diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/test/focus.ts b/frontend/src/ts/test/focus.ts
index 35b655bcabad..7b9842e2f124 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/test/focus.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/test/focus.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import * as LiveBurst from "./live-burst";
 import * as LiveAcc from "./live-acc";
 import * as TimerProgress from "./timer-progress";
 import * as PageTransition from "../states/page-transition";
+import { requestDebouncedAnimationFrame } from "../utils/debounced-animation-frame";
 
 const unfocusPx = 3;
 let state = false;
@@ -41,13 +42,13 @@ function initializeCache(): void {
 // with cursor is a special case that is only used on the initial page load
 // to avoid the cursor being invisible and confusing the user
 export function set(value: boolean, withCursor = false): void {
-  initializeCache();
+  requestDebouncedAnimationFrame("focus.set", () => {
+    initializeCache();
 
-  if (value && !state) {
-    state = true;
+    if (value && !state) {
+      state = true;
 
-    // batch DOM operations for better performance
-    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      // batch DOM operations for better performance
       if (cache.focus) {
         for (const el of cache.focus) {
           el.classList.add("focus");
@@ -58,17 +59,15 @@ export function set(value: boolean, withCursor = false): void {
           el.style.cursor = "none";
         }
       }
-    });
 
-    Caret.stopAnimation();
-    LiveSpeed.show();
-    LiveBurst.show();
-    LiveAcc.show();
-    TimerProgress.show();
-  } else if (!value && state) {
-    state = false;
+      Caret.stopAnimation();
+      LiveSpeed.show();
+      LiveBurst.show();
+      LiveAcc.show();
+      TimerProgress.show();
+    } else if (!value && state) {
+      state = false;
 
-    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
       if (cache.focus) {
         for (const el of cache.focus) {
           el.classList.remove("focus");
@@ -79,14 +78,14 @@ export function set(value: boolean, withCursor = false): void {
           el.style.cursor = "";
         }
       }
-    });
 
-    Caret.startAnimation();
-    LiveSpeed.hide();
-    LiveBurst.hide();
-    LiveAcc.hide();
-    TimerProgress.hide();
-  }
+      Caret.startAnimation();
+      LiveSpeed.hide();
+      LiveBurst.hide();
+      LiveAcc.hide();
+      TimerProgress.hide();
+    }
+  });
 }
 
 $(document).on("mousemove", function (event) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts b/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts
index 0e3f478b2893..778c5711f030 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { TimerColor, TimerOpacity } from "@monkeytype/schemas/configs";
 import { convertRemToPixels } from "../utils/numbers";
 import { findSingleActiveFunboxWithFunction } from "./funbox/list";
 import * as TestState from "./test-state";
+import { requestDebouncedAnimationFrame } from "../utils/debounced-animation-frame";
 
 const debouncedZipfCheck = debounce(250, async () => {
   const supports = await JSONData.checkIfLanguageSupportsZipf(Config.language);
@@ -491,13 +492,9 @@ export function appendEmptyWordElement(
     `<div class='word' data-wordindex='${index}'><letter class='invisible'>_</letter></div>`
   );
 }
-let updateWordsInputPositionAnimationFrameId: null | number = null;
+
 export function updateWordsInputPosition(): void {
-  if (updateWordsInputPositionAnimationFrameId !== null) {
-    cancelAnimationFrame(updateWordsInputPositionAnimationFrameId);
-  }
-  updateWordsInputPositionAnimationFrameId = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-    updateWordsInputPositionAnimationFrameId = null;
+  requestDebouncedAnimationFrame("test-ui.updateWordsInputPosition", () => {
     if (ActivePage.get() !== "test") return;
     const isTestRightToLeft = TestState.isDirectionReversed
       ? !TestState.isLanguageRightToLeft
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/utils/debounced-animation-frame.ts b/frontend/src/ts/utils/debounced-animation-frame.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..afb60c3e9c33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/utils/debounced-animation-frame.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+const pendingFrames = new Map<string, number>();
+
+export function requestDebouncedAnimationFrame(
+  frameId: string,
+  callback: () => void
+): void {
+  cancelIfPending(frameId);
+  const frame = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+    pendingFrames.delete(frameId);
+    callback();
+  });
+  pendingFrames.set(frameId, frame);
+}
+
+function cancelIfPending(frameId: string): void {
+  const pending = pendingFrames.get(frameId);
+  if (pending !== undefined) {
+    cancelAnimationFrame(pending);
+    pendingFrames.delete(frameId);
+  }
+}