow());
-		let mut seen = self.seen.write().await;
-		*seen = self.content.borrow().clone();
+		let seen = self.seen.check();
+		let actual = self.content.borrow().clone();
+		let change = TextChange::from_diff(&seen, &actual);
+		self.seen.update(actual);
 		Ok(change)
 	}
 
 	/// enqueue an opseq for processing
 	fn send(&self, op: TextChange) -> crate::Result<()> {
+		let before = self.seen.check();
+		self.seen.update(op.apply(&before));
 		Ok(self.operations.send(op)?)
 	}
 }
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct StatusCheck<T : Clone> {
+	state: watch::Receiver<T>,
+	updater: Arc<watch::Sender<T>>,
+}
+
+impl<T : Clone + Default> Default for StatusCheck<T> {
+	fn default() -> Self {
+		let (tx, rx) = watch::channel(T::default());
+		StatusCheck { state: rx, updater: Arc::new(tx) }
+	}
+}
+
+impl<T : Clone> StatusCheck<T> {
+	pub fn update(&self, state: T) -> T {
+		self.updater.send_replace(state)
+	}
+
+	pub fn check(&self) -> T {
+		self.state.borrow().clone()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/buffer/worker.rs b/src/buffer/worker.rs
index 8bafd61..394b3bb 100644
--- a/src/buffer/worker.rs
+++ b/src/buffer/worker.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ pub(crate) struct BufferControllerWorker {
 	buffer: Woot,
 	content: watch::Sender<String>,
 	operations: mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<TextChange>,
-	poller: mpsc::Receiver<oneshot::Sender<()>>,
+	poller: mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<oneshot::Sender<()>>,
 	pollers: Vec<oneshot::Sender<()>>,
 	handles: ClonableHandlesForController,
 	stop: mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<()>,
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ pub(crate) struct BufferControllerWorker {
 
 struct ClonableHandlesForController {
 	operations: mpsc::UnboundedSender<TextChange>,
-	poller: mpsc::Sender<oneshot::Sender<()>>,
+	poller: mpsc::UnboundedSender<oneshot::Sender<()>>,
 	stop: mpsc::UnboundedSender<()>,
 	content: watch::Receiver<String>,
 }
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ impl BufferControllerWorker {
 		let (txt_tx, txt_rx) = watch::channel("".to_string());
 		let (op_tx, op_rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
 		let (end_tx, end_rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
-		let (poller_tx, poller_rx) = mpsc::channel(10);
+		let (poller_tx, poller_rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
 		let mut hasher = DefaultHasher::new();
 		uid.hash(&mut hasher);
 		let site_id = hasher.finish() as usize;