diff --git a/redo/dialog_darwin.m b/redo/dialog_darwin.m
index 3e662be..0557018 100644
--- a/redo/dialog_darwin.m
+++ b/redo/dialog_darwin.m
@@ -18,11 +18,9 @@ char *openFile(void)
 	[op setExtensionHidden:NO];
 	[op setAllowsOtherFileTypes:YES];
 	[op setTreatsFilePackagesAsDirectories:YES];
-	// disable custom events
-	// TODO doesn't seem to work
-	dispatch_suspend(dispatch_get_main_queue());
+	beginModal();
 	ret = [op runModal];
-	dispatch_resume(dispatch_get_main_queue());
+	endModal();
 	if (ret != NSFileHandlingPanelOKButton)
 		return NULL;
 	// string freed on the Go side
diff --git a/redo/objc_darwin.h b/redo/objc_darwin.h
index 53cb65d..f3b7e70 100644
--- a/redo/objc_darwin.h
+++ b/redo/objc_darwin.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ extern id getAppDelegate(void);	/* used by the other .m files */
 extern void uiinit(char **);
 extern void uimsgloop(void);
 extern void uistop(void);
+extern void beginModal(void);
+extern void endModal(void);
 extern void issue(void *);
 
 /* window_darwin.m */
diff --git a/redo/uitask_darwin.m b/redo/uitask_darwin.m
index d802911..9d25a61 100644
--- a/redo/uitask_darwin.m
+++ b/redo/uitask_darwin.m
@@ -129,9 +129,48 @@ void uistop(void)
 	[NSApp postEvent:e atStart:NO];		// let pending events take priority
 }
 
+// because dispatch_suspend()/dispatch_resume() can't be used with the main queue
+static BOOL inmodal = NO;
+static void **modalqueue = NULL;
+static size_t mqlen = 0;
+static size_t mqcap = 0;
+
+void beginModal(void)
+{
+	inmodal = YES;
+	if (modalqueue == NULL) {
+		mqcap = 128;
+		modalqueue = (void **) malloc(mqcap * sizeof (void *));
+		if (modalqueue == NULL)
+			abort();//TODO
+		mqlen = 0;
+	}
+}
+
+void endModal(void)
+{
+	size_t i;
+
+	inmodal = NO;
+	for (i = 0; i < mqlen; i++)
+		doissue(modalqueue[i]);
+	mqlen = 0;
+}
+
 // thanks to mikeash in irc.freenode.net/#macdev for suggesting the use of Grand Central Dispatch and blocks for this
 void issue(void *what)
 {
+	if (inmodal) {
+		modalqueue[mqlen] = what;
+		mqlen++;
+		if (mqlen >= mqcap) {
+			mqcap *= 2;
+			modalqueue = (void **) realloc(modalqueue, mqcap * sizeof (void *));
+			if (modalqueue == NULL)
+				abort();//TODO
+		}
+		return;
+	}
 	dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
 		doissue(what);
 	});