diff --git a/pkg/tui/tui.go b/pkg/tui/tui.go
index 6ac0049..f4c231e 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/tui.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/tui.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package tui
 
 // The terminal UI for lmcli, launched from the `lmcli chat` command
 // TODO:
-// - mode/focus changing between input and message selection
 // - binding to open selected message/input in $EDITOR
 
 import (
@@ -19,6 +18,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/lipgloss"
 )
 
+type focusState int
+
+const (
+	focusInput focusState = iota
+	focusMessages
+)
+
 type model struct {
 	ctx           *lmcli.Context
 	convShortname string
@@ -30,6 +36,7 @@ type model struct {
 	err          error
 
 	// ui state
+	focus     focusState
 	isWaiting bool
 	status    string // a general status message
 
@@ -81,7 +88,25 @@ func (m model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 
 	switch msg := msg.(type) {
 	case tea.KeyMsg:
-		cmd = m.handleKeyMsg(msg)
+		switch msg.String() {
+		case "ctrl+c":
+			return m, tea.Quit
+		case "q":
+			if m.focus != focusInput {
+				return m, tea.Quit
+			}
+		default:
+			var inputHandled tea.Cmd
+			switch m.focus {
+			case focusInput:
+				inputHandled = m.handleInputKey(msg)
+			case focusMessages:
+				inputHandled = m.handleMessagesKey(msg)
+			}
+			if inputHandled != nil {
+				return m, inputHandled
+			}
+		}
 	case tea.WindowSizeMsg:
 		m.content.Width = msg.Width
 		m.content.Height = msg.Height - m.input.Height() - lipgloss.Height(m.footerView())
@@ -161,14 +186,23 @@ func initialModel(ctx *lmcli.Context, convShortname string) model {
 
 	m.isWaiting = false
 	m.status = "Press ctrl+s to send"
-
 	return m
 }
 
-func (m *model) handleKeyMsg(msg tea.KeyMsg) tea.Cmd {
+func (m *model) handleMessagesKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) tea.Cmd {
 	switch msg.String() {
-	case "ctrl+c", "q":
-		return tea.Quit
+	case "tab":
+		m.focus = focusInput
+		m.input.Focus()
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (m *model) handleInputKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) tea.Cmd {
+	switch msg.String() {
+	case "esc":
+		m.focus = focusMessages
+		m.input.Blur()
 	case "ctrl+s":
 		userInput := strings.TrimSpace(m.input.Value())
 		if strings.TrimSpace(userInput) == "" {
@@ -186,11 +220,7 @@ func (m *model) handleKeyMsg(msg tea.KeyMsg) tea.Cmd {
 		m.isWaiting = true
 		m.status = "Waiting for response... (Press 's' to stop)"
 		return m.promptLLM()
-	case "s":
-		// TOOD: stop response
-		break
 	}
-
 	return nil
 }