diff --git a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_input.3.md b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_input.3.md
index e2feb00dc..99b5ad7ea 100644
--- a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_input.3.md
+++ b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_input.3.md
@@ -67,9 +67,8 @@ to fill whenever it reads.
 **notcurses_get** allows a **struct timespec** to be specified as a timeout.
 If **ts** is **NULL**, **notcurses_get** will block until it reads input, or
 is interrupted by a signal. If its values are zeroes, there will be no blocking.
-Otherwise, **ts** specifies a minimum time to wait for input before giving up.
-On timeout, 0 is returned. Signals in **sigmask** will be masked and blocked in
-the same manner as a call to **ppoll(2)**. **sigmask** may be **NULL**. Event
+Otherwise, **ts** specifies an absolute deadline (using the same source and
+timezone as **gettimeofday(2)**). On timeout, 0 is returned. Event
 details will be reported in **ni**, unless **ni** is NULL.
 
 **notcurses_inputready_fd** provides a file descriptor suitable for use with
@@ -181,6 +180,7 @@ are resolved.
 
 # SEE ALSO
 
+**gettimeofday(2)**,
 **poll(2)**,
 **notcurses(3)**,
 **notcurses_refresh(3)**,
diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 1dc4fb591..bf3f0c7f3 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -1070,7 +1070,8 @@ ncinput_equal_p(const ncinput* n1, const ncinput* n2){
 // timespec to bound blocking. Returns a single Unicode code point, or
 // (uint32_t)-1 on error. 'sigmask' may be NULL. Returns 0 on a timeout. If an
 // event is processed, the return value is the 'id' field from that event.
-// 'ni' may be NULL.
+// 'ni' may be NULL. 'ts' is an *absolute* time relative to gettimeofday()
+// (see pthread_cond_timedwait(3)).
 API uint32_t notcurses_get(struct notcurses* n, const struct timespec* ts,
                            ncinput* ni)
   __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
diff --git a/src/lib/in.c b/src/lib/in.c
index a0e492296..568013325 100644
--- a/src/lib/in.c
+++ b/src/lib/in.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 //  integrate main specials trie with automaton, enable input_errors
 //  wake up input thread when space becomes available
 //   (needs pipes/eventfds)
-//  handle timeouts
 
 static sig_atomic_t resize_seen;
 
@@ -844,6 +843,13 @@ inc_input_events(inputctx* ictx){
   pthread_mutex_unlock(&ictx->stats->lock);
 }
 
+static inline void
+inc_input_errors(inputctx* ictx){
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&ictx->stats->lock);
+  ++ictx->stats->s.input_errors;
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&ictx->stats->lock);
+}
+
 // add a decoded, valid Unicode to the bulk output buffer, or drop it if no
 // space is available.
 static void
@@ -1472,7 +1478,7 @@ pump_control_read(inputctx* ictx, unsigned char c){
       }
       break;
     default:
-      fprintf(stderr, "Reached invalid init state %d\n", ictx->state);
+      logerror("Reached invalid init state %d\n", ictx->state);
       return -1;
   }
   return 0;
@@ -1732,12 +1738,10 @@ block_on_input(inputctx* ictx){
   sigdelset(&smask, SIGWINCH);
   while((events = ppoll(pfds, pfdcount, ts, &smask)) < 0){
 #endif
-fprintf(stderr, "GOT EVENTS: %d!\n", events);
     if(errno != EINTR && errno != EAGAIN && errno != EBUSY && errno != EWOULDBLOCK){
       return -1;
     }
     if(resize_seen){
-fprintf(stderr, "SAW A RESIZE!\n");
       return 1;
     }
   }
@@ -1814,7 +1818,13 @@ internal_get(inputctx* ictx, const struct timespec* ts, ncinput* ni){
   }
   pthread_mutex_lock(&ictx->ilock);
   while(!ictx->ivalid){
-    pthread_cond_wait(&ictx->icond, &ictx->ilock);
+    if(pthread_cond_timedwait(&ictx->icond, &ictx->ilock, ts)){
+      if(errno == ETIMEDOUT){
+        return 0;
+      }
+      inc_input_errors(ictx);
+      return (uint32_t)-1;
+    }
   }
   memcpy(ni, &ictx->inputs[ictx->iread], sizeof(*ni));
   if(++ictx->iread == ictx->isize){
@@ -1826,18 +1836,6 @@ internal_get(inputctx* ictx, const struct timespec* ts, ncinput* ni){
   return ni->id;
 }
 
-struct initial_responses* inputlayer_get_responses(inputctx* ictx){
-  struct initial_responses* iresp;
-  pthread_mutex_lock(&ictx->ilock);
-  while(!ictx->initdata_complete){
-    pthread_cond_wait(&ictx->icond, &ictx->ilock);
-  }
-  iresp = ictx->initdata_complete;
-  ictx->initdata_complete = NULL;
-  pthread_mutex_unlock(&ictx->ilock);
-  return iresp;
-}
-
 // infp has already been set non-blocking
 uint32_t notcurses_get(notcurses* nc, const struct timespec* ts, ncinput* ni){
   uint32_t r = internal_get(nc->tcache.ictx, ts, ni);
@@ -1984,3 +1982,15 @@ linesigs_enable(tinfo* ti){
 int notcurses_linesigs_enable(notcurses* n){
   return linesigs_enable(&n->tcache);
 }
+
+struct initial_responses* inputlayer_get_responses(inputctx* ictx){
+  struct initial_responses* iresp;
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&ictx->ilock);
+  while(!ictx->initdata_complete){
+    pthread_cond_wait(&ictx->icond, &ictx->ilock);
+  }
+  iresp = ictx->initdata_complete;
+  ictx->initdata_complete = NULL;
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&ictx->ilock);
+  return iresp;
+}