diff --git a/audio.py b/audio.py
index 39bceb2..0ef5038 100644
--- a/audio.py
+++ b/audio.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ CHANNELS = 1
 SAMPLE_WIDTH = 2  # s16
 CHUNK_FRAMES = 1024
 CHUNK_BYTES = CHUNK_FRAMES * SAMPLE_WIDTH * CHANNELS
+CHUNK_LATENCY_MS = round(CHUNK_FRAMES / RATE * 1000)
 MIN_FRAMES = int(RATE * 0.25)
 
 
@@ -184,6 +185,12 @@ def recording_command(target=""):
         cmd = [
             "parec", "--record", "--raw", f"--rate={RATE}",
             f"--channels={CHANNELS}", "--format=s16le",
+            # Left alone, parec holds about two seconds before handing anything
+            # over, and then hands over all of it at once: the level meter sits
+            # still and jumps, and the tail of a recording can be lost on the
+            # way out. A chunk of the meter is the unit the rest of this file
+            # is measured in, so ask for that.
+            f"--latency-msec={CHUNK_LATENCY_MS}",
         ]
         if target:
             cmd.append(f"--device={target}")
diff --git a/tests/test_audio.py b/tests/test_audio.py
index 52f2f54..7595d1b 100644
--- a/tests/test_audio.py
+++ b/tests/test_audio.py
@@ -243,6 +243,18 @@ class RecordingCommand(DikteTest):
                 self.assertIn(str(audio.CHANNELS), joined)
                 self.assertIn("s16", joined)
 
+    def test_parec_is_asked_for_the_level_meter_s_own_chunk(self):
+        """Left alone it buffers about two seconds, which the waveform shows as
+        a still bar that jumps once a second, and which can cost the tail of a
+        recording when the process is asked to stop."""
+        with only_these_tools("parec"):
+            self.assertIn(f"--latency-msec={audio.CHUNK_LATENCY_MS}",
+                          audio.recording_command())
+
+    def test_the_latency_asked_for_is_the_chunk_the_meter_reads(self):
+        self.assertEqual(audio.CHUNK_LATENCY_MS,
+                         round(audio.CHUNK_FRAMES / audio.RATE * 1000))
+
     def test_a_chosen_microphone_reaches_either_one(self):
         with only_these_tools("parec"):
             self.assertIn("--device=alsa_input.usb", audio.recording_command(