diff --git a/src/components/input.lisp b/src/components/input.lisp
index 6e95a7d..ce237cc 100644
--- a/src/components/input.lisp
+++ b/src/components/input.lisp
@@ -74,9 +74,11 @@
     (sb-sys:with-pinned-objects (buf)
       (let ((sap (sb-sys:vector-sap buf)))
         (if timeout-ms
-            (progn (sb-unix:unix-simple-poll fd :input timeout-ms)
-                   (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd sap 1)))
-                     (if (= n 1) (aref buf 0) (values nil :eof))))
+            ;; Poll first: only read if data is ready
+            (if (sb-unix:unix-simple-poll fd :input timeout-ms)
+                (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd sap 1)))
+                  (if (= n 1) (aref buf 0) (values nil :eof)))
+                nil)
             (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd sap 1)))
               (if (= n 1) (aref buf 0) (values nil :eof))))))))