diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 89d1965..14cb7f6 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 {
     "editor.formatOnSave": true,
-    "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode"
+    "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
+    "[go]": {
+        "editor.defaultFormatter": "golang.go"
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/screentracker/conversation.go b/lib/screentracker/conversation.go
index 4311897..8e55e57 100644
--- a/lib/screentracker/conversation.go
+++ b/lib/screentracker/conversation.go
@@ -289,15 +289,23 @@ func (c *Conversation) writeMessageWithConfirmation(ctx context.Context, message
 
 	// wait for the screen to change after the carriage return is written
 	screenBeforeCarriageReturn := c.cfg.AgentIO.ReadScreen()
+	lastCarriageReturnTime := time.Time{}
 	if err := util.WaitFor(ctx, util.WaitTimeout{
 		Timeout:     15 * time.Second,
 		MinInterval: 25 * time.Millisecond,
 	}, func() (bool, error) {
-		if _, err := c.cfg.AgentIO.Write([]byte("\r")); err != nil {
-			return false, xerrors.Errorf("failed to write carriage return: %w", err)
+		// we don't want to spam additional carriage returns because the agent may process them
+		// (aider does this), but we do want to retry sending one if nothing's
+		// happening for a while
+		if time.Since(lastCarriageReturnTime) >= 3*time.Second {
+			lastCarriageReturnTime = time.Now()
+			if _, err := c.cfg.AgentIO.Write([]byte("\r")); err != nil {
+				return false, xerrors.Errorf("failed to write carriage return: %w", err)
+			}
 		}
 		time.Sleep(25 * time.Millisecond)
 		screen := c.cfg.AgentIO.ReadScreen()
+
 		return screen != screenBeforeCarriageReturn, nil
 	}); err != nil {
 		return xerrors.Errorf("failed to wait for processing to start: %w", err)