diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
index acebfda5d..ba85f6720 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ asHandle ev = do
             -- VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'q') []) -> halt
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'l') [MCtrl]) -> redraw
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'z') [MCtrl]) -> suspend ui
-            _                    -> helpHandle ev
+            _ -> helpHandle ev
 
         Normal ->
           case ev of
@@ -309,14 +309,14 @@ asHandle ev = do
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'T') []) -> put' $ regenerateScreens j d $ setReportPeriod (DayPeriod d) ui
 
             -- display mode/query toggles
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'H') []) -> modify (regenerateScreens j d . toggleHistorical) >> asCenterAndContinue
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 't') []) -> modify (regenerateScreens j d . toggleTree) >> asCenterAndContinue
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar c) []) | c `elem` ['z','Z'] -> modify (regenerateScreens j d . toggleEmpty) >> asCenterAndContinue
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'R') []) -> modify (regenerateScreens j d . toggleReal) >> asCenterAndContinue
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'U') []) -> modify (regenerateScreens j d . toggleUnmarked) >> asCenterAndContinue
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'P') []) -> modify (regenerateScreens j d . togglePending) >> asCenterAndContinue
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'C') []) -> modify (regenerateScreens j d . toggleCleared) >> asCenterAndContinue
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'F') []) -> modify (regenerateScreens j d . toggleForecast d)
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'H') []) -> modify' (regenerateScreens j d . toggleHistorical) >> asCenterAndContinue
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 't') []) -> modify' (regenerateScreens j d . toggleTree) >> asCenterAndContinue
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar c) []) | c `elem` ['z','Z'] -> modify' (regenerateScreens j d . toggleEmpty) >> asCenterAndContinue
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'R') []) -> modify' (regenerateScreens j d . toggleReal) >> asCenterAndContinue
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'U') []) -> modify' (regenerateScreens j d . toggleUnmarked) >> asCenterAndContinue
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'P') []) -> modify' (regenerateScreens j d . togglePending) >> asCenterAndContinue
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'C') []) -> modify' (regenerateScreens j d . toggleCleared) >> asCenterAndContinue
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'F') []) -> modify' (regenerateScreens j d . toggleForecast d)
 
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KDown)     [MShift]) -> put' $ regenerateScreens j d $ shrinkReportPeriod d ui
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KUp)       [MShift]) -> put' $ regenerateScreens j d $ growReportPeriod d ui
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ asHandle ev = do
             -- fall through to the list's event handler (handles up/down)
             VtyEvent ev -> do
               list' <- nestEventM' _asList $ handleListEvent (normaliseMovementKeys ev)
-              put' $ ui{aScreen=scr & asList .~ list' & asSelectedAccount .~ selacct }
+              put' ui{aScreen=scr & asList .~ list' & asSelectedAccount .~ selacct }
 
             MouseDown{} -> return ()
             MouseUp{}   -> return ()
@@ -386,9 +386,7 @@ asEnterRegister d selacct ui = do
         isdepthclipped = case getDepth ui of
                           Just d  -> accountNameLevel selacct >= d
                           Nothing -> False
-  let ui' = screenEnter d regscr ui
-  put' ui'
-  rsCenterSelection ui'
+  rsCenterSelection (screenEnter d regscr ui) >>= put'
 
 asSetSelectedAccount a s@AccountsScreen{} = s & asSelectedAccount .~ a
 asSetSelectedAccount _ s = s
@@ -401,3 +399,4 @@ asCenterAndContinue = do
   scrollSelectionToMiddle (_asList $ aScreen ui)
 
 asListSize = V.length . V.takeWhile ((/="").asItemAccountName) . listElements
+
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/ErrorScreen.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/ErrorScreen.hs
index 5aad8acdf..620cfea8c 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/ErrorScreen.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/ErrorScreen.hs
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ esDraw _ = error "draw function called with wrong screen type, should not happen
 
 esHandle :: BrickEvent Name AppEvent -> EventM Name UIState ()
 esHandle ev = do
-  ui0 <- get
+  ui0 <- get'
   case ui0 of
     ui@UIState{aScreen=ErrorScreen{..}
               ,aopts=UIOpts{uoCliOpts=copts}
@@ -96,20 +96,20 @@ esHandle ev = do
           let d = copts^.rsDay
           case ev of
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'q') []) -> halt
-            VtyEvent (EvKey KEsc        []) -> put $ uiCheckBalanceAssertions d $ resetScreens d ui
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar c)   []) | c `elem` ['h','?'] -> put $ setMode Help ui
+            VtyEvent (EvKey KEsc        []) -> put' $ uiCheckBalanceAssertions d $ resetScreens d ui
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar c)   []) | c `elem` ['h','?'] -> put' $ setMode Help ui
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'E') []) -> suspendAndResume $ void (runEditor pos f) >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j (popScreen ui)
               where
                 (pos,f) = case parsewithString hledgerparseerrorpositionp esError of
                             Right (f,l,c) -> (Just (l, Just c),f)
                             Left  _       -> (endPosition, journalFilePath j)
             e | e `elem` [VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'g') []), AppEvent FileChange] ->
-              liftIO (uiReloadJournal copts d (popScreen ui)) >>= put . uiCheckBalanceAssertions d
+              liftIO (uiReloadJournal copts d (popScreen ui)) >>= put' . uiCheckBalanceAssertions d
               -- (ej, _) <- liftIO $ journalReloadIfChanged copts d j
               -- case ej of
               --   Left err -> continue ui{aScreen=s{esError=err}} -- show latest parse error
               --   Right j' -> continue $ regenerateScreens j' d $ popScreen ui  -- return to previous screen, and reload it
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'I') []) -> put $ uiCheckBalanceAssertions d (popScreen $ toggleIgnoreBalanceAssertions ui)
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'I') []) -> put' $ uiCheckBalanceAssertions d (popScreen $ toggleIgnoreBalanceAssertions ui)
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'l') [MCtrl]) -> redraw
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'z') [MCtrl]) -> suspend ui
             _ -> return ()
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
index 2be4a9567..a4b057147 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ rsHandle ev = do
       case mode of
         Minibuffer _ ed ->
           case ev of
-            VtyEvent (EvKey KEsc   []) -> modify closeMinibuffer
+            VtyEvent (EvKey KEsc   []) -> modify' closeMinibuffer
             VtyEvent (EvKey KEnter []) -> put' $ regenerateScreens j d $
                 case setFilter s $ closeMinibuffer ui of
                   Left bad -> showMinibuffer "Cannot compile regular expression" (Just bad) ui
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ rsHandle ev = do
             -- VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'q') []) -> halt
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'l') [MCtrl]) -> redraw
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'z') [MCtrl]) -> suspend ui
-            _                    -> helpHandle ev
+            _ -> helpHandle ev
 
         Normal ->
           case ev of
@@ -344,16 +344,16 @@ rsHandle ev = do
                               rsItemTransaction=Transaction{tsourcepos=(SourcePos f l c,_)}}) -> (Just (unPos l, Just $ unPos c),f)
 
             -- display mode/query toggles
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'B') []) -> rsCenterSelection $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleConversionOp ui
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'V') []) -> rsCenterSelection $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleValue ui
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'H') []) -> rsCenterSelection $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleHistorical ui
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 't') []) -> rsCenterSelection $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleTree ui
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar c) []) | c `elem` ['z','Z'] -> rsCenterSelection $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleEmpty ui
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'R') []) -> rsCenterSelection $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleReal ui
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'U') []) -> rsCenterSelection $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleUnmarked ui
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'P') []) -> rsCenterSelection $ regenerateScreens j d $ togglePending ui
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'C') []) -> rsCenterSelection $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleCleared ui
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'F') []) -> rsCenterSelection $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleForecast d ui
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'B') []) -> rsCenterSelection (regenerateScreens j d $ toggleConversionOp ui) >>= put'
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'V') []) -> rsCenterSelection (regenerateScreens j d $ toggleValue ui) >>= put'
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'H') []) -> rsCenterSelection (regenerateScreens j d $ toggleHistorical ui) >>= put'
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 't') []) -> rsCenterSelection (regenerateScreens j d $ toggleTree ui) >>= put'
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar c) []) | c `elem` ['z','Z'] -> rsCenterSelection (regenerateScreens j d $ toggleEmpty ui) >>= put'
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'R') []) -> rsCenterSelection (regenerateScreens j d $ toggleReal ui) >>= put'
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'U') []) -> rsCenterSelection (regenerateScreens j d $ toggleUnmarked ui) >>= put'
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'P') []) -> rsCenterSelection (regenerateScreens j d $ togglePending ui) >>= put'
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'C') []) -> rsCenterSelection (regenerateScreens j d $ toggleCleared ui) >>= put'
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'F') []) -> rsCenterSelection (regenerateScreens j d $ toggleForecast d ui) >>= put'
 
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar '/') []) -> put' $ regenerateScreens j d $ showMinibuffer "filter" Nothing ui
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KDown)     [MShift]) -> put' $ regenerateScreens j d $ shrinkReportPeriod d ui
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ rsHandle ev = do
 
             -- when selection is at the last item, DOWN scrolls instead of moving, until maximally scrolled
             VtyEvent e | e `elem` moveDownEvents, isBlankElement mnextelement -> do
-              vScrollBy (viewportScroll $ rsList ^. listNameL) 1 >> put' ui
+              vScrollBy (viewportScroll $ rsList ^. listNameL) 1
               where mnextelement = listSelectedElement $ listMoveDown rsList
 
             -- mouse scroll wheel scrolls the viewport up or down to its maximum extent,
@@ -417,15 +417,17 @@ rsHandle ev = do
               newitems <- nestEventM' rsList $ handleListEvent ev'
               put' ui{aScreen=s{rsList=newitems}}
 
-            MouseDown{}       -> put' ui
-            MouseUp{}         -> put' ui
-            AppEvent _        -> put' ui
+            MouseDown{}       -> return ()
+            MouseUp{}         -> return ()
+            AppEvent _        -> return ()
 
     _ -> dlogUiTrace "rsHandle 2" $ errorWrongScreenType "event handler"
 
 isBlankElement mel = ((rsItemDate . snd) <$> mel) == Just ""
 
-rsCenterSelection :: UIState -> EventM Name UIState ()
-rsCenterSelection = scrollSelectionToMiddle . rsList . aScreen
+rsCenterSelection :: UIState -> EventM Name UIState UIState
+rsCenterSelection ui = do
+  scrollSelectionToMiddle $ rsList $ aScreen ui
+  return ui  -- ui is unchanged, but this makes the function more chainable
 
 rsListSize = V.length . V.takeWhile ((/="").rsItemDate) . listElements
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/TransactionScreen.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/TransactionScreen.hs
index 997fac524..1ccba5d79 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/TransactionScreen.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/TransactionScreen.hs
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ tsHandle ev = do
             -- VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'q') []) -> halt
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'l') [MCtrl]) -> redraw
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'z') [MCtrl]) -> suspend ui
-            _                    -> helpHandle ev
+            _ -> helpHandle ev
 
         _ -> do
           let
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIUtils.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIUtils.hs
index 8d9e07366..b908b95f4 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIUtils.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIUtils.hs
@@ -195,9 +195,9 @@ helpHandle ev = do
   let ui' = setMode Normal ui
   case ev of
     VtyEvent e | e `elem` closeHelpEvents -> put' ui'
-    VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'p') []) -> suspendAndResume $ runPagerForTopic "hledger-ui" Nothing >> return ui'
-    VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'm') []) -> suspendAndResume $ runManForTopic   "hledger-ui" Nothing >> return ui'
-    VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'i') []) -> suspendAndResume $ runInfoForTopic  "hledger-ui" Nothing >> return ui'
+    VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'p') []) -> suspendAndResume (runPagerForTopic "hledger-ui" Nothing >> return ui')
+    VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'm') []) -> suspendAndResume (runManForTopic   "hledger-ui" Nothing >> return ui')
+    VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'i') []) -> suspendAndResume (runInfoForTopic  "hledger-ui" Nothing >> return ui')
     _ -> return ()
   where
     closeHelpEvents = moveLeftEvents ++ [EvKey KEsc [], EvKey (KChar '?') [], EvKey (KChar 'q') []]