diff --git a/src/container.test.ts b/src/container.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9557468
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/container.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import test from "ava"
+import { Client, TextChannel } from "discord.js"
+import { nanoid } from "nanoid"
+import { ReacordContainer } from "./container.js"
+import { raise } from "./helpers/raise.js"
+import { testBotToken, testChannelId } from "./test-environment.js"
+
+const client = new Client({
+  intents: ["GUILDS"],
+})
+
+let channel: TextChannel
+
+test.before(async () => {
+  await client.login(testBotToken)
+
+  const result =
+    client.channels.cache.get(testChannelId) ??
+    (await client.channels.fetch(testChannelId)) ??
+    raise("Channel not found")
+
+  if (!(result instanceof TextChannel)) {
+    throw new TypeError("Channel must be a text channel")
+  }
+
+  channel = result
+})
+
+test.after(() => {
+  client.destroy()
+})
+
+test("rendering text", async (t) => {
+  const container = new ReacordContainer(channel)
+
+  const content = nanoid()
+  await container.render([content])
+
+  {
+    const messages = await channel.messages.fetch()
+    t.true(messages.some((m) => m.content === content))
+  }
+
+  const newContent = nanoid()
+  await container.render([newContent])
+
+  {
+    const messages = await channel.messages.fetch()
+    t.true(messages.some((m) => m.content === newContent))
+  }
+
+  await container.render([])
+
+  {
+    const messages = await channel.messages.fetch()
+    t.false(messages.some((m) => m.content === newContent))
+  }
+})
+
+test("rapid updates", async (t) => {
+  const container = new ReacordContainer(channel)
+
+  const content = nanoid()
+  const newContent = nanoid()
+
+  void container.render([content])
+  await container.render([newContent])
+
+  {
+    const messages = await channel.messages.fetch()
+    t.true(messages.some((m) => m.content === newContent))
+  }
+
+  void container.render([content])
+  await container.render([])
+
+  {
+    const messages = await channel.messages.fetch()
+    t.false(messages.some((m) => m.content === newContent))
+  }
+})
diff --git a/src/container.ts b/src/container.ts
index fcc8a85..400d21a 100644
--- a/src/container.ts
+++ b/src/container.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { Message, MessageOptions, TextBasedChannels } from "discord.js"
+import { createDeferred } from "./helpers/deferred.js"
 
 type Action =
   | { type: "updateMessage"; options: MessageOptions }
@@ -8,38 +9,42 @@ export class ReacordContainer {
   channel: TextBasedChannels
   message?: Message
   actions: Action[] = []
-  runningActions = false
+  runningPromise?: PromiseLike<void>
 
   constructor(channel: TextBasedChannels) {
     this.channel = channel
   }
 
-  render(instances: string[]) {
+  async render(instances: string[]) {
     const messageOptions: MessageOptions = {
       content: instances.join("") || undefined, // empty strings are not allowed
     }
 
     const hasContent = messageOptions.content !== undefined
-    if (hasContent) {
-      this.addAction({ type: "updateMessage", options: messageOptions })
-    } else {
-      this.addAction({ type: "deleteMessage" })
-    }
+
+    await this.addAction(
+      hasContent
+        ? { type: "updateMessage", options: messageOptions }
+        : { type: "deleteMessage" },
+    )
   }
 
-  private addAction(action: Action) {
+  private async addAction(action: Action) {
     const lastAction = this.actions[this.actions.length - 1]
     if (lastAction?.type === action.type) {
       this.actions[this.actions.length - 1] = action
     } else {
       this.actions.push(action)
     }
-    void this.runActions()
+    await this.runActions()
   }
 
-  private runActions() {
-    if (this.runningActions) return
-    this.runningActions = true
+  private async runActions() {
+    if (this.runningPromise) {
+      return this.runningPromise
+    }
+
+    const promise = (this.runningPromise = createDeferred())
 
     queueMicrotask(async () => {
       let action: Action | undefined
@@ -47,11 +52,9 @@ export class ReacordContainer {
         try {
           switch (action.type) {
             case "updateMessage":
-              if (this.message) {
-                await this.message.edit(action.options)
-              } else {
-                this.message = await this.channel.send(action.options)
-              }
+              this.message = await (this.message
+                ? this.message.edit(action.options)
+                : this.channel.send(action.options))
               break
             case "deleteMessage":
               if (this.message) {
@@ -66,7 +69,10 @@ export class ReacordContainer {
         }
       }
 
-      this.runningActions = false
+      promise.resolve()
     })
+
+    await promise
+    this.runningPromise = undefined
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/render.test.ts b/src/render.test.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index e85320d..0000000
--- a/src/render.test.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,102 +0,0 @@
-import test from "ava"
-import { Client, TextChannel } from "discord.js"
-import { nanoid } from "nanoid"
-import { raise } from "./helpers/raise.js"
-import { waitForWithTimeout } from "./helpers/wait-for-with-timeout.js"
-import { render } from "./render.js"
-import { testBotToken, testChannelId } from "./test-environment.js"
-
-const client = new Client({
-  intents: ["GUILDS"],
-})
-
-let channel: TextChannel
-
-test.before(async () => {
-  await client.login(testBotToken)
-
-  const result =
-    client.channels.cache.get(testChannelId) ??
-    (await client.channels.fetch(testChannelId)) ??
-    raise("Channel not found")
-
-  if (!(result instanceof TextChannel)) {
-    throw new TypeError("Channel must be a text channel")
-  }
-
-  channel = result
-})
-
-test.after(() => {
-  client.destroy()
-})
-
-test.serial("rendering text", async (t) => {
-  const content = nanoid()
-  const root = render(content, channel)
-
-  await waitForWithTimeout(
-    async () => {
-      const messages = await channel.messages.fetch()
-      return messages.some((m) => m.content === content)
-    },
-    10_000,
-    "Message not found",
-  )
-
-  const newContent = nanoid()
-  root.rerender(newContent)
-
-  await waitForWithTimeout(
-    async () => {
-      const messages = await channel.messages.fetch()
-      return messages.some((m) => m.content === newContent)
-    },
-    10_000,
-    "Message not found",
-  )
-
-  root.destroy()
-
-  await waitForWithTimeout(
-    async () => {
-      const messages = await channel.messages.fetch()
-      return messages.size === 0
-    },
-    10_000,
-    "Message was not deleted",
-  )
-
-  t.pass()
-})
-
-test.serial("rapid updates", async (t) => {
-  const content = nanoid()
-  const newContent = nanoid()
-
-  const root = render(content, channel)
-  root.rerender(newContent)
-
-  await waitForWithTimeout(
-    async () => {
-      const messages = await channel.messages.fetch()
-      return messages.some((m) => m.content === newContent)
-    },
-    10_000,
-    "Message not found",
-  )
-
-  root.rerender(content)
-  root.destroy()
-
-  await waitForWithTimeout(
-    async () => {
-      const messages = await channel.messages.fetch()
-      return messages.size === 0
-    },
-    10_000,
-    "Message was not deleted",
-  )
-
-  t.pass()
-})