diff --git a/src/game_base.c b/src/game_base.c
index 41fb352..253abcb 100644
--- a/src/game_base.c
+++ b/src/game_base.c
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ void game_kill(ToxWindow *self)
 
     kill_notifs(self->active_box);
     del_window(self);
+
+    if (get_num_active_windows_type(WINDOW_TYPE_GAME) == 0) {
+        set_window_refresh_rate(NCURSES_DEFAULT_REFRESH_RATE);
+    }
 }
 
 static void game_init_abort(const ToxWindow *parent, ToxWindow *self)
@@ -300,6 +304,8 @@ int game_initialize(const ToxWindow *parent, Tox *m, GameType type, uint32_t id,
 
     set_active_window_index(window_id);
 
+    set_window_refresh_rate(NCURSES_GAME_REFRESH_RATE);
+
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/toxic.c b/src/toxic.c
index fd572b4..45e678e 100644
--- a/src/toxic.c
+++ b/src/toxic.c
@@ -239,6 +239,12 @@ void cb_toxcore_logger(Tox *m, TOX_LOG_LEVEL level, const char *file, uint32_t l
     }
 }
 
+/* Sets ncurses refresh rate. Lower values make it refresh more often. */
+void set_window_refresh_rate(size_t refresh_rate)
+{
+    timeout(refresh_rate);
+}
+
 static void init_term(void)
 {
 #if HAVE_WIDECHAR
@@ -256,7 +262,7 @@ static void init_term(void)
     keypad(stdscr, 1);
     noecho();
     nonl();
-    timeout(30);
+    set_window_refresh_rate(NCURSES_DEFAULT_REFRESH_RATE);
 
     if (has_colors()) {
         short bg_color = COLOR_BLACK;
@@ -435,9 +441,7 @@ static void cleanup_init_messages(void)
         return;
     }
 
-    int i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < init_messages.num; ++i) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < init_messages.num; ++i) {
         free(init_messages.msgs[i]);
     }
 
@@ -446,19 +450,16 @@ static void cleanup_init_messages(void)
 
 static void print_init_messages(ToxWindow *toxwin)
 {
-    int i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < init_messages.num; ++i) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < init_messages.num; ++i) {
         line_info_add(toxwin, NULL, NULL, NULL, SYS_MSG, 0, 0, init_messages.msgs[i]);
     }
 }
 
 static void load_friendlist(Tox *m)
 {
-    size_t i;
     size_t numfriends = tox_self_get_friend_list_size(m);
 
-    for (i = 0; i < numfriends; ++i) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < numfriends; ++i) {
         friendlist_onFriendAdded(NULL, m, i, false);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/toxic.h b/src/toxic.h
index 6200ba3..943a5c9 100644
--- a/src/toxic.h
+++ b/src/toxic.h
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@
 #define TIME_STR_SIZE 32
 #define COLOR_STR_SIZE 10 /* should fit every color option */
 
+#define NCURSES_DEFAULT_REFRESH_RATE 100
+#define NCURSES_GAME_REFRESH_RATE 25
+
 #ifndef MAX_PORT_RANGE
 #define MAX_PORT_RANGE 65535
 #endif
@@ -104,6 +107,9 @@ void unlock_status(void);
 
 void flag_interface_refresh(void);
 
+/* Sets ncurses refresh rate. Lower values make it refresh more often. */
+void set_window_refresh_rate(size_t refresh_rate);
+
 void exit_toxic_success(Tox *m);
 void exit_toxic_err(const char *errmsg, int errcode);
 
diff --git a/src/windows.c b/src/windows.c
index ee2f0ca..c6f8e67 100644
--- a/src/windows.c
+++ b/src/windows.c
@@ -934,6 +934,26 @@ int get_num_active_windows(void)
     return num_active_windows;
 }
 
+/* Returns the number of active windows of given type. */
+size_t get_num_active_windows_type(WINDOW_TYPE type)
+{
+    size_t count = 0;
+
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < MAX_WINDOWS_NUM; ++i) {
+        ToxWindow *w = windows[i];
+
+        if (w == NULL) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        if (w->type == type) {
+            ++count;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return count;
+}
+
 /* destroys all chat and conference windows (should only be called on shutdown) */
 void kill_all_windows(Tox *m)
 {
diff --git a/src/windows.h b/src/windows.h
index 788c533..c4a2b12 100644
--- a/src/windows.h
+++ b/src/windows.h
@@ -309,6 +309,9 @@ ToxWindow *get_window_ptr(size_t i);
 ToxWindow *get_active_window(void);
 void draw_window_bar(ToxWindow *self);
 
+/* Returns the number of active windows of given type. */
+size_t get_num_active_windows_type(WINDOW_TYPE type);
+
 /* refresh inactive windows to prevent scrolling bugs.
    call at least once per second */
 void refresh_inactive_windows(void);