diff --git a/src/reader/config.h b/src/reader/config.h
index fc92f19..f9e969d 100644
--- a/src/reader/config.h
+++ b/src/reader/config.h
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
 
 #define TARGET_FPS 20
 
+// How long the main loop may block waiting for input when there's nothing
+// held/animating, instead of polling at TARGET_FPS. Bounds CPU/battery use
+// while idle without meaningfully affecting perceived input latency.
+#define IDLE_POLL_TIMEOUT_MS 500
+
 #define IDLE_SAVE_TIME_SEC 60
 
 #define FONT_DIR            "resources/fonts"
diff --git a/src/reader/main.cpp b/src/reader/main.cpp
index fe7ff34..6b2db79 100644
--- a/src/reader/main.cpp
+++ b/src/reader/main.cpp
@@ -151,6 +151,29 @@ class SystemKeyChordTracker
     }
 };
 
+// Portable substitute for SDL_WaitEventTimeout, which isn't declared in
+// every SDL1.2 build (notably absent from the Miyoo Mini cross-compile
+// toolchain's headers). Polls in a short sleep loop instead of a single
+// blocking call - still lets the CPU idle between polls, just with
+// POLL_STEP_MS granularity instead of an instant wake.
+bool poll_event_with_timeout(SDL_Event *event, uint32_t timeout_ms)
+{
+    constexpr uint32_t POLL_STEP_MS = 10;
+    uint32_t start = SDL_GetTicks();
+    while (true)
+    {
+        if (SDL_PollEvent(event))
+        {
+            return true;
+        }
+        if (SDL_GetTicks() - start >= timeout_ms)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+        SDL_Delay(POLL_STEP_MS);
+    }
+}
+
 bool quit = false;
 
 void signal_handler(int)
@@ -283,6 +306,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     // Timing
     Timer idle_timer;
+    Timer tick_timer;
     FPSLimiter limit_fps(TARGET_FPS);
     const uint32_t avg_loop_time = 1000 / TARGET_FPS;
 
@@ -295,8 +319,25 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     {
         bool ran_user_code = task_queue.drain();
 
+        {
+            uint32_t elapsed_ms = tick_timer.elapsed_ms();
+            tick_timer.reset();
+            view_stack.on_tick(elapsed_ms);
+        }
+
+        // Only stay on a tight poll+sleep cadence while something is held or
+        // animating; otherwise block until the next real event to let the
+        // CPU idle between key presses.
+        bool need_fast_ticks = held_key_tracker.any_held() || (
+            view_stack.top_view() && view_stack.top_view()->wants_continuous_render()
+        );
+
         SDL_Event event;
-        while (SDL_PollEvent(&event))
+        bool got_event = (!ran_user_code && !need_fast_ticks)
+            ? poll_event_with_timeout(&event, IDLE_POLL_TIMEOUT_MS)
+            : SDL_PollEvent(&event) != 0;
+
+        while (got_event)
         {
             switch (event.type)
             {
@@ -343,12 +384,15 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                 default:
                     break;
             }
+
+            got_event = SDL_PollEvent(&event) != 0;
         }
 
         quit = quit || chord_tracker.exit_requested();
 
         held_key_tracker.accumulate(avg_loop_time); // Pretend perfect loop timing for event firing consistency
         ran_user_code = held_key_tracker.for_longest_held(key_held_callback) || ran_user_code;
+        ran_user_code = ran_user_code || need_fast_ticks;
 
         if (ran_user_code)
         {
@@ -366,7 +410,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             }
         }
 
-        if (!quit)
+        if (!quit && need_fast_ticks)
         {
             limit_fps();
         }
diff --git a/src/reader/view.h b/src/reader/view.h
index e116a18..2496d74 100644
--- a/src/reader/view.h
+++ b/src/reader/view.h
@@ -22,6 +22,16 @@ class View
     // Pass key and held time in ms.
     virtual void on_keyheld(SDLKey, uint32_t) {}
 
+    // Called once per main loop iteration regardless of input, with elapsed
+    // time since the last call. Used for animations that aren't driven by a
+    // held key (e.g. auto-scroll).
+    virtual void on_tick(uint32_t) {}
+
+    // If true, the main loop will keep ticking/rendering at full rate even
+    // with no input, instead of sleeping between events. Used by views that
+    // animate on their own (e.g. auto-scroll).
+    virtual bool wants_continuous_render() const { return false; }
+
     // This view has been popped from the stack (now defunct).
     virtual void on_pop() {}
 
diff --git a/src/reader/view_stack.cpp b/src/reader/view_stack.cpp
index 4f2990a..8617eca 100644
--- a/src/reader/view_stack.cpp
+++ b/src/reader/view_stack.cpp
@@ -67,6 +67,14 @@ void ViewStack::on_keyheld(SDLKey key, uint32_t hold_time_ms)
     }
 }
 
+void ViewStack::on_tick(uint32_t elapsed_ms)
+{
+    if (!views.empty())
+    {
+        views.back()->on_tick(elapsed_ms);
+    }
+}
+
 bool ViewStack::pop_completed_views()
 {
     bool changed_focus = false;
diff --git a/src/reader/view_stack.h b/src/reader/view_stack.h
index 0d17ffb..fb83df6 100644
--- a/src/reader/view_stack.h
+++ b/src/reader/view_stack.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class ViewStack: public View
 
     void on_keypress(SDLKey key) override;
     void on_keyheld(SDLKey key, uint32_t hold_time_ms) override;
+    void on_tick(uint32_t elapsed_ms) override;
 
     // Pop views that report as done. Return true if focus changed.
     bool pop_completed_views();
diff --git a/src/util/held_key_tracker.cpp b/src/util/held_key_tracker.cpp
index f0d4295..6e7bae9 100644
--- a/src/util/held_key_tracker.cpp
+++ b/src/util/held_key_tracker.cpp
@@ -63,3 +63,18 @@ bool HeldKeyTracker::for_longest_held(const std::function<void(SDLKey, uint32_t)
 
     return false;
 }
+
+bool HeldKeyTracker::any_held() const
+{
+    const Uint8 *keystate = SDL_GetKeyState(nullptr);
+
+    for (SDLKey key : keycodes)
+    {
+        if (keystate[key])
+        {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
diff --git a/src/util/held_key_tracker.h b/src/util/held_key_tracker.h
index 0676032..2ad424c 100644
--- a/src/util/held_key_tracker.h
+++ b/src/util/held_key_tracker.h
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ class HeldKeyTracker {
 
     void accumulate(uint32_t ms);
     bool for_longest_held(const std::function<void(SDLKey, uint32_t)> &callback);
+
+    // Return true if any tracked key is currently held, checked directly
+    // against live keyboard state (independent of accumulate()'s timing).
+    bool any_held() const;
 };
 
 #endif