diff --git a/chat/chat/chat_main.c b/chat/chat/chat_main.c
index 8d0b7336..ef4a92be 100644
--- a/chat/chat/chat_main.c
+++ b/chat/chat/chat_main.c
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ void *receive(void *arg) {
             exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
         }
 
-        usleep(100000);
+        usleep(25000);
     }
 
     return NULL;
@@ -273,6 +273,8 @@ void *transmit(void *arg) {
             fprintf(stderr, "Failed to post on semaphore with error %s\n", strerror(errno));
             exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
         }
+
+	usleep(200000);
     }
 
     return NULL;
@@ -290,6 +292,12 @@ int get_message(uint8_t *buffer, int avail) {
     }
     fgets((char *)buffer, avail, stdin);
 
+    // check for end-of-file (for redirecting stdin)
+    if (feof(stdin)) {
+        buffer[0] = '\n';
+        buffer[1] = 0;
+    }
+
     // If the newline isn't present, the message is too long
 
     //printf("DEBUG: ***%s***\n", buffer);