diff --git a/visidata/cliptext.py b/visidata/cliptext.py
index e4ec13ec9..52354d233 100644
--- a/visidata/cliptext.py
+++ b/visidata/cliptext.py
@@ -162,8 +162,12 @@ def _clipstr(s, dispw, trunch='', oddspacech='', combch='', modch=''):
 
         if dispw and w+chlen > dispw:
             if trunchlen and dispw > trunchlen:
-                ret = ret[:-1] + trunch  # replace final char with ellipsis
-                w += trunchlen-1
+                lastchlen = _dispch(ret[-1])[1]
+                if w+trunchlen > dispw:
+                    ret = ret[:-1]
+                    w -= lastchlen
+                ret += trunch  # replace final char with ellipsis
+                w += trunchlen
             break
 
         w += chlen
diff --git a/visidata/tests/test_cliptext.py b/visidata/tests/test_cliptext.py
index badda69cd..868d27249 100644
--- a/visidata/tests/test_cliptext.py
+++ b/visidata/tests/test_cliptext.py
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ def test_dispwidth(self, s, dispw):
         ('b to', 4, 'b to', 4),
         ('abcde', 8, 'abcde', 5),
         (' jsonl', 5, ' jso…', 5),
-        ('    で', 6, '    で', 6),
+        ('abcdで', 6, 'abcdで', 6),
+        ('abcdで', 5, 'abcd…', 5),
     ])
     def test_clipstr(self, s, w, clippeds, clippedw):
         clips, clipw = visidata.clipstr(s, w)