diff --git a/src/core/core.odin b/src/core/core.odin
index d2f6a64..bffb2a1 100644
--- a/src/core/core.odin
+++ b/src/core/core.odin
@@ -208,13 +208,14 @@ EditorAction :: proc(state: ^State, user_data: rawptr);
 InputActions :: struct {
     key_actions: map[Key]Action,
     ctrl_key_actions: map[Key]Action,
+    show_help: bool,
 }
 Action :: struct {
     action: InputGroup,
     description: string,
 }
 
-new_input_map :: proc(allocator := context.allocator) -> InputMap {
+new_input_map :: proc(show_help: bool = false, allocator := context.allocator) -> InputMap {
     context.allocator = allocator
 
     input_map := InputMap {
@@ -228,15 +229,19 @@ new_input_map :: proc(allocator := context.allocator) -> InputMap {
         }
     }
 
+    normal_actions := &input_map.mode[.Normal]
+    normal_actions.show_help = show_help
+
     return input_map;
 }
 
-new_input_actions :: proc(allocator := context.allocator) -> InputActions {
+new_input_actions :: proc(show_help: bool = false, allocator := context.allocator) -> InputActions {
     context.allocator = allocator
 
     input_actions := InputActions {
         key_actions = make(map[Key]Action),
         ctrl_key_actions = make(map[Key]Action),
+        show_help = show_help,
     }
 
     return input_actions;
diff --git a/src/main.odin b/src/main.odin
index 9a6b0b7..21a0257 100644
--- a/src/main.odin
+++ b/src/main.odin
@@ -100,8 +100,7 @@ draw :: proc(state: ^State) {
     ui.compute_layout(new_ui)
     ui.draw(new_ui, state)
 
-    // TODO: figure out when to not show the input help menu
-    if false && state.mode != .Insert { // && state.current_input_map != &state.input_map.mode[state.mode] {
+    if state.mode != .Insert && state.current_input_map.show_help {
         longest_description := 0;
         for key, action in state.current_input_map.key_actions {
             if len(action.description) > longest_description {
diff --git a/src/panels/file_buffer.odin b/src/panels/file_buffer.odin
index 915eb29..5ceadcd 100644
--- a/src/panels/file_buffer.odin
+++ b/src/panels/file_buffer.odin
@@ -46,13 +46,14 @@ make_file_buffer_panel :: proc(file_path: string, line: int = 0, col: int = 0) -
                 panel_state.buffer = buffer
             }
 
-            leader_actions := core.new_input_actions()
+            leader_actions := core.new_input_actions(show_help = true)
             register_default_leader_actions(&leader_actions);
             file_buffer_leader_actions(&leader_actions);
             core.register_key_action(&panel.input_map.mode[.Normal], .SPACE, leader_actions, "leader commands");
 
-            core.register_ctrl_key_action(&panel.input_map.mode[.Normal], .W, core.new_input_actions(), "Panel Navigation") 
-            register_default_panel_actions(&(&panel.input_map.mode[.Normal].ctrl_key_actions[.W]).action.(core.InputActions))
+            panel_actions := core.new_input_actions(show_help = true)
+            register_default_panel_actions(&panel_actions)
+            core.register_ctrl_key_action(&panel.input_map.mode[.Normal], .W, panel_actions, "Panel Navigation") 
 
             file_buffer_input_actions(&panel.input_map.mode[.Normal]);
             file_buffer_visual_actions(&panel.input_map.mode[.Visual]);
diff --git a/src/panels/grep.odin b/src/panels/grep.odin
index a3b9806..b800c17 100644
--- a/src/panels/grep.odin
+++ b/src/panels/grep.odin
@@ -66,12 +66,13 @@ make_grep_panel :: proc() -> core.Panel {
             }
             mem.arena_init(&panel_state.query_arena, arena_bytes)
 
-            panel.input_map = core.new_input_map()
+            panel.input_map = core.new_input_map(show_help = true)
             panel_state.glyphs = core.make_glyph_buffer(256,256)
             panel_state.buffer = core.new_virtual_file_buffer()
 
-            core.register_ctrl_key_action(&panel.input_map.mode[.Normal], .W, core.new_input_actions(), "Panel Navigation") 
-            register_default_panel_actions(&(&panel.input_map.mode[.Normal].ctrl_key_actions[.W]).action.(core.InputActions))
+            panel_actions := core.new_input_actions(show_help = true)
+            register_default_panel_actions(&panel_actions)
+            core.register_ctrl_key_action(&panel.input_map.mode[.Normal], .W, panel_actions, "Panel Navigation") 
 
             core.register_key_action(&panel.input_map.mode[.Normal], .ENTER, proc(state: ^core.State, user_data: rawptr) {
                 this_panel := transmute(^core.Panel)user_data