diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb42fa9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+__pycache__
+*.pyz
+
diff --git a/src/main.py b/src/main.py
index c0016cd..31755f3 100644
--- a/src/main.py
+++ b/src/main.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ from utils import parse_args, safe_input, load_script
 # terminal color codes
 # the readline module requires \001 and \002 because it counts characters
 # when displaying, but those color codes are zero-width
+# also, the libedit library that readline sometimes interfaces with truncates trailing color codes
+# always end input() prompt strings with a visible character (including a space)
 RST = '\001\x1b[0m\002'
 GRN = '\001\x1b[0;32m\002'
 BLU = '\001\x1b[0;34m\002'
@@ -19,10 +21,10 @@ def main():
         RCON_ADDRESS = args.host
         args.port = args.port or 25575
     else:
-        RCON_ADDRESS = safe_input(f"{GRN} RCON hostname (IP address)> {RST}")
+        RCON_ADDRESS = safe_input(f"{GRN} RCON hostname (IP address)>{RST} ")
 
-    RCON_PORT = args.port or int(safe_input(f"{GRN} RCON port (default 25575)> {RST}") or 25575)
-    RCON_PASSWORD = args.password or safe_input(f"{GRN} RCON server password> {RST}") 
+    RCON_PORT = args.port or int(safe_input(f"{GRN} RCON port (default 25575)>{RST} ") or 25575)
+    RCON_PASSWORD = args.password or safe_input(f"{GRN} RCON server password>{RST} ") 
 
     # open TCP connection to server
     with socket() as sock:
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@ def main():
             print(f"{GRY} Authentication failed. {RST}")
             # if not run interactively, quit b/c we don't want to prompt the user for more passwords
             if args.password: exit(1) 
-            login_success = login(sock, safe_input(f"{GRN} Please re-enter the RCON password> {RST}"))
+            login_success = login(sock, safe_input(f"{GRN} Please re-enter the RCON password>{RST} "))
 
         if args.execute_command:
             if args.echo: rcon.ECHO_COMMANDS = True
@@ -59,8 +61,8 @@ def main():
         else: # command REPL
             print(f"{GRY} Successfully logged in. Press Ctrl-C for a fresh prompt or Ctrl-D to exit. {RST}")
             while True: # safe_input will terminate the program when the user pressed Ctrl-D
-                command = safe_input(f"{BLU} RCON@{RCON_ADDRESS} > {RST}")
-                print(f"{GRY}", send_command(sock, command))
+                command = safe_input(f"{BLU} RCON@{RCON_ADDRESS} >{RST} ")
+                print(f"{GRY}", send_command(sock, command), f"{RST}")
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':