diff --git a/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py b/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py
index 722cb67..33a5a3a 100644
--- a/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py
+++ b/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py
@@ -1912,12 +1912,16 @@ def expand_narrow_columns(
     (which create the narrowest columns) have already happened.
     """
     _NARROW_THRESHOLD_PCT = 10.0
-    _GAP_CLAIM_RATIO = 0.40
     _MIN_WORD_MARGIN = 4
 
     if len(geometries) < 2:
         return geometries
 
+    logger.info("ExpandNarrowCols: input %d cols: %s",
+                len(geometries),
+                [(i, g.x, g.width, round(g.width / content_w * 100, 1))
+                 for i, g in enumerate(geometries)])
+
     for i, g in enumerate(geometries):
         col_pct = g.width / content_w * 100 if content_w > 0 else 100
         if col_pct >= _NARROW_THRESHOLD_PCT:
@@ -1929,37 +1933,37 @@ def expand_narrow_columns(
         # --- try expanding to the LEFT ---
         if i > 0:
             left_nb = geometries[i - 1]
-            gap_left = g.x - (left_nb.x + left_nb.width)
-            if gap_left > _MIN_WORD_MARGIN * 2:
-                nb_words_right = [wd['left'] + wd.get('width', 0)
-                                  for wd in left_nb.words]
-                if nb_words_right:
-                    safe_left_abs = left_x + max(nb_words_right) + _MIN_WORD_MARGIN
-                else:
-                    safe_left_abs = left_nb.x + left_nb.width + _MIN_WORD_MARGIN
-                max_expand = int(gap_left * _GAP_CLAIM_RATIO)
-                new_x = max(safe_left_abs, g.x - max_expand)
-                if new_x < g.x:
-                    delta = g.x - new_x
-                    g.width += delta
-                    g.x = new_x
-                    expanded = True
+            # Gap can be 0 if sub-column split created adjacent columns.
+            # In that case, look at where the neighbor's rightmost words
+            # actually are — there may be unused space we can claim.
+            nb_words_right = [wd['left'] + wd.get('width', 0)
+                              for wd in left_nb.words]
+            if nb_words_right:
+                rightmost_word_abs = left_x + max(nb_words_right)
+                safe_left_abs = rightmost_word_abs + _MIN_WORD_MARGIN
+            else:
+                # No words in neighbor → we can take up to neighbor's start
+                safe_left_abs = left_nb.x + _MIN_WORD_MARGIN
+
+            if safe_left_abs < g.x:
+                g.width += (g.x - safe_left_abs)
+                g.x = safe_left_abs
+                expanded = True
 
         # --- try expanding to the RIGHT ---
         if i + 1 < len(geometries):
             right_nb = geometries[i + 1]
-            gap_right = right_nb.x - (g.x + g.width)
-            if gap_right > _MIN_WORD_MARGIN * 2:
-                nb_words_left = [wd['left'] for wd in right_nb.words]
-                if nb_words_left:
-                    safe_right_abs = left_x + min(nb_words_left) - _MIN_WORD_MARGIN
-                else:
-                    safe_right_abs = right_nb.x - _MIN_WORD_MARGIN
-                max_expand = int(gap_right * _GAP_CLAIM_RATIO)
-                new_right = min(safe_right_abs, g.x + g.width + max_expand)
-                if new_right > g.x + g.width:
-                    g.width = new_right - g.x
-                    expanded = True
+            nb_words_left = [wd['left'] for wd in right_nb.words]
+            if nb_words_left:
+                leftmost_word_abs = left_x + min(nb_words_left)
+                safe_right_abs = leftmost_word_abs - _MIN_WORD_MARGIN
+            else:
+                safe_right_abs = right_nb.x + right_nb.width - _MIN_WORD_MARGIN
+
+            cur_right = g.x + g.width
+            if safe_right_abs > cur_right:
+                g.width = safe_right_abs - g.x
+                expanded = True
 
         if expanded:
             col_left_rel = g.x - left_x