diff --git a/forks/nottui/lib/nottui/nottui_main.ml b/forks/nottui/lib/nottui/nottui_main.ml
index 8d6abe9..061e724 100644
--- a/forks/nottui/lib/nottui/nottui_main.ml
+++ b/forks/nottui/lib/nottui/nottui_main.ml
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ end = struct
   let clock = ref 0
   let currently_focused : var ref = ref (make () |> fst)
   let focus_stack : var list ref = ref []
+  let focus_stack_to_str ()= 
+    (!focus_stack|>List.map Lwd.peek|>List.map (string_of_int)|>String.concat ","|>Printf.sprintf "[%s]")
+
+  let focusLock= Mutex.create()
 
   let request_var (v : var) =
     incr clock;
@@ -68,27 +72,33 @@ end = struct
     currently_focused := v
   ;;
 
-  let request ((v, _) : handle) = request_var v
+  let request ((v, _) : handle) =
+    Mutex.protect focusLock @@ fun _->
+    request_var v
 
   let release ((v, _) : handle) =
+    Mutex.protect focusLock @@ fun _->
     incr clock;
     Lwd.set v 0
   ;;
 
   let var_equal a b = Lwd.peek a = Lwd.peek b
 
+
   let request_reversable ((v, _) : handle) =
-    Log.debug (fun m -> m "Maybe requesting revesable focus %d" (Lwd.peek v));
+    Mutex.protect focusLock @@ fun _->
+    Log.debug (fun m -> m "Maybe requesting reversable focus %d" (Lwd.peek v));
     if not @@ var_equal !currently_focused v
     then (
       focus_stack := !currently_focused :: !focus_stack;
       request_var v;
-      Log.debug (fun m -> m "Requested reversable focus %d" (Lwd.peek v)))
+      Log.debug (fun m -> m "Requested reversable focus %d. stack:%s" (Lwd.peek v) (focus_stack_to_str ())))
   ;;
 
   let release_reversable ((v, _) : handle) =
+    (* Mutex.protect focusLock @@ fun _-> *)
     Log.debug (fun m ->
-      m "Maybe release or remove %d from reversable focus stack" (Lwd.peek v));
+      m "Maybe release or remove %d from reversable focus stack. stack: %s" (Lwd.peek v) (focus_stack_to_str ()));
     (* we should only release if we actually have the focus*)
     if var_equal !currently_focused v
     then (
@@ -97,7 +107,7 @@ end = struct
       | hd :: tl ->
         request_var hd;
         Log.debug (fun m ->
-          m "Released reversable focus %d in echange form %d" (Lwd.peek v) (Lwd.peek v));
+          m "Released reversable focus %d in exchange for: %d" (Lwd.peek v) (Lwd.peek hd));
         focus_stack := tl
       | _ -> ())
     else (
diff --git a/forks/nottui/lib/nottui/widgets/overlays.ml b/forks/nottui/lib/nottui/widgets/overlays.ml
index 3e765c3..424b22e 100644
--- a/forks/nottui/lib/nottui/widgets/overlays.ml
+++ b/forks/nottui/lib/nottui/widgets/overlays.ml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 open Nottui_main
 open Shared
 open Lwd_infix
+module Log = (val Logs.src_log (Logs.Src.create "nottui_widgets"))
 
 open struct
   module BB = Border_box
@@ -225,8 +226,8 @@ let popup ?(focus = Focus.make ()) ?on_key ~show_popup_var ui =
     match show_popup with
     | Some (content, label) ->
       let ui =
-        let$ prompt_field = content in
         Focus.request_reversable focus;
+        let$ prompt_field = content in
         prompt_field |> Ui.resize ~w:5 ~sw:1
       in
       ui
diff --git a/jj_tui/bin/global_vars.ml b/jj_tui/bin/global_vars.ml
index e77f72a..42b7256 100644
--- a/jj_tui/bin/global_vars.ml
+++ b/jj_tui/bin/global_vars.ml
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ module type Vars = sig
   val get_active_revs : unit -> string list
   val get_active_revs_lwd : unit -> string list Lwd.t
   val config : Config.t Lwd.var
+  val show_popup: ((ui Lwd.t * string) option ) ->unit
 end
 
 module Vars : Vars = struct
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ module Vars : Vars = struct
   let term_width_height : (int * int) Lwd.var = Lwd.var (0, 0)
   let get_term () = Option.get !term
 
+
   let reset_selection () =
     Flock.fork(fun _ ->
       Picos_std_structured.Control.sleep ~seconds:0.7;
@@ -144,5 +146,8 @@ module Vars : Vars = struct
     else selected |> List.map get_unique_id
   ;;
 
+  let show_popup popup=
+    [%log debug "setting show popup"];
+    Lwd.set ui_state.show_popup popup 
   let config = ui_state.config
 end
diff --git a/jj_tui/bin/graph_commands.ml b/jj_tui/bin/graph_commands.ml
index f1ed2f8..6d8b7db 100644
--- a/jj_tui/bin/graph_commands.ml
+++ b/jj_tui/bin/graph_commands.ml
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ module Make (Vars : Global_vars.Vars) = struct
           (fun () ->
             Fun
               (fun _ ->
-                ui_state.show_popup
-                $= Some (commands_list_ui ~include_arrows:true (get_commands ()), "Help");
+                show_popup
+                @@ Some (commands_list_ui ~include_arrows:true (get_commands ()), "Help");
                 ui_state.input $= `Mode (fun _ -> `Unhandled)))
       }
     ; {
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ module Make (Vars : Global_vars.Vars) = struct
                         Fun
                           (fun _ ->
                             ui_state.input $= `Normal;
-                            ui_state.show_popup $= None)
+                            show_popup None)
                     }
                   ]
                   |> List.map (fun x -> x.key, x)
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ module Make (Vars : Global_vars.Vars) = struct
                   |> Lwd.pure
                 in
                 let ui = W.vbox [ log; commands_list_ui subcmds ] in
-                ui_state.show_popup $= Some (ui, "Git push will:");
+                show_popup @@ Some (ui, "Git push will:");
                 ui_state.input $= `Mode (command_input ~is_sub:true subcmds)))
       }
     ; {
diff --git a/jj_tui/bin/jj_commands.ml b/jj_tui/bin/jj_commands.ml
index 30dad85..589fd23 100644
--- a/jj_tui/bin/jj_commands.ml
+++ b/jj_tui/bin/jj_commands.ml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ open Jj_tui.Logging
 open Jj_tui.Key_map
 open Jj_tui.Key
 open Jj_tui
+open Log
 
 (** Internal to this module. I'm trying this out as a way to avoid .mli files*)
 module Shared = struct
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ module Intern (Vars : Global_vars.Vars) = struct
   open Jj_process.Make (Vars)
   open Notty
   open Nottui
+  open Log
   open! Jj_tui.Util
 
   exception Handled
@@ -149,8 +151,9 @@ module Intern (Vars : Global_vars.Vars) = struct
     |> W.Scroll.area
   ;;
 
-  let rec handleCommand description cmd =
-    [%log info "Handling command: %s" description];
+  let rec handleCommand description (cmd:string command_variant) =
+    [%log
+      info "Handling command. description: %s"  description];
     let noOut args =
       let _ = args in
       let _result = jj args in
@@ -202,52 +205,52 @@ module Intern (Vars : Global_vars.Vars) = struct
     let send_cmd args = change_view (`Cmd_I args) in
     match cmd with
     | Cmd_I args ->
-      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+      show_popup None;
       send_cmd args;
       raise Handled
     | Cmd args ->
-      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+      show_popup None;
       noOut args;
       raise Handled
     | Cmd_r args ->
-      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+      show_popup None;
       noOut (args @ [ "-r"; Vars.get_hovered_rev () ]);
       raise Handled
     | Cmd_with_revs rev_type ->
       let args, revs = get_revs rev_type in
-      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+      show_popup None;
       noOut (args @ ("-r" :: revs));
       reset_selection_post_cmd rev_type;
       raise Handled
     | Prompt (str, args) ->
-      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+      show_popup None;
       prompt str (`Cmd args);
       raise Handled
     | Prompt_r (str, args) ->
-      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+      show_popup None;
       prompt str (`Cmd (args @ [ "-r"; Vars.get_hovered_rev () ]));
       raise Handled
     | PromptThen (label, next) ->
-      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+      show_popup None;
       (*We run a prompt that then runs our next command when finished*)
       prompt label @@ `Fun (fun x -> next x |> command_no_input description);
       raise Handled
     | Prompt_I (str, args) ->
-      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+      show_popup None;
       prompt str (`Cmd_I args);
       raise Handled
     | Selection_prompt (str, items, predicate, cmd) ->
-      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+      show_popup None;
       ui_state.show_prompt $= None;
       prompt_selection str items predicate cmd;
       raise Handled
     | Fun func ->
-      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+      show_popup None;
       func ();
       Global_funcs.update_status ();
       raise Handled
     | SubCmd sub_map ->
-      ui_state.show_popup $= Some (commands_list_ui sub_map, description);
+      show_popup @@ Some (commands_list_ui sub_map, description);
       ui_state.input $= `Mode (command_input ~is_sub:true sub_map);
       raise Handled
     | Dynamic f ->
@@ -314,8 +317,8 @@ module Make (Vars : Global_vars.Vars) = struct
       ; cmd =
           Fun
             (fun _ ->
-              ui_state.show_popup
-              $= Some
+              show_popup@@
+              Some
                    (commands_list_ui ~include_arrows:true (make_default_list ()), "Help");
               ui_state.input $= `Mode (fun _ -> `Unhandled))
       }
diff --git a/jj_tui/bin/jj_ui.ml b/jj_tui/bin/jj_ui.ml
index 499278a..a5de275 100644
--- a/jj_tui/bin/jj_ui.ml
+++ b/jj_tui/bin/jj_ui.ml
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ module Make (Vars : Global_vars.Vars) = struct
                  | `Mode _, _, _ ->
                    (match event with
                     | `Escape, [] ->
-                      ui_state.show_popup $= None;
+                      show_popup None;
                       ui_state.input $= `Normal;
                       `Handled
                     | _ ->
diff --git a/todo.md b/todo.md
index f1858e7..703a41b 100644
--- a/todo.md
+++ b/todo.md
@@ -43,3 +43,7 @@ I want to capture all invalidation between the last call to stabalize in nottui
 
 # Small screen mode:
 mode that only shows the graph or diff for small screens
+
+
+## Fix focus issues.
+I need to use the new variant of Lwd.peek so that we are fetching the latest value when doing the focus switching. mostly the focus comparison is key