diff --git a/cmd/rpcfetch/apply.go b/cmd/rpcfetch/apply.go
index 4ab24e0..c304c7a 100644
--- a/cmd/rpcfetch/apply.go
+++ b/cmd/rpcfetch/apply.go
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ func apply() {
 	confLock.RUnlock()
 
 	if nonce, err := retry(&act, s); err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, syscall.EINTR) || errors.Is(err, discord.ErrNonce) {
+			log.Printf("abandoned further attempts on current tick: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
 		log.Fatalf("error setting activity: %s", err)
 	} else {
 		log.Printf("activity updated with nonce %s", nonce)
@@ -109,20 +113,25 @@ var retryTicker = time.NewTicker(100 * time.Millisecond)
 func retry(act *discord.Activity, s *applyState) (nonce string, err error) {
 	fyne.DoAndWait(func() { uiUpdateClientInfo(s) })
 
+	i := 0
 	for range retryTicker.C {
-		nonce, err = d.SetActivity(act)
-		if err == nil {
+		if i == 5 {
 			break
 		}
+		nonce, err = d.SetActivity(act)
+		if err == nil {
+			fyne.DoAndWait(func() { uiSetFailureState(true) })
+			break
+		}
+		i++
 
 		if errors.Is(err, syscall.EINTR) || errors.Is(err, discord.ErrNonce) {
-			log.Println("retrying in 100 milliseconds...")
+			log.Printf("retrying in 100 milliseconds...")
 		} else {
 			log.Printf("cannot set activity: %v", err)
 		}
 		fyne.DoAndWait(func() { uiSetFailureState(false) })
 	}
-	fyne.DoAndWait(func() { uiSetFailureState(true) })
 
 	return
 }
diff --git a/cmd/rpcfetch/ui.go b/cmd/rpcfetch/ui.go
index 3393f62..1e85e99 100644
--- a/cmd/rpcfetch/ui.go
+++ b/cmd/rpcfetch/ui.go
@@ -375,15 +375,11 @@ func ui() error {
 	presetUp.SetIcon(theme.MoveUpIcon())
 	presetDown.SetIcon(theme.MoveDownIcon())
 
-	go func() {
-		for range time.Tick(time.Second) {
-			fyne.DoAndWait(func() { statusTimer.SetText(time.Now().UTC().Sub(launchTime).Round(time.Second).String()) })
-		}
-	}()
-
 	active.Store(true)
 	go func() {
 		for range time.Tick(1 * time.Second) {
+			fyne.DoAndWait(func() { statusTimer.SetText(time.Now().UTC().Sub(launchTime).Round(time.Second).String()) })
+
 			if active.Load() {
 				apply()
 			}