diff --git a/stlio.c b/stlio.c
index 5bc95aa..59f14d9 100644
--- a/stlio.c
+++ b/stlio.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ u32 write(const char* buffer, const u32 size) {
 }
 
 // this is here to get around gcc's optimizations
-static void __kbd_state(u8* dest, u8 desire) {
+static void __char_set(u8* dest, u8 desire) {
 	*dest = desire;
 }
 
@@ -47,13 +47,15 @@ u32 read(char* buffer, u32 size) {
 	u8 state = 0;
 	
 	while(bytes < size) {
-		//if(pit_timer_ticks - kbd_time < 0x20) {
-
-		__kbd_state(&state, kbd_state);
+		// All of these calls to __char_set is to avoid gcc from optimizing things away and ruining intended behavior
+		// Basically gcc will tread all assignments here as one time deals so we have to cram that operation into a routine
+		// by itself, that way the compiler won't try to optimize and do the assignment once. instead it does the call
+		// every iteration
+		__char_set(&state, kbd_state);
 		if(pit_timer_ticks - kbd_time < 0x20 && state == KBD_RELEASE) {
-			__kbd_state(&buffer[bytes], (u8)kbd_key);
+			__char_set(&(buffer[bytes]), (u8)kbd_key);
 			bytes++;
-			__kbd_state(&kbd_state, KBD_WAITING); // reset the kbd_state since we've now used it
+			__char_set(&kbd_state, KBD_WAITING); // reset the kbd_state since we've now used it
 			putch(kbd_key);
 		}
 		pit_timer_wait(1);