diff --git a/fzf b/fzf
index 33823d38..ec10ce4a 100755
--- a/fzf
+++ b/fzf
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ class FZF
     end
   end
 
-  def read_nb chars = 1, default = nil, tries = 20
+  def read_nb chars = 1, default = nil, tries = 10
     tries.times do |_|
       begin
         return @tty.read_nonblock(chars).ord