diff --git a/help/src/main/scala/flatgraph/help/Table.scala b/help/src/main/scala/flatgraph/help/Table.scala
index 95520532..14a43e32 100644
--- a/help/src/main/scala/flatgraph/help/Table.scala
+++ b/help/src/main/scala/flatgraph/help/Table.scala
@@ -8,16 +8,27 @@ case class Table(columnNames: Seq[String], rows: Seq[Row]) {
     if (columnNames.isEmpty && rows.isEmpty) {
       ""
     } else {
-      val renderingWidth = math.max(availableWidthProvider.apply(), 60)
-      val minWidth       = 5
-      val maxWidth       = renderingWidth - minWidth
-      val allRows        = columnNames +: rows
-      val numCols        = columnNames.size
+      val minWidth            = 1
+      val allRows             = columnNames +: rows
+      val numCols             = columnNames.size
+      val separatorWidth      = numCols + 1 // │ around and between each column
+      val minRenderingWidth   = math.max(60, numCols * minWidth + separatorWidth)
+      val renderingWidth      = math.max(availableWidthProvider.apply(), minRenderingWidth)
+      val availableForContent = renderingWidth - separatorWidth
 
-      // calculate column widths: longest content per column, clamped to [minWidth, maxWidth]
-      val colWidths = (0 until numCols).map { col =>
+      // calculate natural column widths: longest content per column, clamped to minWidth
+      val widths = (0 until numCols).map { col =>
         val longest = allRows.map(row => if (col < row.size) row(col).length else 0).max
-        math.min(math.max(longest, minWidth), maxWidth)
+        math.max(longest, minWidth)
+      }.toArray
+
+      // shrink widest columns until total fits within available space
+      val colWidths = {
+        while (widths.sum > availableForContent) {
+          val maxIdx = widths.zipWithIndex.maxBy(_._1)._2
+          widths(maxIdx) = math.max(widths(maxIdx) - 1, minWidth)
+        }
+        widths.toIndexedSeq
       }
 
       val sb = new StringBuilder()
diff --git a/help/src/test/scala/flatgraph/help/TableTests.scala b/help/src/test/scala/flatgraph/help/TableTests.scala
index 74b9df29..101b5039 100644
--- a/help/src/test/scala/flatgraph/help/TableTests.scala
+++ b/help/src/test/scala/flatgraph/help/TableTests.scala
@@ -35,26 +35,28 @@ class TableTests extends AnyWordSpec {
     implicit val availableWidthProvider: AvailableWidthProvider = () => currentTerminalWidth
 
     table.render.trim shouldBe
-      """┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
-        |│lorem ipsum                                            │
-        |├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
-        |│Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing     │
-        |│elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et    │
-        |│dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis     │
-        |│nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip   │
-        |└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+      """┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+        |│lorem ipsum                                               │
+        |├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
+        |│Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit,  │
+        |│sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna│
+        |│aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation│
+        |│ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip                           │
+        |└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
         |""".stripMargin.trim
+    table.render.trim.linesIterator.foreach(_.length shouldBe 60) // 60 is min rendering width
 
     currentTerminalWidth = 100 // emulating: terminal size has changed
     table.render.trim shouldBe
-      """┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
-        |│lorem ipsum                                                                                    │
-        |├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
-        |│Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut   │
-        |│labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco      │
-        |│laboris nisi ut aliquip                                                                        │
-        |└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+      """┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+        |│lorem ipsum                                                                                       │
+        |├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
+        |│Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut      │
+        |│labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris │
+        |│nisi ut aliquip                                                                                   │
+        |└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
         |""".stripMargin.trim
+    table.render.trim.linesIterator.foreach(_.length shouldBe currentTerminalWidth)
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/flatgraph/traversal/TraversalTests.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/flatgraph/traversal/TraversalTests.scala
index bd22ade7..a62c68ae 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/flatgraph/traversal/TraversalTests.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/flatgraph/traversal/TraversalTests.scala
@@ -165,7 +165,9 @@ class TraversalTests extends AnyWordSpec {
 //      thingTraversalHelpVerbose should include("simple.SimpleDomainTravers")
       thingTraversalHelpVerbose should include("node label")
       thingTraversalHelpVerbose should include("flatgraph.traversal.NodeSteps")
-      thingTraversalHelpVerbose should include("result to a list")
+      thingTraversalHelpVerbose should include(
+        "│.l                  │Execute the traversal and convert the result to a  │flatgraph.traversal.GenericSteps│            │"
+      )
       thingTraversalHelpVerbose should include("flatgraph.traversal.GenericSt")
     }
   }