diff --git a/test/main.c b/test/main.c
index e69feee7..1ae5ec12 100644
--- a/test/main.c
+++ b/test/main.c
@@ -39,12 +39,6 @@ uiTab *mainTab;
 uiBox *(*newhbox)(void);
 uiBox *(*newvbox)(void);
 
-static void stepsLoop(void *data)
-{
-	while (uiMainStep(1))
-		;
-}
-
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	uiInitOptions o;
@@ -167,8 +161,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	uiControlShow(uiControl(w));
 	if (!steps)
 		uiMain();
-	else
-		uiMainSteps(stepsLoop, NULL);
+	else {
+		uiMainSteps(NULL, NULL);
+		while (uiMainStep(1))
+			;
+	}
 	printf("after uiMain()\n");
 	uiUninit();
 	printf("after uiUninit()\n");
diff --git a/unix/main.c b/unix/main.c
index 59590886..bdd22eeb 100644
--- a/unix/main.c
+++ b/unix/main.c
@@ -29,33 +29,25 @@ void uiFreeInitError(const char *err)
 	g_free((gpointer) err);
 }
 
+static gboolean (*iteration)(gboolean) = NULL;
+
 void uiMain(void)
 {
+	iteration = gtk_main_iteration_do;
 	gtk_main();
 }
 
-struct mainStepsData {
-	void (*f)(void *);
-	void *data;
-};
+static gboolean stepsQuit = FALSE;
 
-static gboolean mainSteps(gpointer data)
+static gboolean stepsIteration(gboolean block)
 {
-	struct mainStepsData *d = (struct mainStepsData *) data;
-
-	(*(d->f))(d->data);
-	// TODO call gtk_main_quit() here again?
-	return FALSE;
+	gtk_main_iteration_do(block);
+	return stepsQuit;
 }
 
 void uiMainSteps(void (*f)(void *), void *data)
 {
-	struct mainStepsData d;
-
-	d.f = f;
-	d.data = data;
-	gdk_threads_add_idle(mainSteps, &d);
-	gtk_main();
+	iteration = stepsIteration;
 }
 
 int uiMainStep(int wait)
@@ -65,7 +57,7 @@ int uiMainStep(int wait)
 	block = FALSE;
 	if (wait)
 		block = TRUE;
-	return gtk_main_iteration_do(block) == FALSE;
+	return (*iteration)(block) == FALSE;
 }
 
 // gtk_main_quit() may run immediately, or it may wait for other pending events; "it depends" (thanks mclasen in irc.gimp.net/#gtk+)
@@ -73,7 +65,10 @@ int uiMainStep(int wait)
 // we'll do it by using an idle callback
 static gboolean quit(gpointer data)
 {
-	gtk_main_quit();
+	if (iteration == stepsIteration)
+		stepsQuit = TRUE;
+	else
+		gtk_main_quit();
 	return FALSE;
 }
 
diff --git a/unix/window.c b/unix/window.c
index bd75b9b5..71e47aa9 100644
--- a/unix/window.c
+++ b/unix/window.c
@@ -161,8 +161,8 @@ void uiWindowSetPosition(uiWindow *w, int x, int y)
 	// we need to wait for a configure-event
 	// thanks to hergertme in irc.gimp.net/#gtk+
 	while (w->changingPosition)
-		if (gtk_main_iteration() != FALSE)
-			break;		// stop early if gtk_main_quit() called
+		if (!uiMainStep(1))
+			break;		// stop early if uiQuit() called
 }
 
 void uiWindowCenter(uiWindow *w)
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ void uiWindowCenter(uiWindow *w)
 	uiWindowSetPosition(w, x, y);
 }
 
+// TODO this and size changed get set during uiWindowDestroy
 void uiWindowOnPositionChanged(uiWindow *w, void (*f)(uiWindow *, void *), void *data)
 {
 	w->onPositionChanged = f;
@@ -203,13 +204,14 @@ void uiWindowContentSize(uiWindow *w, int *width, int *height)
 
 // TODO what happens if the size is already the current one?
 // TODO a spurious size-allocate gets sent after this function returns
+// TODO can't reduce the size this way
 void uiWindowSetContentSize(uiWindow *w, int width, int height)
 {
 	w->changingSize = TRUE;
 	gtk_widget_set_size_request(w->childHolderWidget, width, height);
 	while (w->changingSize)
-		if (gtk_main_iteration() != FALSE)
-			break;			// stop early if gtk_main_quit() called
+		if (!uiMainStep(1))
+			break;			// stop early if uiQuit() called
 	gtk_widget_set_size_request(w->childHolderWidget, -1, -1);
 }