diff --git a/src/web/public/story-mode.js b/src/web/public/story-mode.js
index 57e4a890..e65810a0 100644
--- a/src/web/public/story-mode.js
+++ b/src/web/public/story-mode.js
@@ -2965,11 +2965,16 @@ Object.assign(CodemanApp.prototype, {
     const fit = rt.balloonFit;
     rt.balloonKey = `${h}|${fit?.serial ?? '-'}|${b.className}|${b.textContent}`;
     text.style.removeProperty('--story-lines');
-    const limit = fit ? fit.limit + h - fit.stageH : h - 12;
+    // A panel ignores a growth of 2 px or less (_storyFitCaption): the balloon may use that much of the
+    // gap it keeps, or such a panel would show one line fewer than its fit made room for.
+    const limit = (fit ? fit.limit + h - fit.stageH : h - 12) + 2;
     const lh = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(text).lineHeight) || 19;
     const pad = b.offsetHeight - text.offsetHeight;
     if (b.offsetHeight && b.offsetTop + b.offsetHeight > limit)
-      text.style.setProperty('--story-lines', String(Math.max(1, Math.floor((limit - b.offsetTop - pad) / lh))));
+      text.style.setProperty(
+        '--story-lines',
+        String(Math.max(1, Math.floor((limit - b.offsetTop - pad) / lh + 0.001)))
+      );
   },
 
   /** Canvas click regions become real buttons: focusable, labelled, keyboard-reachable. */
diff --git a/test/story-mode-ui.test.ts b/test/story-mode-ui.test.ts
index d7a18853..ac3f262f 100644
--- a/test/story-mode-ui.test.ts
+++ b/test/story-mode-ui.test.ts
@@ -1320,7 +1320,8 @@ describe('story-mode.js speech balloons', () => {
   });
 
   /** A panel with a box model: JSDOM lays nothing out, so every box the fit reads is given here. */
-  function boxes(rt: Record<string, any>, capHeight: number) {
+  // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+  function boxes(rt: Record<string, any>, capHeight: number, { capWidth = 250, pad = 24 } = {}) {
     const def = (el: HTMLElement, props: Record<string, () => number>) => {
       for (const [k, get] of Object.entries(props)) Object.defineProperty(el, k, { get, configurable: true });
     };
@@ -1335,18 +1336,18 @@ describe('story-mode.js speech balloons', () => {
       offsetTop: () => 10,
       offsetLeft: () => 10,
       offsetHeight: () => capHeight,
-      offsetWidth: () => 250,
+      offsetWidth: () => capWidth,
     });
     const b = rt.balloon as HTMLElement;
     const text = b.querySelector('.story-balloon-text') as HTMLElement;
-    // Three lines of 19 px, fewer once clamped; 24 px of padding and border around them.
+    // Three lines of 19 px, fewer once clamped; `pad` px of padding and border around them.
     const lines = () => Number(text.style.getPropertyValue('--story-lines')) || 3;
     const right = () => parseFloat(b.style.right);
     def(b, {
       offsetTop: () => parseFloat(b.style.top) || 0,
       offsetWidth: () => 200,
       offsetLeft: () => (Number.isNaN(right()) ? parseFloat(b.style.left) || 0 : 394 - right() - 200),
-      offsetHeight: () => 24 + lines() * 19,
+      offsetHeight: () => pad + lines() * 19,
     });
     def(text, { offsetHeight: () => lines() * 19 });
     return state;
@@ -1378,6 +1379,23 @@ describe('story-mode.js speech balloons', () => {
     expect(text.style.getPropertyValue('--story-lines')).toBe('');
   });
 
+  it('a growth too small for the panel to take never costs the balloon a line', async () => {
+    boot(storyOf(demoTurn()));
+    app.openStoryMode(SID);
+    await settle();
+    sizeAndDraw();
+    const rt = app._story.panels.find((p: { kind: string }) => p.kind === 'investigate');
+    // A short caption: the balloon stands beside it, 10 px down. Two lines need 22 + 38 px and Claude's
+    // head leaves 59.4 (69.4 - 10): 0.6 px short, under the 2 px a panel ignores.
+    boxes(rt, 40, { capWidth: 120, pad: 22 });
+    app._storyFitCaption(rt);
+    expect(rt.balloon.style.top).toBe('10px');
+    expect(rt.el.style.minHeight).toBe('');
+    expect(
+      (rt.balloon.querySelector('.story-balloon-text') as HTMLElement).style.getPropertyValue('--story-lines')
+    ).toBe('2');
+  });
+
   it('your balloon stands below a long caption, never under it', async () => {
     boot(storyOf(demoTurn()));
     app.openStoryMode(SID);