diff --git a/lib/pangea/controllers/message_analytics_controller.dart b/lib/pangea/controllers/message_analytics_controller.dart
index d89ef3ef8..46e656dc1 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/controllers/message_analytics_controller.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/controllers/message_analytics_controller.dart
@@ -33,24 +33,13 @@ class MessageAnalyticsEntry {
         .map((token) => TokenWithXP(token: token))
         .toList();
 
-    computeTargetTypesForMessage();
+    updateTargetTypesForMessage();
   }
 
   List<TokenWithXP> get tokensThatCanBeHeard =>
       tokensWithXp.where((t) => t.token.canBeHeard).toList();
 
-  // compute target tokens within async wrapper that adds a 250ms delay
-  // to avoid blocking the UI thread
-  Future<void> computeTargetTypesForMessageAsync() async {
-    await Future.delayed(const Duration(milliseconds: 250));
-    computeTargetTypesForMessage();
-  }
-
-  void computeTargetTypesForMessage() {
-    // reset
-    nextActivityToken = null;
-    nextActivityType = null;
-
+  void updateTokenTargetTypes() {
     // compute target types for each token
     for (final token in tokensWithXp) {
       token.targetTypes = [];
@@ -81,26 +70,39 @@ class MessageAnalyticsEntry {
         token.targetTypes.add(ActivityTypeEnum.hiddenWordListening);
       }
     }
+  }
+
+  /// Updates the target types for each token in the message and the next
+  /// activity token and type. Called before requesting the next new activity.
+  void updateTargetTypesForMessage() {
+    // reset
+    nextActivityToken = null;
+    nextActivityType = null;
+    updateTokenTargetTypes();
 
-    // from the tokens with hiddenWordListening in targetTypes, pick one at random
-    final List<int> withListening = tokensWithXp
+    // From the tokens with hiddenWordListening in targetTypes, pick one at random.
+    // Create a list of token indicies with hiddenWordListening type available.
+    final List<int> withHiddenWordIndices = tokensWithXp
         .asMap()
         .entries
         .where(
-          (entry) => entry.value.targetTypes
-              .contains(ActivityTypeEnum.hiddenWordListening),
+          (entry) => entry.value.targetTypes.contains(
+            ActivityTypeEnum.hiddenWordListening,
+          ),
         )
         .map((entry) => entry.key)
         .toList();
-    // randomly pick one entry in the list
-    if (withListening.isNotEmpty) {
+
+    // randomly pick one index in the list and set the next activity
+    if (withHiddenWordIndices.isNotEmpty) {
       final int randomIndex =
-          withListening[Random().nextInt(withListening.length)];
+          withHiddenWordIndices[Random().nextInt(withHiddenWordIndices.length)];
 
       nextActivityToken = tokensWithXp[randomIndex];
       nextActivityType = ActivityTypeEnum.hiddenWordListening;
 
-      // remove from all other tokens
+      // remove hiddenWord type from all other tokens
+      // there can only be one hidden word activity for a message
       for (int i = 0; i < tokensWithXp.length; i++) {
         if (i != randomIndex) {
           tokensWithXp[i]
diff --git a/lib/pangea/widgets/practice_activity/practice_activity_card.dart b/lib/pangea/widgets/practice_activity/practice_activity_card.dart
index 3b616577f..2d32e036c 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/widgets/practice_activity/practice_activity_card.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/widgets/practice_activity/practice_activity_card.dart
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import 'dart:async';
 import 'dart:developer';
 
+import 'package:fluffychat/pangea/controllers/message_analytics_controller.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/pangea/controllers/pangea_controller.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/pangea/controllers/practice_activity_generation_controller.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/pangea/controllers/put_analytics_controller.dart';
@@ -53,10 +54,11 @@ class PracticeActivityCardState extends State<PracticeActivityCard> {
   List<PracticeActivityEvent> get practiceActivities =>
       widget.pangeaMessageEvent.practiceActivities;
 
-  PracticeActivityEvent? get existingActivityMatchingNeeds {
-    final messageAnalyticsEntry = pangeaController.getAnalytics.perMessage
-        .get(widget.pangeaMessageEvent, false);
+  MessageAnalyticsEntry? get messageAnalyticsEntry =>
+      MatrixState.pangeaController.getAnalytics.perMessage
+          .get(widget.pangeaMessageEvent, false);
 
+  PracticeActivityEvent? get existingActivityMatchingNeeds {
     if (messageAnalyticsEntry?.nextActivityToken == null) {
       debugger(when: kDebugMode);
       return null;
@@ -67,7 +69,7 @@ class PracticeActivityCardState extends State<PracticeActivityCard> {
         if (existingActivity.practiceActivity.tgtConstructs
                 .any((tc) => tc == c.id) &&
             existingActivity.practiceActivity.activityType ==
-                messageAnalyticsEntry.nextActivityType) {
+                messageAnalyticsEntry!.nextActivityType) {
           debugPrint('found existing activity');
           return existingActivity;
         }
@@ -163,9 +165,6 @@ class PracticeActivityCardState extends State<PracticeActivityCard> {
       return null;
     }
 
-    final messageAnalyticsEntry = pangeaController.getAnalytics.perMessage
-        .get(widget.pangeaMessageEvent, false);
-
     // the client is going to be choosing the next activity now
     // if nothing is set then it must be done with practice
     if (messageAnalyticsEntry?.nextActivityToken == null ||
@@ -206,8 +205,8 @@ class PracticeActivityCardState extends State<PracticeActivityCard> {
             : ActivityTypeEnum.values
                 .where((type) => type != ActivityTypeEnum.wordFocusListening)
                 .toList(),
-        clientTokenRequest: messageAnalyticsEntry.nextActivityToken!,
-        clientTypeRequest: messageAnalyticsEntry.nextActivityType!,
+        clientTokenRequest: messageAnalyticsEntry!.nextActivityToken!,
+        clientTypeRequest: messageAnalyticsEntry!.nextActivityType!,
       ),
       widget.pangeaMessageEvent,
     );
@@ -277,13 +276,7 @@ class PracticeActivityCardState extends State<PracticeActivityCard> {
       // previously we would update the tokens with the constructs
       // now the tokens themselves calculate their own points using the analytics
       // we're going to see if this creates performance issues
-      final messageAnalytics = MatrixState
-          .pangeaController.getAnalytics.perMessage
-          .get(widget.pangeaMessageEvent, false);
-      // messageAnalytics will only be null if there are no tokens to update
-
-      // set the target types for the next activity
-      messageAnalytics!.computeTargetTypesForMessageAsync();
+      messageAnalyticsEntry?.updateTargetTypesForMessage();
 
       widget.overlayController.onActivityFinish();
       pangeaController.activityRecordController.completeActivity(