diff --git a/services/modals/src/api.rs b/services/modals/src/api.rs
index a6ba1494e..f459bdd17 100644
--- a/services/modals/src/api.rs
+++ b/services/modals/src/api.rs
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ pub(crate) enum Opcode {
     /// raise a progress bar
     StartProgress,
     /// update the progress bar
-    UpdateProgress,
+    DoUpdateProgress,
     /// lower a progress bar
     StopProgress,
     /// update a dynamic notification's text
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ pub(crate) enum Opcode {
     // box because it's a convenience routine used by "everyone"; password boxes are always handled within
     // a given secured server so that the attack surface for these do not extend into the modals boundary.
     InitiateOp,
-    DoUpdateProgress,
     FinishProgress,
 
     TextEntryReturn,
diff --git a/services/modals/src/lib.rs b/services/modals/src/lib.rs
index 825ab3801..b0c50bccf 100644
--- a/services/modals/src/lib.rs
+++ b/services/modals/src/lib.rs
@@ -111,9 +111,17 @@ impl Modals {
     /// but, progress updates are meant to be fast and frequent, and generally if a progress bar shows
     /// something whacky it's not going to affect a security outcome
     pub fn update_progress(&self, current: u32) -> Result<(), xous::Error> {
-        send_message(self.conn,
-            Message::new_scalar(Opcode::UpdateProgress.to_usize().unwrap(), current as usize, 0, 0, 0)
-        ).expect("couldn't update progress");
+        match xous::try_send_message(self.conn,
+            Message::new_scalar(Opcode::DoUpdateProgress.to_usize().unwrap(), current as usize, 0, 0, 0)
+        ) {
+            Ok(_) => (),
+            Err(e) => {
+                log::warn!("update_progress failed with {:?}, skipping request", e);
+                // most likely issue is that the server queue is overfull because too many progress updates were sent
+                // sleep the sending thread to rate-limit requests, while discarding the current request.
+                xous::yield_slice()
+            }
+        }
         Ok(())
     }
 
diff --git a/services/modals/src/main.rs b/services/modals/src/main.rs
index 2f638bc5e..16125ef42 100644
--- a/services/modals/src/main.rs
+++ b/services/modals/src/main.rs
@@ -224,12 +224,6 @@ fn xmain() -> ! {
                     Message::new_scalar(Opcode::InitiateOp.to_usize().unwrap(), 0, 0, 0, 0)
                 ).expect("couldn't initiate UX op");
             },
-            Some(Opcode::UpdateProgress) => msg_scalar_unpack!(msg, current, _, _, _, {
-                send_message(
-                    renderer_cid,
-                    Message::new_scalar(Opcode::DoUpdateProgress.to_usize().unwrap(), current, 0, 0, 0)
-                ).expect("couldn't update progress bar");
-            }),
             Some(Opcode::StopProgress) => msg_scalar_unpack!(msg, t0, t1, t2, t3, {
                 let token = [t0 as u32, t1 as u32, t2 as u32, t3 as u32];
                 if token != token_lock.unwrap_or(default_nonce) {
@@ -289,6 +283,30 @@ fn xmain() -> ! {
                     Message::new_scalar(Opcode::DoCloseDynamicNotification.to_usize().unwrap(), 0, 0, 0, 0)
                 ).expect("couldn't close dynamic notification");
             }),
+            // this got promoted to an external API during the deferred response refactor to eliminate an intermediate state
+            Some(Opcode::DoUpdateProgress) => msg_scalar_unpack!(msg, current, _, _, _, {
+                let new_percentage = compute_checked_percentage(
+                    current as u32, start_work, end_work);
+                log::trace!("percentage: {}, current: {}, start: {}, end: {}", new_percentage, current, start_work, end_work);
+                if new_percentage != last_percentage {
+                    last_percentage = new_percentage;
+                    progress_action.set_state(last_percentage);
+                    #[cfg(feature="tts")]
+                    {
+                        if tt.elapsed_ms() - last_tick > TICK_INTERVAL {
+                            tts.tts_blocking(t!("progress.increment", xous::LANG)).unwrap();
+                            last_tick = tt.elapsed_ms();
+                        }
+                    }
+                    renderer_modal.modify(
+                        Some(ActionType::Slider(progress_action)),
+                        None, false,
+                        None, false, None
+                    );
+                    renderer_modal.redraw();
+                    xous::yield_slice(); // give time for the GAM to redraw
+                }
+            }),
 
             // ------------------ INTERNAL APIS --------------------
             Some(Opcode::InitiateOp) => {
@@ -394,7 +412,7 @@ fn xmain() -> ! {
                             #[cfg(feature="tts")]
                             tts.tts_simple(text.as_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
                             bot_text.push_str(text.as_str().unwrap());
-                        }                                                             
+                        }
                         let mut gutter = gam::modal::Notification::new(
                             renderer_cid,
                             Opcode::Gutter.to_u32().unwrap()
@@ -414,29 +432,6 @@ fn xmain() -> ! {
                     }
                 }
             },
-            Some(Opcode::DoUpdateProgress) => msg_scalar_unpack!(msg, current, _, _, _, {
-                let new_percentage = compute_checked_percentage(
-                    current as u32, start_work, end_work);
-                log::trace!("percentage: {}, current: {}, start: {}, end: {}", new_percentage, current, start_work, end_work);
-                if new_percentage != last_percentage {
-                    last_percentage = new_percentage;
-                    progress_action.set_state(last_percentage);
-                    #[cfg(feature="tts")]
-                    {
-                        if tt.elapsed_ms() - last_tick > TICK_INTERVAL {
-                            tts.tts_blocking(t!("progress.increment", xous::LANG)).unwrap();
-                            last_tick = tt.elapsed_ms();
-                        }
-                    }
-                    renderer_modal.modify(
-                        Some(ActionType::Slider(progress_action)),
-                        None, false,
-                        None, false, None
-                    );
-                    renderer_modal.redraw();
-                    xous::yield_slice(); // give time for the GAM to redraw
-                }
-            }),
             Some(Opcode::FinishProgress) => {
                 renderer_modal.gam.relinquish_focus().unwrap();
                 op = RendererState::None;