diff --git a/dialog_darwin.go b/dialog_darwin.go
index 038c640..6ce28c0 100644
--- a/dialog_darwin.go
+++ b/dialog_darwin.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 package ui
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"unsafe"
 )
 
@@ -17,43 +18,32 @@ func dialog_send(pchan unsafe.Pointer, res C.intptr_t) {
 	}()
 }
 
-func _msgBox(parent *Window, primarytext string, secondarytext string, style uintptr) chan int {
-	ret := make(chan int)
-	uitask <- func() {
-		var pwin C.id = nil
+func _msgBox(parent *Window, primarytext string, secondarytext string, style uintptr) Response {
+	var pwin C.id = nil
 
-		if parent != dialogWindow {
-			pwin = parent.sysData.id
-		}
-		primary := toNSString(primarytext)
-		secondary := C.id(nil)
-		if secondarytext != "" {
-			secondary = toNSString(secondarytext)
-		}
-		switch style {
-		case 0: // normal
-			C.msgBox(pwin, primary, secondary, unsafe.Pointer(&ret))
-		case 1: // error
-			C.msgBoxError(pwin, primary, secondary, unsafe.Pointer(&ret))
-		}
+	if parent != dialogWindow {
+		pwin = parent.sysData.id
 	}
-	return ret
+	primary := toNSString(primarytext)
+	secondary := C.id(nil)
+	if secondarytext != "" {
+		secondary = toNSString(secondarytext)
+	}
+	switch style {
+	case 0: // normal
+		C.msgBox(pwin, primary, secondary, nil)
+		return OK
+	case 1: // error
+		C.msgBoxError(pwin, primary, secondary, nil)
+		return OK
+	}
+	panic(fmt.Errorf("unknown message box style %d\n", style))
 }
 
-func (w *Window) msgBox(primarytext string, secondarytext string) (done chan struct{}) {
-	done = make(chan struct{})
-	go func() {
-		<-_msgBox(w, primarytext, secondarytext, 0)
-		done <- struct{}{}
-	}()
-	return done
+func (w *Window) msgBox(primarytext string, secondarytext string) {
+	_msgBox(w, primarytext, secondarytext, 0)
 }
 
-func (w *Window) msgBoxError(primarytext string, secondarytext string) (done chan struct{}) {
-	done = make(chan struct{})
-	go func() {
-		<-_msgBox(w, primarytext, secondarytext, 1)
-		done <- struct{}{}
-	}()
-	return done
+func (w *Window) msgBoxError(primarytext string, secondarytext string) {
+	_msgBox(w, primarytext, secondarytext, 1)
 }
diff --git a/dialog_darwin.m b/dialog_darwin.m
index d38e7af..7f72d02 100644
--- a/dialog_darwin.m
+++ b/dialog_darwin.m
@@ -21,12 +21,14 @@ static void alert(id parent, NSString *primary, NSString *secondary, NSAlertStyl
 	// TODO is there a named constant? will also need to be changed when we add different dialog types
 	[box addButtonWithTitle:@"OK"];
 	if (parent == nil)
-		dialog_send(chan, (intptr_t) [box runModal]);
-	else
+		return (intptr_t) [box runModal];
+	else {
 		[box beginSheetModalForWindow:toNSWindow(parent)
 			modalDelegate:[NSApp delegate]
 			didEndSelector:@selector(alertDidEnd:returnCode:contextInfo:)
 			contextInfo:chan];
+		// TODO
+	}
 }
 
 void msgBox(id parent, id primary, id secondary, void *chan)