diff --git a/modules/game/actors.scm b/modules/game/actors.scm
index 6bc7502..5403c12 100644
--- a/modules/game/actors.scm
+++ b/modules/game/actors.scm
@@ -436,6 +436,7 @@
 (define (^gate bcom x y)
   (define position (vector x y 1))
   (define open? (spawn ^cell))
+  (define activations (spawn ^cell 0))
   (match-lambda*
     (('type) 'gate)
     (('position) position)
@@ -444,11 +445,17 @@
     (('enter obj grid-info) #f)
     (('exit obj grid-info) #f)
     (('activate grid-info)
-     ($ open? #t)
-     ($ grid-info 'append-event `(gate-open ,x ,y)))
+     (let ((k (1+ ($ activations))))
+       ($ activations k)
+       (unless (> k 1)
+         ($ open? #t)
+         ($ grid-info 'append-event `(gate-open ,x ,y)))))
     (('deactivate grid-info)
-     ($ open? #f)
-     ($ grid-info 'append-event `(gate-close ,x ,y)))
+     (let ((k (1- ($ activations))))
+       ($ activations k)
+       (when (= k 0)
+         ($ open? #f)
+         ($ grid-info 'append-event `(gate-close ,x ,y)))))
     (('wire-state grid-info from from-x from-y) #f)
     (('update-wire-state grid-info neighbor-grid) #f)
     (('alive?) #t)