diff --git a/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py b/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py
index 33a5a3a..a10a0c7 100644
--- a/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py
+++ b/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py
@@ -1976,6 +1976,41 @@ def expand_narrow_columns(
                 "ExpandNarrowCols: col %d (%.1f%% → %.1f%%) x=%d w=%d words=%d",
                 i, orig_pct, g.width / content_w * 100, g.x, g.width, g.word_count)
 
+            # --- Shrink overlapping neighbors to match new boundaries ---
+            # Left neighbor: its right edge must not exceed our new left edge
+            if i > 0:
+                left_nb = geometries[i - 1]
+                nb_right = left_nb.x + left_nb.width
+                if nb_right > g.x:
+                    left_nb.width = g.x - left_nb.x
+                    if left_nb.width < 0:
+                        left_nb.width = 0
+                    left_nb.width_ratio = left_nb.width / content_w if content_w > 0 else 0.0
+                    # Re-assign words
+                    nb_left_rel = left_nb.x - left_x
+                    nb_right_rel = nb_left_rel + left_nb.width
+                    left_nb.words = [wd for wd in word_dicts
+                                     if nb_left_rel <= wd['left'] < nb_right_rel]
+                    left_nb.word_count = len(left_nb.words)
+
+            # Right neighbor: its left edge must not be before our new right edge
+            if i + 1 < len(geometries):
+                right_nb = geometries[i + 1]
+                my_right = g.x + g.width
+                if right_nb.x < my_right:
+                    old_right_edge = right_nb.x + right_nb.width
+                    right_nb.x = my_right
+                    right_nb.width = old_right_edge - right_nb.x
+                    if right_nb.width < 0:
+                        right_nb.width = 0
+                    right_nb.width_ratio = right_nb.width / content_w if content_w > 0 else 0.0
+                    # Re-assign words
+                    nb_left_rel = right_nb.x - left_x
+                    nb_right_rel = nb_left_rel + right_nb.width
+                    right_nb.words = [wd for wd in word_dicts
+                                      if nb_left_rel <= wd['left'] < nb_right_rel]
+                    right_nb.word_count = len(right_nb.words)
+
     return geometries