diff --git a/samples/go/decent/ipfs-chat/main.go b/samples/go/decent/ipfs-chat/main.go
index ba6d26d638..7514c9e2f6 100644
--- a/samples/go/decent/ipfs-chat/main.go
+++ b/samples/go/decent/ipfs-chat/main.go
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func runClient(ipfsSpec string, cInfo lib.ClientInfo) {
 	t.ResetAuthors(ds)
 	t.UpdateMessages(ds, nil, nil)
 
-	go lib.ProcessChatEvents(node, ds, events, &t, cInfo)
+	go lib.ProcessChatEvents(node, ds, events, t, cInfo)
 	go lib.ReceiveMessages(node, events, cInfo)
 
 	if err := t.Gui.MainLoop(); err != nil && err != gocui.ErrQuit {
diff --git a/samples/go/decent/lib/datapager.go b/samples/go/decent/lib/datapager.go
index fa982b305c..4b694b0496 100644
--- a/samples/go/decent/lib/datapager.go
+++ b/samples/go/decent/lib/datapager.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package lib
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/attic-labs/noms/go/datas"
 	"github.com/attic-labs/noms/go/marshal"
@@ -20,16 +21,20 @@ type dataPager struct {
 	terms      []string
 }
 
-var dp dataPager
+func NewDataPager(ds datas.Dataset, mkChan chan types.String, doneChan chan struct{}, msgs types.Map, terms []string) *dataPager {
+	return &dataPager{
+		dataset:    ds,
+		msgKeyChan: mkChan,
+		doneChan:   doneChan,
+		msgMap:     msgs,
+		terms:      terms,
+	}
+}
 
 func (dp *dataPager) Close() {
 	dp.doneChan <- struct{}{}
 }
 
-func (dp *dataPager) IsEmpty() bool {
-	return dp.msgKeyChan == nil && dp.doneChan == nil
-}
-
 func (dp *dataPager) Next() (string, bool) {
 	msgKey := <-dp.msgKeyChan
 	if msgKey == "" {
@@ -47,3 +52,16 @@ func (dp *dataPager) Next() (string, bool) {
 	s2 := highlightTerms(s1, dp.terms)
 	return s2, true
 }
+
+func (dp *dataPager) Prepend(lines []string, target int) ([]string, bool) {
+	new := []string{}
+	m, ok := dp.Next()
+	if !ok {
+		return lines, false
+	}
+	for ; ok && len(new) < target; m, ok = dp.Next() {
+		new1 := strings.Split(m, "\n")
+		new = append(new1, new...)
+	}
+	return append(new, lines...), true
+}
diff --git a/samples/go/decent/lib/termui.go b/samples/go/decent/lib/termui.go
index 043912c641..8bd8d9d77b 100644
--- a/samples/go/decent/lib/termui.go
+++ b/samples/go/decent/lib/termui.go
@@ -19,10 +19,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	allViews    = ""
-	usersView   = "users"
-	messageView = "messages"
-	inputView   = "input"
+	allViews     = ""
+	usersView    = "users"
+	messageView  = "messages"
+	inputView    = "input"
+	linestofetch = 50
 
 	searchPrefix = "/s"
 	quitPrefix   = "/q"
@@ -31,6 +32,8 @@ const (
 type TermUI struct {
 	Gui      *gocui.Gui
 	InSearch bool
+	lines    []string
+	dp       *dataPager
 }
 
 var (
@@ -38,7 +41,7 @@ var (
 	firstLayout = true
 )
 
-func CreateTermUI(events chan ChatEvent) TermUI {
+func CreateTermUI(events chan ChatEvent) *TermUI {
 	g, err := gocui.NewGui(gocui.Output256)
 	d.PanicIfError(err)
 
@@ -51,12 +54,15 @@ func CreateTermUI(events chan ChatEvent) TermUI {
 	}
 	g.SetManagerFunc(relayout)
 
-	d.PanicIfError(g.SetKeybinding(allViews, gocui.KeyF1, gocui.ModNone, debugInfo))
+	termUI := new(TermUI)
+	termUI.Gui = g
+
+	d.PanicIfError(g.SetKeybinding(allViews, gocui.KeyF1, gocui.ModNone, debugInfo(termUI)))
 	d.PanicIfError(g.SetKeybinding(allViews, gocui.KeyCtrlC, gocui.ModNone, quit))
 	d.PanicIfError(g.SetKeybinding(allViews, gocui.KeyCtrlC, gocui.ModAlt, quitWithStack))
 	d.PanicIfError(g.SetKeybinding(allViews, gocui.KeyTab, gocui.ModNone, nextView))
-	d.PanicIfError(g.SetKeybinding(messageView, gocui.KeyArrowUp, gocui.ModNone, arrowUp))
-	d.PanicIfError(g.SetKeybinding(messageView, gocui.KeyArrowDown, gocui.ModNone, arrowDown))
+	d.PanicIfError(g.SetKeybinding(messageView, gocui.KeyArrowUp, gocui.ModNone, arrowUp(termUI)))
+	d.PanicIfError(g.SetKeybinding(messageView, gocui.KeyArrowDown, gocui.ModNone, arrowDown(termUI)))
 	d.PanicIfError(g.SetKeybinding(inputView, gocui.KeyEnter, gocui.ModNone, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) (err error) {
 		defer func() {
 			v.Clear()
@@ -79,16 +85,16 @@ func CreateTermUI(events chan ChatEvent) TermUI {
 		return
 	}))
 
-	return TermUI{Gui: g, InSearch: false}
+	return termUI
 }
 
-func (t TermUI) Close() {
+func (t *TermUI) Close() {
 	dbg.Debug("Closing gui")
 	t.Gui.Close()
 }
 
-func (t TermUI) UpdateMessagesFromSync(ds datas.Dataset) {
-	if t.InSearch || !textScrolledToEnd(t.Gui) {
+func (t *TermUI) UpdateMessagesFromSync(ds datas.Dataset) {
+	if t.InSearch || !t.textScrolledToEnd() {
 		t.Gui.Execute(func(g *gocui.Gui) (err error) {
 			updateViewTitle(g, messageView, "messages (NEW!)")
 			return
@@ -98,7 +104,7 @@ func (t TermUI) UpdateMessagesFromSync(ds datas.Dataset) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (t TermUI) Layout() error {
+func (t *TermUI) Layout() error {
 	return layout(t.Gui)
 }
 
@@ -138,47 +144,34 @@ func layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t TermUI) UpdateMessages(ds datas.Dataset, filterIds *types.Map, terms []string) error {
+func (t *TermUI) UpdateMessages(ds datas.Dataset, filterIds *types.Map, terms []string) error {
 	defer dbg.BoxF("updateMessages")()
 
 	t.ResetAuthors(ds)
 	v, err := t.Gui.View(messageView)
 	d.PanicIfError(err)
 	v.Clear()
+	t.lines = []string{}
 	v.SetOrigin(0, 0)
 	_, winHeight := v.Size()
 
-	if !dp.IsEmpty() {
-		dp.Close()
+	if t.dp != nil {
+		t.dp.Close()
 	}
 
 	doneChan := make(chan struct{})
 	msgMap, msgKeyChan, err := ListMessages(ds, filterIds, doneChan)
 	d.PanicIfError(err)
-	dp = dataPager{
-		dataset:    ds,
-		msgKeyChan: msgKeyChan,
-		doneChan:   doneChan,
-		msgMap:     msgMap,
-		terms:      terms,
-	}
+	t.dp = NewDataPager(ds, msgKeyChan, doneChan, msgMap, terms)
+	t.lines, _ = t.dp.Prepend(t.lines, math.MaxInt(linestofetch, winHeight+10))
 
-	items := []string{}
-	for len(items) < winHeight {
-		m, ok := dp.Next()
-		if !ok {
-			break
-		}
-		items = append([]string{m}, items...)
-	}
-
-	for _, s := range items {
+	for _, s := range t.lines {
 		fmt.Fprintf(v, "%s\n", s)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t TermUI) ResetAuthors(ds datas.Dataset) {
+func (t *TermUI) ResetAuthors(ds datas.Dataset) {
 	v, err := t.Gui.View(usersView)
 	d.PanicIfError(err)
 	v.Clear()
@@ -187,7 +180,7 @@ func (t TermUI) ResetAuthors(ds datas.Dataset) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (t TermUI) UpdateMessagesAsync(ds datas.Dataset, sids *types.Map, terms []string) {
+func (t *TermUI) UpdateMessagesAsync(ds datas.Dataset, sids *types.Map, terms []string) {
 	t.Gui.Execute(func(_ *gocui.Gui) error {
 		err := t.UpdateMessages(ds, sids, terms)
 		d.PanicIfError(err)
@@ -195,51 +188,35 @@ func (t TermUI) UpdateMessagesAsync(ds datas.Dataset, sids *types.Map, terms []s
 	})
 }
 
-func prependMessages(v *gocui.View) int {
-	buf := viewBuffer(v)
-	if len(buf) == 0 {
-		return 0
-	}
-
-	msg, ok := dp.Next()
-	if !ok {
-		return 0
-	}
-
-	v.Clear()
-	fmt.Fprintf(v, "%s\n", msg)
-	fmt.Fprintf(v, "%s", highlightTerms(buf, dp.terms))
-	return countLines(msg) + countLines(buf)
-}
-
-func scrollView(v *gocui.View, dy, lineCnt int) {
+func (t *TermUI) scrollView(v *gocui.View, dy int) {
 	// Get the size and position of the view.
-	_, height := v.Size()
-	ox1, oy1 := v.Origin()
-	cx1, cy1 := v.Cursor()
+	lineCnt := len(t.lines)
+	_, windowHeight := v.Size()
+	ox, oy := v.Origin()
+	cx, cy := v.Cursor()
 
 	// maxCy will either be the height of the screen - 1, or in the case that
 	// the there aren't enough lines to fill the screen, it will be the
 	// lineCnt - origin
-	newCy := cy1 + dy
-	maxCy := math.MinInt(lineCnt-oy1, height-1)
+	newCy := cy + dy
+	maxCy := math.MinInt(lineCnt-oy, windowHeight-1)
 
 	// If the newCy doesn't require scrolling, then just move the cursor.
 	if newCy >= 0 && newCy < maxCy {
-		v.MoveCursor(cx1, dy, false)
+		v.MoveCursor(cx, dy, false)
 		return
 	}
 
 	// If the cursor is already at the bottom of the screen and there are no
 	// lines left to scroll up, then we're at the bottom.
-	if newCy >= maxCy && oy1 >= lineCnt-height {
+	if newCy >= maxCy && oy >= lineCnt-windowHeight {
 		// Set autoscroll to normal again.
 		v.Autoscroll = true
 	} else {
 		// The cursor is already at the bottom or top of the screen so scroll
 		// the text
 		v.Autoscroll = false
-		v.SetOrigin(ox1, oy1+dy)
+		v.SetOrigin(ox, oy+dy)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -256,30 +233,45 @@ func quitWithStack(_ *gocui.Gui, _ *gocui.View) error {
 	return gocui.ErrQuit
 }
 
-func arrowUp(_ *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
-	lineCnt := countLines(viewBuffer(v))
-	if _, oy := v.Origin(); oy == 0 {
-		lineCnt = prependMessages(v)
+func arrowUp(t *TermUI) func(*gocui.Gui, *gocui.View) error {
+	return func(_ *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+		lineCnt := len(t.lines)
+		ox, oy := v.Origin()
+		if oy == 0 {
+			var ok bool
+			t.lines, ok = t.dp.Prepend(t.lines, linestofetch)
+			if ok {
+				v.Clear()
+				for _, s := range t.lines {
+					fmt.Fprintf(v, "%s\n", s)
+				}
+				c1 := len(t.lines)
+				v.SetOrigin(ox, c1-lineCnt)
+			}
+		}
+		t.scrollView(v, -1)
+		return nil
 	}
-	scrollView(v, -1, lineCnt)
-	return nil
 }
 
-func arrowDown(_ *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
-	lineCnt := countLines(viewBuffer(v))
-	scrollView(v, 1, lineCnt)
-	return nil
+func arrowDown(t *TermUI) func(*gocui.Gui, *gocui.View) error {
+	return func(_ *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+		t.scrollView(v, 1)
+		return nil
+	}
 }
 
-func debugInfo(g *gocui.Gui, _ *gocui.View) error {
-	msgView, _ := g.View(messageView)
-	w, h := msgView.Size()
-	dbg.Debug("info, window size:(%d, %d), lineCnt: %d", w, h, countLines(viewBuffer(msgView)))
-	cx, cy := msgView.Cursor()
-	ox, oy := msgView.Origin()
-	dbg.Debug("info, origin: (%d,%d), cursor: (%d,%d)", ox, oy, cx, cy)
-	dbg.Debug("info, view buffer:\n%s", highlightTerms(viewBuffer(msgView), dp.terms))
-	return nil
+func debugInfo(t *TermUI) func(*gocui.Gui, *gocui.View) error {
+	return func(g *gocui.Gui, _ *gocui.View) error {
+		msgView, _ := g.View(messageView)
+		w, h := msgView.Size()
+		dbg.Debug("info, window size:(%d, %d), lineCnt: %d", w, h, len(t.lines))
+		cx, cy := msgView.Cursor()
+		ox, oy := msgView.Origin()
+		dbg.Debug("info, origin: (%d,%d), cursor: (%d,%d)", ox, oy, cx, cy)
+		dbg.Debug("info, view buffer:\n%s", highlightTerms(viewBuffer(msgView), t.dp.terms))
+		return nil
+	}
 }
 
 func viewBuffer(v *gocui.View) string {
@@ -290,10 +282,6 @@ func viewBuffer(v *gocui.View) string {
 	return buf
 }
 
-func countLines(s string) int {
-	return strings.Count(s, "\n")
-}
-
 func nextView(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) (err error) {
 	nextName := nextViewName(v.Name())
 	if _, err = g.SetCurrentView(nextName); err != nil {
@@ -312,15 +300,15 @@ func nextViewName(currentView string) string {
 	return viewNames[0]
 }
 
-func textScrolledToEnd(g *gocui.Gui) bool {
-	v, err := g.View(messageView)
+func (t *TermUI) textScrolledToEnd() bool {
+	v, err := t.Gui.View(messageView)
 	if err != nil {
 		// doubt this will ever happen, if it does just assume we're at bottom
 		return true
 	}
 	_, oy := v.Origin()
 	_, h := v.Size()
-	lc := countLines(viewBuffer(v))
+	lc := len(t.lines)
 	dbg.Debug("textScrolledToEnd, oy: %d, h: %d, lc: %d, lc-oy: %d, res: %t", oy, h, lc, lc-oy, lc-oy <= h)
 	return lc-oy <= h
 }
diff --git a/samples/go/decent/p2p-chat/main.go b/samples/go/decent/p2p-chat/main.go
index 82d26aaa91..5a8f9662cc 100644
--- a/samples/go/decent/p2p-chat/main.go
+++ b/samples/go/decent/p2p-chat/main.go
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ func runClient(cInfo lib.ClientInfo) {
 	t.ResetAuthors(ds)
 	t.UpdateMessages(ds, nil, nil)
 
-	go lib.ProcessChatEvents(node, ds, events, &t, cInfo)
+	go lib.ProcessChatEvents(node, ds, events, t, cInfo)
 	go lib.ReceiveMessages(node, events, cInfo)
 
 	if err := t.Gui.MainLoop(); err != nil && err != gocui.ErrQuit {