diff --git a/cmd/micro/micro.go b/cmd/micro/micro.go
index 723e11b7..53e232f0 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/micro.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/micro.go
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import (
 
 var (
 	// Event channel
-	events   chan tcell.Event
 	autosave chan bool
 
 	// Command line flags
@@ -321,7 +320,7 @@ func main() {
 		action.InfoBar.Error(clipErr, " or change 'clipboard' option")
 	}
 
-	events = make(chan tcell.Event)
+	screen.Events = make(chan tcell.Event)
 
 	// Here is the event loop which runs in a separate thread
 	go func() {
@@ -330,7 +329,7 @@ func main() {
 			e := screen.Screen.PollEvent()
 			screen.Unlock()
 			if e != nil {
-				events <- e
+				screen.Events <- e
 			}
 		}
 	}()
@@ -343,7 +342,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	// wait for initial resize event
 	select {
-	case event := <-events:
+	case event := <-screen.Events:
 		action.Tabs.HandleEvent(event)
 	case <-time.After(10 * time.Millisecond):
 		// time out after 10ms
@@ -396,7 +395,7 @@ func DoEvent() {
 		}
 		ulua.Lock.Unlock()
 	case <-shell.CloseTerms:
-	case event = <-events:
+	case event = <-screen.Events:
 	case <-screen.DrawChan():
 		for len(screen.DrawChan()) > 0 {
 			<-screen.DrawChan()
diff --git a/cmd/micro/micro_test.go b/cmd/micro/micro_test.go
index ec99b248..0a52bc8f 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/micro_test.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/micro_test.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ var tempDir string
 var sim tcell.SimulationScreen
 
 func init() {
-	events = make(chan tcell.Event, 8)
+	screen.Events = make(chan tcell.Event, 8)
 }
 
 func startup(args []string) (tcell.SimulationScreen, error) {
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func handleEvent() {
 	e := screen.Screen.PollEvent()
 	screen.Unlock()
 	if e != nil {
-		events <- e
+		screen.Events <- e
 	}
 	DoEvent()
 }
diff --git a/internal/action/actions.go b/internal/action/actions.go
index 5d7b31e0..b1ed974e 100644
--- a/internal/action/actions.go
+++ b/internal/action/actions.go
@@ -1142,8 +1142,9 @@ func (h *BufPane) Paste() bool {
 	clip, err := clipboard.Read(clipboard.ClipboardReg)
 	if err != nil {
 		InfoBar.Error(err)
+	} else {
+		h.paste(clip)
 	}
-	h.paste(clip)
 	h.Relocate()
 	return true
 }
@@ -1153,8 +1154,9 @@ func (h *BufPane) PastePrimary() bool {
 	clip, err := clipboard.Read(clipboard.PrimaryReg)
 	if err != nil {
 		InfoBar.Error(err)
+	} else {
+		h.paste(clip)
 	}
-	h.paste(clip)
 	h.Relocate()
 	return true
 }
diff --git a/internal/clipboard/clipboard.go b/internal/clipboard/clipboard.go
index 3a7dd004..9fad3571 100644
--- a/internal/clipboard/clipboard.go
+++ b/internal/clipboard/clipboard.go
@@ -70,8 +70,14 @@ func Write(text string, r Register) error {
 
 // ReadMulti reads text from a clipboard register for a certain multi-cursor
 func ReadMulti(r Register, num int) (string, error) {
-	s := multi.getText(r, num)
-	return s, nil
+	clip, err := Read(r)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if ValidMulti(r, clip) {
+		return multi.getText(r, num), nil
+	}
+	return clip, nil
 }
 
 // WriteMulti writes text to a clipboard register for a certain multi-cursor
@@ -81,12 +87,8 @@ func WriteMulti(text string, r Register, num int) error {
 
 // ValidMulti checks if the internal multi-clipboard is valid and up-to-date
 // with the system clipboard
-func ValidMulti(r Register, ncursors int) bool {
-	clip, err := Read(r)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	return multi.isValid(r, ncursors, clip)
+func ValidMulti(r Register, clip string) bool {
+	return multi.isValid(r, clip)
 }
 
 func writeMulti(text string, r Register, num int, m Method) error {
@@ -112,11 +114,9 @@ func read(r Register, m Method) (string, error) {
 		case ClipboardReg:
 			// terminal paste works by sending an esc sequence to the
 			// terminal to trigger a paste event
-			err := terminal.read("clipboard")
-			return "", err
+			return terminal.read("clipboard")
 		case PrimaryReg:
-			err := terminal.read("primary")
-			return "", err
+			return terminal.read("primary")
 		default:
 			return internal.read(r), nil
 		}
diff --git a/internal/clipboard/multi.go b/internal/clipboard/multi.go
index 25a19321..47cc43eb 100644
--- a/internal/clipboard/multi.go
+++ b/internal/clipboard/multi.go
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ func hash(s string) uint32 {
 // text stored in the system clipboard (provided as an argument), and therefore
 // if it is safe to use the multi-clipboard for pasting instead of the system
 // clipboard.
-func (c multiClipboard) isValid(r Register, ncursors int, clipboard string) bool {
+func (c multiClipboard) isValid(r Register, clipboard string) bool {
 	content := c[r]
-	if content == nil || len(content) != ncursors {
+	if content == nil {
 		return false
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/clipboard/terminal.go b/internal/clipboard/terminal.go
index 37b37dc3..fca42967 100644
--- a/internal/clipboard/terminal.go
+++ b/internal/clipboard/terminal.go
@@ -1,13 +1,31 @@
 package clipboard
 
-import "github.com/zyedidia/micro/v2/internal/screen"
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/zyedidia/micro/v2/internal/screen"
+	"github.com/zyedidia/tcell"
+)
 
 type terminalClipboard struct{}
 
 var terminal terminalClipboard
 
-func (t terminalClipboard) read(reg string) error {
-	return screen.Screen.GetClipboard(reg)
+func (t terminalClipboard) read(reg string) (string, error) {
+	screen.Screen.GetClipboard(reg)
+	// wait at most 200ms for response
+	for {
+		select {
+		case event := <-screen.Events:
+			e, ok := event.(*tcell.EventPaste)
+			if ok {
+				return e.Text(), nil
+			}
+		case <-time.After(200 * time.Millisecond):
+			return "", errors.New("No clipboard received from terminal")
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func (t terminalClipboard) write(text, reg string) error {
diff --git a/internal/screen/screen.go b/internal/screen/screen.go
index 9093d8f9..a8fdc6df 100644
--- a/internal/screen/screen.go
+++ b/internal/screen/screen.go
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ import (
 // same time too.
 var Screen tcell.Screen
 
+// Events is the channel of tcell events
+var Events chan (tcell.Event)
+
 // The lock is necessary since the screen is polled on a separate thread
 var lock sync.Mutex