diff --git a/toys/pending/vi.c b/toys/pending/vi.c
index d39e66eef88296cf3be0dacb1b6a5b4c5d1d383d..afedc8f872866d53dd97e0b69c0886932b43587c 100644
--- a/toys/pending/vi.c
+++ b/toys/pending/vi.c
@@ -877,6 +877,7 @@ void vi_main(void)
   int utf8_dec_p = 0;
   char vi_buf[16];
   int vi_buf_pos = 0;
+  int visual_flag = 0;
   il = xzalloc(sizeof(struct str_line));
   il->str_data = xzalloc(80);
   il->alloc_len = 80;
@@ -908,7 +909,10 @@ void vi_main(void)
     int key = scan_key(keybuf, -1);
 
   terminal_size(&TT.screen_width, &TT.screen_height);
-  TT.screen_height -= 2; //TODO this is hack fix visual alignment
+  if (visual_flag == 0) {
+    TT.screen_height -= 2;
+    visual_flag++;
+  }
     // TODO: support cursor keys in ex mode too.
     if (TT.vi_mode && key>=256) {
       key -= 256;