diff --git a/src/dbg_engine/dbg_engine_core.c b/src/dbg_engine/dbg_engine_core.c
index afd632a9..d5ee726f 100644
--- a/src/dbg_engine/dbg_engine_core.c
+++ b/src/dbg_engine/dbg_engine_core.c
@@ -1604,6 +1604,7 @@ d_tick(Arena *arena, D_TargetArray *targets, D_BreakpointArray *breakpoints, D_P
   //////////////////////////////
   //- rjf: process top-level commands
   //
+  D_CmdList deferred_cmds = {0};
   CTRL_MsgList ctrl_msgs = {0};
   ProfScope("process top-level commands")
   {
@@ -1852,11 +1853,11 @@ d_tick(Arena *arena, D_TargetArray *targets, D_BreakpointArray *breakpoints, D_P
               run_flags  = 0;
               run_traps  = trap_net.traps;
             }
-            else if(!trap_net.good && params->retry_idx < 1000)
+            else if(!trap_net.good && params->retry_idx < 100)
             {
               D_CmdParams params_copy = *params;
               params_copy.retry_idx += 1;
-              d_push_cmd(cmd->kind, &params_copy);
+              d_cmd_list_push_new(scratch.arena, &deferred_cmds, cmd->kind, &params_copy);
             }
             else if(!trap_net.good)
             {
@@ -2119,6 +2120,14 @@ d_tick(Arena *arena, D_TargetArray *targets, D_BreakpointArray *breakpoints, D_P
     MemoryZeroStruct(&d_state->cmds);
   }
   
+  //////////////////////////////
+  //- rjf: push deferred commands
+  //
+  for EachNode(n, D_CmdNode, deferred_cmds.first)
+  {
+    d_cmd_list_push_new(d_state->cmds_arena, &d_state->cmds, n->cmd.kind, &n->cmd.params);
+  }
+  
   //////////////////////////////
   //- rjf: push new control messages to queue - try to send queue to control,
   // clear queue if successful (if not, we'll just keep them around until