diff --git a/libkeybase.go b/libkeybase.go
index 88aed9c..47ce530 100644
--- a/libkeybase.go
+++ b/libkeybase.go
@@ -2,29 +2,27 @@ package libkeybase
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
-	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"os/exec"
-	"sync"
-	"time"
 )
 
-// RunOptions holds... run... options...
-type RunOptions struct {
-	KeybaseLoction  string
-	HomeDir         string
-	Username        string
-	PaperKey        string
-	EnableTyping    bool
-	BotLiteMode     bool
-	ChannelCapacity int
+// Options holds... run... options...
+type Options struct {
+	KeybaseLoction string
+	HomeDir        string
+	Username       string
+	PaperKey       string
+	EnableTyping   bool
+	BotLiteMode    bool
 }
 
-// Location attempts to find the location of the keybase binary in the following order:
+// locateKeybase attempts to find the location of the keybase binary in the following order:
 // 1. What the user has specified as the location [user specified]
 // 2. Looks up the binary location using exec.LookPath [default]
 // 3. Returns "keybase" and hopes its pathed on the users system [fallback]
-func (r RunOptions) Location() string {
+func (r *Options) locateKeybase() string {
 	if r.KeybaseLoction != "" {
 		return r.KeybaseLoction
 	}
@@ -37,7 +35,7 @@ func (r RunOptions) Location() string {
 }
 
 // buildBaseCommand adds the homedirectory before the args, when required
-func (r RunOptions) buildBaseCommand(args ...string) []string {
+func (r *Options) buildBaseCommand(args ...string) []string {
 	var cmd []string
 	if r.HomeDir != "" {
 		cmd = append(cmd, "--home", r.HomeDir)
@@ -46,169 +44,131 @@ func (r RunOptions) buildBaseCommand(args ...string) []string {
 	return cmd
 }
 
-// apiPrimitive is re-used between ApiWriter and ApiReader
-type apiPrimitive struct {
-	sync.Mutex
-	cmd     *exec.Cmd
-	opts    RunOptions
-	Input   chan string
-	Output  chan string
-	stop    bool
-	running bool
-	die     chan bool
+type ChatAPI struct {
+	opts     *Options
+	ctx      context.Context
+	Capacity int
+	Reset    int
+	Gas      int
 }
 
-// SetOptions sets the primitve's options
-func (a *apiPrimitive) SetOptions(arg RunOptions) {
-	a.opts = arg
+type KeybaseApiResponse struct {
+	Result struct {
+		Message    string `json:"message"`
+		ID         int    `json:"id"`
+		Ratelimits []struct {
+			Tank     string `json:"tank"`
+			Capacity int    `json:"capacity"`
+			Reset    int    `json:"reset"`
+			Gas      int    `json:"gas"`
+		} `json:"ratelimits"`
+	} `json:"result"`
 }
 
-// Stop halts the subprocess
-func (a *apiPrimitive) Stop() {
-	a.cmd.Process.Kill()
-	a.stop = true
-	a.die <- true
-	a.running = false
+func NewApiWithContext(ctx context.Context, options *Options) *ChatAPI {
+	return &ChatAPI{
+		opts: options,
+		ctx:  ctx,
+	}
 }
 
-// _start begins the subprocess call
-func (a *apiPrimitive) _start(args ...string) (err error) {
-	// build the base command (homedir and stuff) and add the args to it
+func (a *ChatAPI) Start() (in, out chan string, err chan error) {
+	in = make(chan string, 10)
+	out = make(chan string, 10)
+	err = make(chan error, 10)
+	a._run(in, out, err)
+	return
+}
+
+func (a *ChatAPI) _run(in, out chan string, e chan error, args ...string) {
+	// build the base command, add homedir and args
 	cmdStrings := a.opts.buildBaseCommand(args...)
-	// set up the command execution
-	a.cmd = exec.Command(a.opts.Location(), cmdStrings...)
-	// grab the process stdin pipe
-	keyIn, err := a.cmd.StdinPipe()
+
+	// set up the command
+	cmd_reader := exec.CommandContext(a.ctx, a.opts.locateKeybase(), cmdStrings...)
+	cmd_writer := exec.CommandContext(a.ctx, a.opts.locateKeybase(), cmdStrings...)
+
+	// grab the process stdin and stdout pipes
+	keyOut, err := cmd_reader.StdoutPipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		e <- err
+		return
+	}
+	keyIn, err := cmd_writer.StdinPipe()
 	if err != nil {
+		e <- err
 		return
 	}
-	// grab the process stdout pipe
-	keyOut, err := a.cmd.StdoutPipe()
+	keyResp, err := cmd_writer.StdoutPipe()
 	if err != nil {
+		e <- err
 		return
 	}
-	// buffer the I/O channels
-	a.die = make(chan bool, 1)
-	a.Input = make(chan string, a.opts.ChannelCapacity)
-	a.Output = make(chan string, a.opts.ChannelCapacity)
-	// now we need to start a select where anything in the channel goes to stdin
+
+	// now start read and write goroutines
+	// reader
 	go func() {
+		r := bufio.NewReader(keyOut)
 		for {
 			select {
-			case msg := <-a.Input:
-				_, err = keyIn.Write([]byte(msg))
+			case <-a.ctx.Done():
+				return
+			default:
+				line, err := r.ReadString('\n')
 				if err != nil {
-					return
+					e <- err
+				} else {
+					out <- line
 				}
-			case <-a.die:
-				return
 			}
 		}
 	}()
-	// then we need to start a loop where anything in the output goes to the channel
+
+	// writer
 	go func() {
-		r := bufio.NewReader(keyOut)
-		buf := bytes.NewBufferString("")
-		for !a.stop {
-			line, isPrefix, err := r.ReadLine()
-			if err != nil {
+		for {
+			select {
+			case msg := <-in:
+				_, err := keyIn.Write([]byte(msg))
+				if err != nil {
+					e <- err
+				}
+			case <-a.ctx.Done():
 				return
 			}
-			if isPrefix {
-				// if its not a complete line, write it to the buffer only so we loop again
-				buf.Write(line)
-			} else {
-				// if the line is complete, write it to the buffer
-				buf.Write(line)
-				// then write the entire buffer to the channel
-				a.Output <- buf.String()
-				// then reset the buffer so it can be re-used
-				buf.Reset()
-			}
 		}
 	}()
-	// if you've made it this far, return the IO channels
-	a.cmd.Start()
-	a.running = true
-	return nil
-}
-
-type apiWriter struct {
-	apiPrimitive
-}
-
-func (a *apiWriter) start() (err error) {
-	err = a._start("chat", "api")
-	return
-}
-
-func (a *apiWriter) write(in string) (out string, err error) {
-	if !a.running {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("api is not running")
-	}
-	// write the input
-	a.Input <- in
-	// now wait for the output
-	out = <-a.Output
-	return
-}
-
-type apiReader struct {
-	apiPrimitive
-}
 
-func (a *apiReader) start() (err error) {
-	err = a._start("chat", "api-listen")
-	return
-}
-
-func (a *apiReader) listen() (out chan string, err error) {
-	if !a.running {
-		err = fmt.Errorf("apiReader is not running")
-	}
-	out = a.Output
-	return
-}
-
-// API is the basic primitive of the API, holding the actual application calls and pipes
-type API struct {
-	writer  apiWriter
-	reader  apiReader
-	Timeout time.Duration
-}
-
-func (a *API) Start() error {
-	err := a.reader.start()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	err = a.writer.start()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (a *API) Stop() {
-	a.writer.Stop()
-	a.reader.Stop()
-}
-
-func (a *API) Write(in string) (out string, err error) {
-	a.writer.Lock()
-	out, err = a.writer.write(in)
-	a.writer.Unlock()
-	return
-}
-
-func (a *API) Listen() (out chan string, err error) {
-	out, err = a.reader.listen()
-	return
-}
+	// writer responses to fill up gas limits
+	go func() {
+		r := bufio.NewReader(keyResp)
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-a.ctx.Done():
+				return
+			default:
+				line, err := r.ReadBytes('\n')
+				if err != nil {
+					e <- err
+				}
+				var resp *KeybaseApiResponse
+				err = json.Unmarshal(line, resp)
+				if err != nil {
+					e <- err
+				} else {
+					for _, limit := range resp.Result.Ratelimits {
+						if limit.Tank == "chat" {
+							a.Capacity = limit.Capacity
+							a.Gas = limit.Gas
+							a.Reset = limit.Reset
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}()
 
-func NewAPI(arg RunOptions) *API {
-	var result API
-	result.reader.SetOptions(arg)
-	result.writer.SetOptions(arg)
-	return &result
+	// now start the process
+	cmd_reader.Start()
+	cmd_writer.Start()
 }