diff --git a/chat.js b/chat.js
index df281905..5a3834ea 100644
--- a/chat.js
+++ b/chat.js
@@ -479,17 +479,26 @@ function chatInputActionFired() {
 
 /** @param {number} length */
 function constrainByteLength(length) {
-  const buf = new Uint8Array(length + 1);
+  const buf = new Uint8Array(length);
   const enc = new TextEncoder();
-  const dec = new TextDecoder(undefined, { fatal: false });
   return event => {
     const target = event?.target;
     if (!target) return;
-    if (enc.encodeInto(target.value, buf).read <= length) return;
-    let recovered = dec.decode(buf.slice(0, length));
-    const invalid = recovered.indexOf('�');
-    if (invalid > -1) recovered = recovered.slice(0, invalid);
-    target.value = recovered;
+    // modifying input contents during composition would interrupt it
+    // and prevent the user from finishing
+    if (event.isComposing) return;
+
+    const sel = target.selectionStart;
+    const v = target.value;
+
+    // length is implicitly constrained by encodeInto
+    // encode the substring after the caret first so it doesn't get
+    // overwritten if the caret is in the middle of the string
+    const e2 = enc.encodeInto(v.substring(sel), buf);
+    // then do the one before the caret
+    const e1 = enc.encodeInto(v.substring(0, sel), buf.subarray(e2.written));
+    target.value = v.substring(0, e1.read) + v.substring(sel, sel+e2.read);
+    target.selectionEnd = e1.read;
   };
 }