diff --git a/MMBackend.h b/MMBackend.h
index 353112c7c5..d0a577f3e8 100644
--- a/MMBackend.h
+++ b/MMBackend.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     int             foregroundColor;
     int             defaultBackgroundColor;
     int             defaultForegroundColor;
+    NSDate          *lastFlushDate;
 }
 
 + (MMBackend *)sharedInstance;
@@ -45,8 +46,7 @@
                 flags:(int)flags;
 - (void)insertLinesFromRow:(int)row count:(int)count
               scrollBottom:(int)bottom left:(int)left right:(int)right;
-- (void)flush;
-- (void)flushQueue;
+- (void)flushQueue:(BOOL)force;
 - (BOOL)waitForInput:(int)milliseconds;
 - (void)exit;
 - (void)selectTab:(int)index;
diff --git a/MMBackend.m b/MMBackend.m
index a2b14d64ee..7932b5748a 100644
--- a/MMBackend.m
+++ b/MMBackend.m
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 
 
 
+static float MMFlushTimeoutInterval = 0.1f;
+
+
 // TODO: Move to separate file.
 static int eventModifierFlagsToVimModMask(int modifierFlags);
 static int vimModMaskToEventModifierFlags(int mods);
@@ -243,24 +246,29 @@ static int specialKeyToNSKey(int key);
     [drawData appendBytes:&right length:sizeof(int)];
 }
 
-- (void)flush
+- (void)flushQueue:(BOOL)force
 {
+    // NOTE! This method gets called a lot; if we were to flush every time it
+    // was called MacVim would feel unresponsive.  So there is a time out which
+    // ensures that the queue isn't flushed too often.
+    if (!force && lastFlushDate && -[lastFlushDate timeIntervalSinceNow]
+            < MMFlushTimeoutInterval)
+        return;
+
     if ([drawData length] > 0) {
         [self queueMessage:BatchDrawMsgID data:[drawData copy]];
         [drawData setLength:0];
     }
-}
 
-- (void)flushQueue
-{
-    [self flush];
-
-    if ([drawData length] > 0 || [queue count] > 0) {
+    if ([queue count] > 0) {
         // TODO: Come up with a better way to handle the insertion point.
         [self updateInsertionPoint];
 
         [frontendProxy processCommandQueue:queue];
         [queue removeAllObjects];
+
+        [lastFlushDate release];
+        lastFlushDate = [[NSDate date] retain];
     }
 }
 
@@ -674,6 +682,9 @@ static int specialKeyToNSKey(int key);
 
 - (oneway void)processInput:(int)msgid data:(in NSData *)data
 {
+    [lastFlushDate release];
+    lastFlushDate = [[NSDate date] retain];
+
     [self handleMessage:msgid data:data];
     inputReceived = YES;
 }
diff --git a/gui_macvim.m b/gui_macvim.m
index 598755f6a2..dcf8253527 100644
--- a/gui_macvim.m
+++ b/gui_macvim.m
@@ -133,8 +133,7 @@ gui_mch_open(void)
     void
 gui_mch_update(void)
 {
-    // HACK!  Nothing to do here since we tend to the run loop (which holds
-    // incoming events) in gui_mch_wait_for_chars().
+    [[MMBackend sharedInstance] flushQueue:NO];
 }
 
 
@@ -142,13 +141,7 @@ gui_mch_update(void)
     void
 gui_mch_flush(void)
 {
-    // HACK!  This function is called so often that draw performance suffers.
-    // Instead of actually flushing the output it is placed on a queue and
-    // flushed in gui_mch_wait_for_chars(), which makes the program feel much
-    // more responsive.  This might have unintended side effects though;  if
-    // so, another solution might have to be found.
-
-    //[[MMBackend sharedInstance] flush];
+    [[MMBackend sharedInstance] flushQueue:NO];
 }
 
 
@@ -164,8 +157,9 @@ gui_mch_flush(void)
     int
 gui_mch_wait_for_chars(int wtime)
 {
-    // HACK!  See comment in gui_mch_flush().
-    [[MMBackend sharedInstance] flushQueue];
+    // NOTE! In all likelyhood Vim will take a nap when waitForInput: is
+    // called, so force a flush of the command queue here.
+    [[MMBackend sharedInstance] flushQueue:YES];
 
     return [[MMBackend sharedInstance] waitForInput:wtime];
 }