diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/layout.ts b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/layout.ts
index a00e935ac..9daf0b4c1 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/layout.ts
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/layout.ts
@@ -270,7 +270,11 @@ function layoutBlocks(block: Block, db: BlockDB) {
       if (child.children) {
         layoutBlocks(child, db);
       }
-      columnPos += child?.widthInColumns ?? 1;
+      let columnsFilled = child?.widthInColumns ?? 1;
+      if (columns > 0) {
+        columnsFilled = Math.min(columnsFilled, columns - (columnPos % columns));
+      }
+      columnPos += columnsFilled;
       log.debug('abc88 columnsPos', child, columnPos);
     }
   }