diff --git a/src/input.rs b/src/input.rs
index c2715c755..5ad6260a4 100644
--- a/src/input.rs
+++ b/src/input.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 use crate::threads::{assert_is_main_thread, iothread_service_main};
 use crate::wchar::prelude::*;
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
+use std::cell::RefMut;
 use std::sync::{
     atomic::{AtomicU32, Ordering},
     Mutex, MutexGuard,
@@ -450,7 +451,7 @@ fn paste_commit(&mut self) {
         )));
     }
 
-    fn blocking_wait(&self) -> MutexGuard<Option<BlockingWait>> {
+    fn blocking_wait(&self) -> RefMut<'_, Option<BlockingWait>> {
         Reader::blocking_wait(self)
     }
 
diff --git a/src/input_common.rs b/src/input_common.rs
index 110612e30..4e644eb6e 100644
--- a/src/input_common.rs
+++ b/src/input_common.rs
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@
 use crate::wchar::{encode_byte_to_char, prelude::*};
 use crate::wutil::encoding::{mbrtowc, mbstate_t, zero_mbstate};
 use crate::wutil::fish_wcstol;
+use std::cell::{RefCell, RefMut};
 use std::collections::VecDeque;
 use std::os::fd::RawFd;
 use std::os::unix::ffi::OsStrExt;
 use std::ptr;
 use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, AtomicUsize, Ordering};
-use std::sync::{Mutex, MutexGuard};
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 // The range of key codes for inputrc-style keyboard functions.
@@ -1628,10 +1628,7 @@ fn drop_leading_readline_events(&mut self) {
         }
     }
 
-    fn blocking_wait(&self) -> MutexGuard<Option<BlockingWait>> {
-        static NO_WAIT: Mutex<Option<BlockingWait>> = Mutex::new(None);
-        NO_WAIT.lock().unwrap()
-    }
+    fn blocking_wait(&self) -> RefMut<'_, Option<BlockingWait>>;
     fn is_blocked(&self) -> bool {
         self.blocking_wait().is_some()
     }
@@ -1753,7 +1750,7 @@ pub(crate) fn decode_input_byte(
     invalid(out_seq, || FLOG!(reader, "Illegal codepoint"))
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn unblock_input(mut wait_guard: MutexGuard<Option<BlockingWait>>) -> bool {
+pub(crate) fn unblock_input(mut wait_guard: RefMut<'_, Option<BlockingWait>>) -> bool {
     if wait_guard.is_none() {
         return false;
     }
@@ -1787,12 +1784,14 @@ fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
 /// A simple, concrete implementation of InputEventQueuer.
 pub struct InputEventQueue {
     data: InputData,
+    blocking_wait: RefCell<Option<BlockingWait>>,
 }
 
 impl InputEventQueue {
     pub fn new(in_fd: RawFd) -> Self {
         Self {
             data: InputData::new(in_fd),
+            blocking_wait: RefCell::new(None),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -1811,6 +1810,9 @@ fn select_interrupted(&mut self) {
             self.enqueue_interrupt_key();
         }
     }
+    fn blocking_wait(&self) -> RefMut<'_, Option<BlockingWait>> {
+        self.blocking_wait.borrow_mut()
+    }
 }
 
 fn parse_hex(hex: &[u8]) -> Option<Vec<u8>> {
diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
index 10c6228c9..9acc3ed9e 100644
--- a/src/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 use std::rc::Rc;
 #[cfg(target_has_atomic = "64")]
 use std::sync::atomic::AtomicU64;
-use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
+use std::sync::Arc;
 
 pub enum BlockData {
     Function {
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ pub struct Parser {
     /// Global event blocks.
     pub global_event_blocks: AtomicU64,
 
-    pub blocking_wait: Mutex<Option<BlockingWait>>,
+    pub blocking_wait: RefCell<Option<BlockingWait>>,
 }
 
 impl Parser {
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ pub fn new(variables: Rc<EnvStack>, cancel_behavior: CancelBehavior) -> Parser {
             cancel_behavior,
             profile_items: RefCell::default(),
             global_event_blocks: AtomicU64::new(0),
-            blocking_wait: Mutex::new(Some(BlockingWait::Startup(Queried::NotYet))),
+            blocking_wait: RefCell::new(Some(BlockingWait::Startup(Queried::NotYet))),
         };
 
         match open_dir(CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b".\0").unwrap(), BEST_O_SEARCH) {
diff --git a/src/reader.rs b/src/reader.rs
index a4c048e80..d7f028456 100644
--- a/src/reader.rs
+++ b/src/reader.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #[cfg(not(target_has_atomic = "64"))]
 use portable_atomic::AtomicU64;
 use std::borrow::Cow;
+use std::cell::RefMut;
 use std::cell::UnsafeCell;
 use std::cmp;
 use std::io::BufReader;
@@ -1497,8 +1498,8 @@ pub fn combine_command_and_autosuggestion(
 }
 
 impl<'a> Reader<'a> {
-    pub(crate) fn blocking_wait(&self) -> MutexGuard<Option<BlockingWait>> {
-        self.parser.blocking_wait.lock().unwrap()
+    pub(crate) fn blocking_wait(&self) -> RefMut<'_, Option<BlockingWait>> {
+        self.parser.blocking_wait.borrow_mut()
     }
 
     pub fn request_cursor_position(&mut self, out: &mut Outputter, wait: CursorPositionWait) {
diff --git a/src/tests/input.rs b/src/tests/input.rs
index 27860274c..e2287b616 100644
--- a/src/tests/input.rs
+++ b/src/tests/input.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 use crate::env::EnvStack;
 use crate::input::{EventQueuePeeker, InputMappingSet, KeyNameStyle, DEFAULT_BIND_MODE};
-use crate::input_common::{CharEvent, InputData, InputEventQueuer, KeyEvent};
+use crate::input_common::{BlockingWait, CharEvent, InputData, InputEventQueuer, KeyEvent};
 use crate::key::Key;
 use crate::wchar::prelude::*;
+use std::cell::{RefCell, RefMut};
 use std::rc::Rc;
 
 struct TestInputEventQueuer {
     input_data: InputData,
+    blocking_wait: RefCell<Option<BlockingWait>>,
 }
 
 impl InputEventQueuer for TestInputEventQueuer {
@@ -16,6 +18,9 @@ fn get_input_data(&self) -> &InputData {
     fn get_input_data_mut(&mut self) -> &mut InputData {
         &mut self.input_data
     }
+    fn blocking_wait(&self) -> RefMut<'_, Option<BlockingWait>> {
+        self.blocking_wait.borrow_mut()
+    }
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -23,6 +28,7 @@ fn test_input() {
     let vars = Rc::new(EnvStack::new());
     let mut input = TestInputEventQueuer {
         input_data: InputData::new(i32::MAX), // value doesn't matter since we don't read from it
+        blocking_wait: RefCell::new(None),
     };
     // Ensure sequences are order independent. Here we add two bindings where the first is a prefix
     // of the second, and then emit the second key list. The second binding should be invoked, not