diff --git a/eventBindings.go b/eventBindings.go
index eaf8d92..16d5549 100644
--- a/eventBindings.go
+++ b/eventBindings.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 
@@ -104,28 +103,20 @@ func theNotsure(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 }
 
 func stdoutPgup(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
-	me.stdout.pager = 0
-	log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("try to page up in the stdout buffer here pager=%d len(%d)", me.stdout.pager, len(me.stdout.outputS)))
+	me.stdout.pager -= 40
+	if me.stdout.pager < 0 {
+		me.stdout.pager = 0
+	}
+	tk := me.stdout.tk
+	tk.refreshStdout()
 	return nil
 }
 
 func stdoutPgdn(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	me.stdout.pager += 10
-	log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("try to page down in the stdout buffer here pager=%d len(%d)", me.stdout.pager, len(me.stdout.outputS)))
+
 	tk := me.stdout.tk
-
-	if len(me.stdout.outputS) < me.stdout.h+me.stdout.pager {
-		log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("buffer too small=%d len(%d)", me.stdout.pager, len(me.stdout.outputS)))
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	var cur []string
-	// chop off the last lines in the buffer
-	chop := len(me.stdout.outputS) - (me.stdout.pager + me.stdout.h)
-	cur = append(cur, me.stdout.outputS[chop:chop+me.stdout.h]...)
-	slices.Reverse(cur)
-	tk.v.Clear()
-	fmt.Fprintln(tk.v, strings.Join(cur, "\n"))
+	tk.refreshStdout()
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -155,10 +146,11 @@ func tabCycleWindows(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 }
 
 func theStdout(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+	me.stdout.pager = 0
 	if me.stdout.outputOnTop {
 		if me.stdout.outputOffscreen {
 			me.stdout.outputOffscreen = false
-			log.Info("set stdout off screen here")
+			log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("set stdout off screen pager=%d len(%d)", me.stdout.pager, len(me.stdout.outputS)))
 			relocateStdoutOffscreen()
 			return nil
 		} else {
diff --git a/stdoutShow.go b/stdoutShow.go
index 61f2246..24f1e66 100644
--- a/stdoutShow.go
+++ b/stdoutShow.go
@@ -175,3 +175,19 @@ func (w *guiWidget) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 
 	return len(p), nil
 }
+
+// lets the user page up and down through the stdout buffer
+func (tk *guiWidget) refreshStdout() {
+	if len(me.stdout.outputS) < me.stdout.h+me.stdout.pager {
+		log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("buffer too small=%d len(%d)", me.stdout.pager, len(me.stdout.outputS)))
+		return
+	}
+
+	var cur []string
+	// chop off the last lines in the buffer
+	chop := len(me.stdout.outputS) - (me.stdout.pager + me.stdout.h)
+	cur = append(cur, me.stdout.outputS[chop:chop+me.stdout.h]...)
+	slices.Reverse(cur)
+	tk.v.Clear()
+	fmt.Fprintln(tk.v, strings.Join(cur, "\n"))
+}