diff --git a/lisp/system-model-provider.lisp b/lisp/system-model-provider.lisp
index 75beaa4..6d13c30 100644
--- a/lisp/system-model-provider.lisp
+++ b/lisp/system-model-provider.lisp
@@ -54,29 +54,28 @@
     (handler-case
         (let* ((result nil)
                (lock (bt:make-lock "llm-lock"))
-               (done nil)
+               (cvar (bt:make-condition-variable))
                (thread (bt:make-thread
                         (lambda ()
-                          (handler-case
-                              (let* ((response (dex:post url :headers headers :content body
-                                                        :connect-timeout (min 10 timeout)
-                                                        :read-timeout (max 10 (- timeout 5))))
-                                     (json (cl-json:decode-json-from-string response))
-                                     (choices (cdr (assoc :choices json)))
-                                     (first-choice (car choices))
-                                     (message (cdr (assoc :message first-choice)))
-                                     (content (cdr (assoc :content message))))
-                                (setf result (if content
-                                                 (list :status :success :content content)
-                                                 (list :status :error :message (format nil "~a: No content" provider)))))
-                            (error (c)
-                              (setf result (list :status :error :message (format nil "~a Error: ~a" provider c)))))
-                          (bt:with-lock-held (lock) (setf done t)))
+                          (unwind-protect
+                               (handler-case
+                                   (let* ((response (dex:post url :headers headers :content body
+                                                             :connect-timeout (min 10 timeout)
+                                                             :read-timeout (max 10 (- timeout 5))))
+                                          (json (cl-json:decode-json-from-string response))
+                                          (choices (cdr (assoc :choices json)))
+                                          (first-choice (car choices))
+                                          (message (cdr (assoc :message first-choice)))
+                                          (content (cdr (assoc :content message))))
+                                     (setf result (list :status :success :content content)))
+                                 (error (c)
+                                   (setf result (list :status :error :message (format nil "~a Error: ~a" provider c)))))
+                            (bt:with-lock-held (lock)
+                              (bt:condition-notify cvar))))
                         :name (format nil "llm-~a" provider))))
-          (loop for waited from 0 below timeout
-                when (bt:with-lock-held (lock) done)
-                do (return result)
-                do (sleep 0.5))
+          (bt:with-lock-held (lock)
+            (unless result
+              (bt:condition-wait cvar lock :timeout timeout)))
           (or result
               (list :status :error :message (format nil "~a: Request timed out after ~d seconds" provider timeout))))
       (error (c)
diff --git a/org/system-model-provider.org b/org/system-model-provider.org
index 36a654f..8c03146 100644
--- a/org/system-model-provider.org
+++ b/org/system-model-provider.org
@@ -82,29 +82,28 @@ Providers register themselves at boot. No API key? That provider doesn't registe
     (handler-case
         (let* ((result nil)
                (lock (bt:make-lock "llm-lock"))
-               (done nil)
+               (cvar (bt:make-condition-variable))
                (thread (bt:make-thread
                         (lambda ()
-                          (handler-case
-                              (let* ((response (dex:post url :headers headers :content body
-                                                        :connect-timeout (min 10 timeout)
-                                                        :read-timeout (max 10 (- timeout 5))))
-                                     (json (cl-json:decode-json-from-string response))
-                                     (choices (cdr (assoc :choices json)))
-                                     (first-choice (car choices))
-                                     (message (cdr (assoc :message first-choice)))
-                                     (content (cdr (assoc :content message))))
-                                (setf result (if content
-                                                 (list :status :success :content content)
-                                                 (list :status :error :message (format nil "~a: No content" provider)))))
-                            (error (c)
-                              (setf result (list :status :error :message (format nil "~a Error: ~a" provider c)))))
-                          (bt:with-lock-held (lock) (setf done t)))
+                          (unwind-protect
+                               (handler-case
+                                   (let* ((response (dex:post url :headers headers :content body
+                                                             :connect-timeout (min 10 timeout)
+                                                             :read-timeout (max 10 (- timeout 5))))
+                                          (json (cl-json:decode-json-from-string response))
+                                          (choices (cdr (assoc :choices json)))
+                                          (first-choice (car choices))
+                                          (message (cdr (assoc :message first-choice)))
+                                          (content (cdr (assoc :content message))))
+                                     (setf result (list :status :success :content content)))
+                                 (error (c)
+                                   (setf result (list :status :error :message (format nil "~a Error: ~a" provider c)))))
+                            (bt:with-lock-held (lock)
+                              (bt:condition-notify cvar))))
                         :name (format nil "llm-~a" provider))))
-          (loop for waited from 0 below timeout
-                when (bt:with-lock-held (lock) done)
-                do (return result)
-                do (sleep 0.5))
+          (bt:with-lock-held (lock)
+            (unless result
+              (bt:condition-wait cvar lock :timeout timeout)))
           (or result
               (list :status :error :message (format nil "~a: Request timed out after ~d seconds" provider timeout))))
       (error (c)