@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use crate::Result;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::{
-    io::{BufRead, BufReader, Read, Write},
+    io::{BufRead, BufReader, ErrorKind, Read, Write},
     os::unix::net::UnixStream,
     path::PathBuf,
     time::{Duration, Instant},
@@ -161,18 +161,32 @@ pub fn activate(pid: u32, title: &str) -> Result<()> {
             }
             return Ok(());
         }
-        events.get_ref().set_read_timeout(Some(
-            deadline
-                .checked_duration_since(Instant::now())
-                .ok_or("T3 Code did not become visible.")?,
-        ))?;
-        let mut event = Vec::new();
-        if events.by_ref().take(8193).read_until(b'\n', &mut event)? == 0 || event.len() > 8192 {
-            return Err("Hyprland's event stream closed or returned an invalid event.".into());
-        }
+        next_event(&mut events, deadline)?;
     }
 }
 
+/// Waits for one Hyprland event, or explains that T3 Code never appeared before `deadline`.
+fn next_event(events: &mut BufReader<UnixStream>, deadline: Instant) -> Result<()> {
+    let not_visible = "T3 Code did not become visible.";
+    let left = deadline.checked_duration_since(Instant::now());
+    events.get_ref().set_read_timeout(Some(
+        left.filter(|left| !left.is_zero()).ok_or(not_visible)?,
+    ))?;
+    let mut event = Vec::new();
+    let read = events.by_ref().take(8193).read_until(b'\n', &mut event);
+    // The read timeout ends at the deadline, and Linux reports its expiry as WouldBlock.
+    if read
+        .as_ref()
+        .is_err_and(|error| matches!(error.kind(), ErrorKind::WouldBlock | ErrorKind::TimedOut))
+    {
+        return Err(not_visible.into());
+    }
+    if read? == 0 || event.len() > 8192 {
+        return Err("Hyprland's event stream closed or returned an invalid event.".into());
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -212,6 +226,25 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
     #[test]
+    fn event_wait_explains_an_activation_timeout() {
+        let (socket, mut hyprland) = UnixStream::pair().unwrap();
+        // A quiet socket reports the same WouldBlock as an expired read timeout, without waiting.
+        socket.set_nonblocking(true).unwrap();
+        let mut events = BufReader::new(socket);
+        let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(3);
+        assert_eq!(
+            next_event(&mut events, deadline).unwrap_err().to_string(),
+            "T3 Code did not become visible."
+        );
+        hyprland.write_all(b"openwindow>>1,1,t3,T3 Code\n").unwrap();
+        assert!(next_event(&mut events, deadline).is_ok());
+        drop(hyprland);
+        assert_eq!(
+            next_event(&mut events, deadline).unwrap_err().to_string(),
+            "Hyprland's event stream closed or returned an invalid event."
+        );
+    }
+    #[test]
     fn rectangles_accept_negative_origins_not_invalid_sizes() {
         assert!(window(1, "t").bounds().valid());
         assert!(