diff --git a/jaws.go b/jaws.go
index fac4970..775f352 100644
--- a/jaws.go
+++ b/jaws.go
@@ -475,12 +475,12 @@ func (jw *Jaws) Alert(lvl, msg string) {
 // Count returns the number of requests waiting for their WebSocket callbacks.
 func (jw *Jaws) Pending() (n int) {
 	jw.mu.RLock()
+	defer jw.mu.RUnlock()
 	for _, rq := range jw.requests {
-		if !rq.claimed {
+		if !rq.claimed.Load() {
 			n++
 		}
 	}
-	jw.mu.RUnlock()
 	return
 }
 
@@ -576,11 +576,11 @@ func (jw *Jaws) unsubscribe(msgCh chan Message) {
 }
 
 func (jw *Jaws) maintenance(requestTimeout time.Duration) {
-	deadline := time.Now().Add(-requestTimeout)
 	jw.mu.Lock()
 	defer jw.mu.Unlock()
+	now := time.Now()
 	for _, rq := range jw.requests {
-		if rq.maintenance(deadline) {
+		if rq.maintenance(now, requestTimeout) {
 			jw.recycleLocked(rq)
 		}
 	}
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@ func (jw *Jaws) Append(target any, html template.HTML) {
 func (jw *Jaws) getRequestLocked(jawsKey uint64, hr *http.Request) (rq *Request) {
 	rq = jw.reqPool.Get().(*Request)
 	rq.JawsKey = jawsKey
-	rq.Created = time.Now()
+	rq.lastWrite = time.Now()
 	rq.initial = hr
 	rq.ctx, rq.cancelFn = context.WithCancelCause(context.Background())
 	if hr != nil {
diff --git a/jaws_test.go b/jaws_test.go
index a7f70e8..0da1aae 100644
--- a/jaws_test.go
+++ b/jaws_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"html/template"
+	"io"
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
@@ -242,6 +243,10 @@ func TestJaws_UseRequest(t *testing.T) {
 	th.Equal(rq2, rq2ret)
 	th.Equal(jw.Pending(), 1)
 
+	rqfail = jw.UseRequest(rq2.JawsKey, &http.Request{RemoteAddr: "10.0.0.2:1214"}) // already claimed
+	th.Equal(rqfail, nil)
+	th.Equal(jw.Pending(), 1)
+
 	rq1ret := jw.UseRequest(rq1.JawsKey, nil)
 	th.Equal(rq1, rq1ret)
 	th.Equal(jw.Pending(), 0)
@@ -275,13 +280,10 @@ func TestJaws_CleansUpUnconnected(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := 0; i < numReqs; i++ {
 		rq := jw.NewRequest(hr)
 		if (i % (numReqs / 5)) == 0 {
-			elem := rq.NewElement(NewUiDiv(makeHtmlGetter("meh")))
-			for j := 0; j < maxWsQueueLengthPerElement*10; j++ {
-				elem.SetInner("foo")
-			}
+			rq.NewElement(NewUiDiv(makeHtmlGetter("meh")))
 		}
 		err := context.Cause(rq.ctx)
-		if err == nil && rq.Created.Before(deadline) {
+		if err == nil && rq.lastWrite.Before(deadline) {
 			err = newErrPendingCancelledLocked(rq, newErrNoWebSocketRequest(rq))
 		}
 		if err == nil {
@@ -316,6 +318,54 @@ func TestJaws_CleansUpUnconnected(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestJaws_RequestWriterExtendsDeadline(t *testing.T) {
+	th := newTestHelper(t)
+	jw := New()
+	defer jw.Close()
+	var b bytes.Buffer
+	w := bufio.NewWriter(&b)
+	jw.Logger = log.New(w, "", 0)
+	defer jw.Close()
+
+	hr := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil)
+	rq := jw.NewRequest(hr)
+	rq.lastWrite = time.Now().Add(time.Second)
+	lastWrite := rq.lastWrite
+
+	var sb strings.Builder
+	rw := rq.Writer(&sb)
+
+	ui := &testUi{renderFn: func(e *Element, w io.Writer, params []any) error {
+		w.Write(nil)
+		return nil
+	}}
+
+	rw.UI(ui)
+
+	th.True(ui.renderCalled > 0)
+	th.True(rq.rendering.Load())
+	th.Equal(lastWrite, rq.getLastWrite())
+
+	go jw.ServeWithTimeout(time.Millisecond)
+
+	for lastWrite == rq.getLastWrite() {
+		select {
+		case <-th.C:
+			th.Timeout()
+		case <-jw.Done():
+			th.Error("unexpected close")
+		default:
+			time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+		}
+	}
+	if rq.getLastWrite().IsZero() {
+		th.Error("last write is zero")
+	}
+	if rq.getLastWrite() == lastWrite {
+		th.Error("last write not modified")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestJaws_UnconnectedLivesUntilDeadline(t *testing.T) {
 	th := newTestHelper(t)
 	jw := New()
@@ -325,7 +375,7 @@ func TestJaws_UnconnectedLivesUntilDeadline(t *testing.T) {
 	rq1 := jw.NewRequest(hr)
 	rq1ctx := rq1.Context()
 	rq2 := jw.NewRequest(hr)
-	rq2.Created = time.Now().Add(-time.Second * 10)
+	rq2.lastWrite = time.Now().Add(-time.Second * 10)
 	rq2ctx := rq2.Context()
 
 	th.Equal(jw.Pending(), 2)
diff --git a/request.go b/request.go
index 506711b..0e9df1a 100644
--- a/request.go
+++ b/request.go
@@ -31,13 +31,14 @@ type ConnectFn = func(rq *Request) error
 type Request struct {
 	Jaws      *Jaws                   // (read-only) the JaWS instance the Request belongs to
 	JawsKey   uint64                  // (read-only) a random number used in the WebSocket URI to identify this Request
-	Created   time.Time               // (read-only) when the Request was created, used for automatic cleanup
 	remoteIP  netip.Addr              // (read-only) remote IP, or nil
+	rendering atomic.Bool             // set to true by RequestWriter.Write()
+	running   atomic.Bool             // if ServeHTTP() is running
+	claimed   atomic.Bool             // if UseRequest() has been called for it
 	mu        deadlock.RWMutex        // protects following
+	lastWrite time.Time               // when the initial HTML was last written to, used for automatic cleanup
 	initial   *http.Request           // initial HTTP request passed to Jaws.NewRequest
 	session   *Session                // session, if established
-	claimed   bool                    // if UseRequest() has been called for it
-	running   bool                    // if ServeHTTP() is running
 	todoDirt  []any                   // dirty tags
 	ctx       context.Context         // current context, derived from either Jaws or WS HTTP req
 	cancelFn  context.CancelCauseFunc // cancel function
@@ -53,8 +54,6 @@ type eventFnCall struct {
 	data string
 }
 
-const maxWsQueueLengthPerElement = 100
-
 func (rq *Request) JawsKeyString() string {
 	jawsKey := uint64(0)
 	if rq != nil {
@@ -70,25 +69,25 @@ func (rq *Request) String() string {
 var ErrRequestAlreadyClaimed = errors.New("request already claimed")
 var ErrJavascriptDisabled = errors.New("javascript is disabled")
 
-func (rq *Request) claim(hr *http.Request) (err error) {
-	rq.mu.Lock()
-	defer rq.mu.Unlock()
-	if rq.claimed {
-		return ErrRequestAlreadyClaimed
-	}
-	var actualIP netip.Addr
-	ctx := context.Background()
-	if hr != nil {
-		actualIP = parseIP(hr.RemoteAddr)
-		ctx = hr.Context()
-	}
-	if equalIP(rq.remoteIP, actualIP) {
-		rq.ctx, rq.cancelFn = context.WithCancelCause(ctx)
-		rq.claimed = true
-	} else {
-		err = fmt.Errorf("/jaws/%s: expected IP %q, got %q", rq.JawsKeyString(), rq.remoteIP.String(), actualIP.String())
+func (rq *Request) claim(hr *http.Request) error {
+	if !rq.claimed.Load() {
+		var actualIP netip.Addr
+		ctx := context.Background()
+		if hr != nil {
+			actualIP = parseIP(hr.RemoteAddr)
+			ctx = hr.Context()
+		}
+		rq.mu.Lock()
+		defer rq.mu.Unlock()
+		if !equalIP(rq.remoteIP, actualIP) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("/jaws/%s: expected IP %q, got %q", rq.JawsKeyString(), rq.remoteIP.String(), actualIP.String())
+		}
+		if rq.claimed.CompareAndSwap(false, true) {
+			rq.ctx, rq.cancelFn = context.WithCancelCause(ctx)
+			return nil
+		}
 	}
-	return
+	return ErrRequestAlreadyClaimed
 }
 
 func (rq *Request) killSessionLocked() {
@@ -107,10 +106,10 @@ func (rq *Request) killSession() {
 func (rq *Request) clearLocked() *Request {
 	rq.JawsKey = 0
 	rq.connectFn = nil
-	rq.Created = time.Time{}
+	rq.lastWrite = time.Time{}
 	rq.initial = nil
-	rq.claimed = false
-	rq.running = false
+	rq.running.Store(false)
+	rq.claimed.Store(false)
 	rq.ctx, rq.cancelFn = context.WithCancelCause(context.Background())
 	rq.todoDirt = rq.todoDirt[:0]
 	rq.remoteIP = netip.Addr{}
@@ -216,15 +215,22 @@ func (rq *Request) Context() (ctx context.Context) {
 	return
 }
 
-func (rq *Request) maintenance(deadline time.Time) bool {
-	rq.mu.RLock()
-	defer rq.mu.RUnlock()
-	if !rq.running {
-		if rq.ctx.Err() != nil {
+func (rq *Request) maintenance(now time.Time, requestTimeout time.Duration) bool {
+	if !rq.running.Load() {
+		if rq.rendering.Swap(false) {
+			rq.mu.Lock()
+			rq.lastWrite = now
+			rq.mu.Unlock()
+		}
+		rq.mu.RLock()
+		err := rq.ctx.Err()
+		since := now.Sub(rq.lastWrite)
+		rq.mu.RUnlock()
+		if err != nil {
 			return true
 		}
-		if rq.Created.Before(deadline) {
-			rq.cancelLocked(newErrNoWebSocketRequest(rq))
+		if since > requestTimeout {
+			rq.cancel(newErrNoWebSocketRequest(rq))
 			return true
 		}
 	}
@@ -233,7 +239,7 @@ func (rq *Request) maintenance(deadline time.Time) bool {
 
 func (rq *Request) cancelLocked(err error) {
 	if rq.JawsKey != 0 && rq.ctx.Err() == nil {
-		if !rq.running {
+		if !rq.running.Load() {
 			err = newErrPendingCancelledLocked(rq, err)
 		}
 		rq.cancelFn(rq.Jaws.Log(err))
@@ -493,15 +499,6 @@ func (rq *Request) process(broadcastMsgCh chan Message, incomingMsgCh <-chan wsM
 			elem.update()
 		}
 
-		/*// Append pending WS messages to the queue
-		// in the order of Element creation.
-		rq.mu.RLock()
-		for _, elem := range rq.elems {
-			wsQueue = append(wsQueue, elem.wsQueue...)
-			elem.wsQueue = elem.wsQueue[:0]
-		}
-		rq.mu.RUnlock()*/
-
 		rq.sendQueue(outboundMsgCh)
 
 		select {
@@ -604,9 +601,7 @@ func (rq *Request) handleRemove(data string) {
 }
 
 func (rq *Request) queue(msg wsMsg) {
-	// rq.mu.Lock()
 	rq.wsQueue = append(rq.wsQueue, msg)
-	// rq.mu.Unlock()
 }
 
 func (rq *Request) callAllEventHandlers(id Jid, wht what.What, val string) (err error) {
@@ -748,6 +743,13 @@ func (rq *Request) makeUpdateList() (todo []*Element) {
 	return
 }
 
+func (rq *Request) getLastWrite() (when time.Time) {
+	rq.mu.RLock()
+	when = rq.lastWrite
+	rq.mu.RUnlock()
+	return
+}
+
 // eventCaller calls event functions
 func (rq *Request) eventCaller(eventCallCh <-chan eventFnCall, outboundMsgCh chan<- wsMsg, eventDoneCh chan<- struct{}) {
 	defer close(eventDoneCh)
diff --git a/requestwriter.go b/requestwriter.go
index 66c9a76..eda9520 100644
--- a/requestwriter.go
+++ b/requestwriter.go
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ type RequestWriter struct {
 }
 
 func (rw RequestWriter) UI(ui UI, params ...any) error {
-	return rw.rq.render(rw.rq.NewElement(ui), rw.Writer, params)
+	return rw.rq.render(rw.rq.NewElement(ui), rw, params)
+}
+
+func (rw RequestWriter) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	rw.rq.rendering.Store(true)
+	return rw.Writer.Write(p)
 }
 
 // Request returns the current jaws.Request.
diff --git a/ui_test.go b/ui_test.go
index 7b9c94a..dcc0d60 100644
--- a/ui_test.go
+++ b/ui_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ func (s testStringer) String() string {
 }
 
 func TestRequest_JawsRender_DebugOutput(t *testing.T) {
-
 	is := newTestHelper(t)
 	rq := newTestRequest()
 	defer rq.Close()
diff --git a/ws.go b/ws.go
index d708514..558a9f2 100644
--- a/ws.go
+++ b/ws.go
@@ -10,12 +10,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func (rq *Request) startServe() (ok bool) {
-	rq.mu.Lock()
-	if ok = !rq.running && rq.claimed; ok {
-		rq.running = true
-	}
-	rq.mu.Unlock()
-	return
+	return rq.claimed.Load() && rq.running.CompareAndSwap(false, true)
 }
 
 func (rq *Request) stopServe() {