diff --git a/crates/hyperlog-core/src/commander.rs b/crates/hyperlog-core/src/commander.rs
index dc7e599..64a5fa7 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog-core/src/commander.rs
+++ b/crates/hyperlog-core/src/commander.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ pub enum Command {
         description: String,
         state: ItemState,
     },
+    ToggleItem {
+        root: String,
+        path: Vec<String>,
+    },
     Move {
         root: String,
         src: Vec<String>,
@@ -81,6 +85,9 @@ impl Commander {
                 &src.iter().map(|p| p.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
                 &dest.iter().map(|p| p.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
             )?,
+            Command::ToggleItem { root, path } => self
+                .engine
+                .toggle_item(&root, &path.iter().map(|p| p.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>())?,
         }
 
         self.storage.store(&self.engine)?;
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog-core/src/engine.rs b/crates/hyperlog-core/src/engine.rs
index 9816b49..2b89077 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog-core/src/engine.rs
+++ b/crates/hyperlog-core/src/engine.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use std::{collections::BTreeMap, fmt::Display};
 
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Context};
 
-use crate::log::{Graph, GraphItem};
+use crate::log::{Graph, GraphItem, ItemState};
 
 #[derive(Default)]
 pub struct Engine {
@@ -129,6 +129,22 @@ impl Engine {
             .map(|_| ())
             .ok_or(anyhow!("item was not found"))
     }
+
+    pub fn toggle_item(&mut self, root: &str, path: &[&str]) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        if let Some(item) = self.get_mut(root, path) {
+            match item {
+                GraphItem::Item { state, .. } => match state {
+                    ItemState::NotDone => *state = ItemState::Done,
+                    ItemState::Done => *state = ItemState::NotDone,
+                },
+                _ => {
+                    anyhow::bail!("{}.{:?} is not an item", root, path)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
 
 impl Display for Engine {
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog-core/src/shared_engine.rs b/crates/hyperlog-core/src/shared_engine.rs
index bb53bda..d5edab2 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog-core/src/shared_engine.rs
+++ b/crates/hyperlog-core/src/shared_engine.rs
@@ -43,4 +43,10 @@ impl SharedEngine {
             .unwrap()
             .section_move(root, src_path, dest_path)
     }
+
+    pub fn toggle_item(&self, root: &str, path: &[&str]) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        self.inner.write().unwrap().toggle_item(root, path)?;
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/app.rs b/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/app.rs
index b9bdde0..ca51b0f 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/app.rs
+++ b/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/app.rs
@@ -63,12 +63,15 @@ impl<'a> App<'a> {
         graph_explorer: GraphExplorer<'a>,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
+            state,
             root: root.into(),
-            mode: Mode::View,
+
             dialog: None,
             command: None,
-            state,
+
             graph_explorer,
+
+            mode: Mode::View,
             focus: AppFocus::Graph,
         }
     }
@@ -109,6 +112,7 @@ impl<'a> App<'a> {
                             }
 
                             if command.is_quit() {
+                                self.focus = AppFocus::Graph;
                                 self.dialog = None;
                             }
                         }
@@ -138,6 +142,7 @@ impl<'a> App<'a> {
             let root = self.root.clone();
             let path = self.graph_explorer.get_current_path();
 
+            self.focus = AppFocus::Dialog;
             self.dialog = Some(Dialog::CreateItem {
                 state: CreateItemState::new(root, path),
             });
@@ -151,7 +156,7 @@ impl<'a> Widget for &mut App<'a> {
         Self: Sized,
     {
         StatefulWidget::render(
-            GraphExplorer::new(self.state.clone()),
+            GraphExplorer::new(self.root.clone(), self.state.clone()),
             area,
             buf,
             &mut self.graph_explorer.inner,
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/components.rs b/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/components.rs
index 72473e1..3f5767d 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/components.rs
+++ b/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/components.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use hyperlog_core::log::GraphItem;
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use ratatui::{prelude::*, widgets::*};
 
-use crate::{command_parser::Commands, state::SharedState};
+use crate::{command_parser::Commands, commands::Command, state::SharedState};
 
 pub struct GraphExplorer<'a> {
     state: SharedState,
@@ -14,17 +14,20 @@ pub struct GraphExplorer<'a> {
 }
 
 pub struct GraphExplorerState<'a> {
+    root: String,
+
     current_path: Option<&'a str>,
     current_position: Vec<usize>,
 
     graph: Option<GraphItem>,
 }
 
-impl GraphExplorer<'_> {
-    pub fn new(state: SharedState) -> Self {
+impl<'a> GraphExplorer<'a> {
+    pub fn new(root: String, state: SharedState) -> Self {
         Self {
             state,
-            inner: GraphExplorerState::<'_> {
+            inner: GraphExplorerState::<'a> {
+                root,
                 current_path: None,
                 current_position: Vec::new(),
                 graph: None,
@@ -151,6 +154,13 @@ impl GraphExplorer<'_> {
     pub(crate) fn interact(&mut self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         if !self.get_current_path().is_empty() {
             tracing::info!("toggling state of items");
+
+            self.state
+                .commander
+                .execute(hyperlog_core::commander::Command::ToggleItem {
+                    root: self.inner.root.to_string(),
+                    path: self.get_current_path(),
+                })?;
         }
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/lib.rs b/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/lib.rs
index a7987b1..335f4d8 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/hyperlog-tui/src/lib.rs
@@ -39,10 +39,12 @@ pub async fn execute(state: State) -> Result<()> {
 }
 
 fn run(terminal: &mut Terminal<CrosstermBackend<Stdout>>, state: SharedState) -> Result<()> {
-    let mut graph_explorer = GraphExplorer::new(state.clone());
+    let root = "kjuulh".to_string();
+
+    let mut graph_explorer = GraphExplorer::new(root.clone(), state.clone());
     graph_explorer.update_graph()?;
 
-    let mut app = App::new("kjuulh", state.clone(), graph_explorer);
+    let mut app = App::new(&root, state.clone(), graph_explorer);
 
     loop {
         terminal.draw(|f| render_app(f, &mut app))?;