diff --git a/tabbed-wlroots.c b/tabbed-wlroots.c
index 47c03da..2b261e8 100644
--- a/tabbed-wlroots.c
+++ b/tabbed-wlroots.c
@@ -1089,6 +1089,44 @@ static int overlay_text_width(const char *s) {
     return w;
 }
 
+/* Copy `src` into `out`, truncated so that its on-screen width plus a
+   trailing "..." fits within `max_px`.  Uses the same advance rules as
+   overlay_text_width().  Falls back to an empty string when even one dot
+   won't fit. */
+static void fit_text(const char *src, int max_px, char *out, int out_sz)
+{
+    const char *dots = "...";
+    int dot_w = 0;
+    for (const unsigned char *p = (const unsigned char *)dots; *p; p++) {
+        int c = *p;
+        if (c < 32 || c > 126) { dot_w += 4; continue; }
+        dot_w += host.overlay_glyphs[c - 32].adv;
+    }
+    out[0] = '\0';
+    if (!src || max_px < dot_w || out_sz <= 1) return;
+
+    int w = 0;
+    size_t n = 0;
+    const unsigned char *p;
+    for (p = (const unsigned char *)src; *p; p++) {
+        int c = *p;
+        int adv = (c < 32 || c > 126) ? 4 : host.overlay_glyphs[c - 32].adv;
+        if (w + adv + dot_w > max_px)
+            break;
+        if (n + 1 >= (size_t)out_sz)
+            break;
+        out[n++] = (char)c;
+        w += adv;
+    }
+    if (*p) {
+        if (n + 4 < (size_t)out_sz) {
+            memcpy(out + n, dots, 3);
+            n += 3;
+        }
+    }
+    out[n] = '\0';
+}
+
 static void draw_tab_overlay(void) {
     if (!host.overlay_visible || server.num_apps < 1) return;
 
@@ -1114,6 +1152,9 @@ static void draw_tab_overlay(void) {
     }
     if (n_rows == 0) return;
 
+    int avail_w = host.width - 2 * margin - 2 * boxpad;
+    if (max_row_w > avail_w) max_row_w = avail_w;
+
     int box_w = max_row_w + 2 * boxpad;
     int box_h = n_rows * row_h + 2 * boxpad;
     if (box_w > host.width - 2 * margin) box_w = host.width - 2 * margin;
@@ -1135,8 +1176,15 @@ static void draw_tab_overlay(void) {
         }
         int ry = box_y + boxpad + row * row_h;
         bool active = app->toplevel == server.active;
+        char row_text[512];
+        int budget = max_row_w - icon_sz - icon_gap;
+        if (budget < 0) budget = 0;
+        fit_text(title, budget, row_text, sizeof(row_text));
+        int text_w = overlay_text_width(row_text);
         if (active) {
-            int hw = icon_sz + icon_gap + overlay_text_width(title) + 4;
+            int hw = icon_sz + icon_gap + text_w + 4;
+            int max_hw = box_w - 2 * boxpad + 4;
+            if (hw > max_hw) hw = max_hw;
             draw_rect(box_x + boxpad - 2, ry - 1, hw, row_h,
                       0.24f, 0.36f, 0.60f, 0.9f);
         }
@@ -1156,7 +1204,7 @@ static void draw_tab_overlay(void) {
             draw_rect(ix + 3, iy + 3, icon_sz - 6, icon_sz - 6,
                       0.07f, 0.07f, 0.09f, 1.0f);
         }
-        draw_text(title, ix + icon_sz + icon_gap,
+        draw_text(row_text, ix + icon_sz + icon_gap,
                   ry + (row_h - host.overlay_font_h) / 2,
                   active ? 1.0f : 0.72f,
                   active ? 1.0f : 0.72f,