diff --git a/src/components/gallery/JustifiedGallery.tsx b/src/components/gallery/JustifiedGallery.tsx
index c7956d7..e9981ed 100644
--- a/src/components/gallery/JustifiedGallery.tsx
+++ b/src/components/gallery/JustifiedGallery.tsx
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ type Props = {
   maxRowItems?: number; // desktop
   maxRowItemsMobile?: number; // <640px
   gap?: number; // px
+  debug?: boolean;
   className?: string;
 };
 
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ export default function JustifiedGallery({
   maxRowItems = 5,
   maxRowItemsMobile = 3,
   gap = 12,
+  debug = false,
   className,
 }: Props) {
   const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
@@ -125,7 +127,6 @@ export default function JustifiedGallery({
 
     const isMobile = containerWidth < 640;
     const targetH = isMobile ? targetRowHeightMobile : targetRowHeight;
-    const minRowHeight = Math.round(targetH * 0.8);
     const maxItems = (() => {
       if (containerWidth < 480) return Math.min(2, maxRowItemsMobile);
       if (containerWidth < 720) return Math.min(3, maxRowItems);
@@ -161,7 +162,10 @@ export default function JustifiedGallery({
       aspectSum = 0;
     };
 
-    for (const it of items) {
+    const workingItems = items.slice();
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < workingItems.length; i += 1) {
+      const it = workingItems[i];
       const a = aspectOf(it);
 
       current.push({ item: it, aspect: a });
@@ -170,29 +174,51 @@ export default function JustifiedGallery({
       // Estimate the row width if we were to keep targetH
       const estimatedWidth = aspectSum * targetH + gap * (current.length - 1);
 
-      // If the computed height would be too small, split the row earlier.
-      if (current.length > 1) {
-        const gaps = gap * (current.length - 1);
-        const widthWithoutGaps = Math.max(0, available - gaps);
-        const computedH = widthWithoutGaps / aspectSum;
-        if (computedH < minRowHeight) {
-          const last = current.pop();
-          if (last) {
-            aspectSum -= last.aspect;
-            flush();
-            current = [last];
-            aspectSum = last.aspect;
-          }
-          continue;
-        }
-      }
-
       // If we've filled the row (or reached max items) and have at least 2 tiles, flush.
       if (
         (estimatedWidth >= available || current.length >= maxItems) &&
         current.length > 1
       ) {
-        flush();
+        const gaps = gap * (current.length - 1);
+        const widthWithoutGaps = Math.max(0, available - gaps);
+        const computedH = widthWithoutGaps / aspectSum;
+
+        // If the row would be shorter than maxRowHeight, reduce items and flush.
+        if (computedH < maxRowHeight && current.length > 1) {
+          const last = current.pop();
+          if (last) {
+            aspectSum -= last.aspect;
+          }
+
+          const limit = widthWithoutGaps / maxRowHeight;
+          let swapped = false;
+
+          for (let look = 1; look <= 2; look += 1) {
+            const idx = i + look;
+            if (idx >= workingItems.length) break;
+            const candidate = workingItems[idx];
+            const candidateAspect = aspectOf(candidate);
+
+            if (aspectSum + candidateAspect <= limit) {
+              workingItems[idx] = last?.item ?? candidate;
+              current.push({ item: candidate, aspect: candidateAspect });
+              aspectSum += candidateAspect;
+              swapped = true;
+              break;
+            }
+          }
+
+          flush();
+          if (!swapped && last) {
+            current = [last];
+            aspectSum = last.aspect;
+          } else {
+            current = [];
+            aspectSum = 0;
+          }
+        } else {
+          flush();
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -215,27 +241,50 @@ export default function JustifiedGallery({
     return `${first}-${last}-${row.length}`;
   }, []);
 
+  const isSmallScreen = containerWidth < 640;
+
   return (
     <div
       ref={containerRef}
       className={cn("mx-auto w-full max-w-6xl", className)}
     >
       <div className="space-y-3">
-        {rows.map((row) => (
-          <div
-            key={getRowKey(row)}
-            className="flex justify-center"
-            style={{ gap }}
-          >
-            {row.map((t) => (
-              <GalleryTile
-                key={t.item.id}
-                tile={t}
-                hrefBase={hrefBase}
-                hrefFrom={hrefFrom}
-                showCaption={showCaption}
-              />
-            ))}
+        {rows.map((row, idx) => (
+          <div key={getRowKey(row)}>
+            <div
+              className={cn(
+                "flex",
+                row.length === 1 && (isSmallScreen || idx !== rows.length - 1)
+                  ? "justify-center"
+                  : idx === rows.length - 1
+                    ? "justify-start"
+                    : "justify-between",
+              )}
+              style={{ columnGap: gap }}
+            >
+              {row.map((t) => (
+                <GalleryTile
+                  key={t.item.id}
+                  tile={t}
+                  hrefBase={hrefBase}
+                  hrefFrom={hrefFrom}
+                  showCaption={showCaption}
+                />
+              ))}
+            </div>
+            {debug ? (
+              <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground font-mono">
+                {`row ${idx + 1} | h=${Math.round(row[0]?.h ?? 0)} | w=${Math.round(
+                  row.reduce((sum, t) => sum + t.w, 0) + gap * (row.length - 1),
+                )} | items=${row.length} | `}
+                {row
+                  .map(
+                    (t) =>
+                      `${t.item.id}:${Math.round(t.w)}x${Math.round(t.h)} (src ${t.item.width}x${t.item.height})`,
+                  )
+                  .join(" | ")}
+              </div>
+            ) : null}
           </div>
         ))}
       </div>
diff --git a/src/components/portfolio/PortfolioGallery.tsx b/src/components/portfolio/PortfolioGallery.tsx
index 08657e5..f2a0722 100644
--- a/src/components/portfolio/PortfolioGallery.tsx
+++ b/src/components/portfolio/PortfolioGallery.tsx
@@ -90,17 +90,17 @@ export default function PortfolioGallery({
     dominantHex: it.dominantHex,
   }));
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (items.length === 0) return;
-    // Debug: inspect dominantHex values coming from the server.
-    console.log(
-      "[PortfolioGallery] dominantHex sample",
-      items.slice(0, 5).map((it) => ({
-        id: it.id,
-        dominantHex: it.dominantHex,
-      }))
-    );
-  }, [items]);
+  // useEffect(() => {
+  //   if (items.length === 0) return;
+  //   // Debug: inspect dominantHex values coming from the server.
+  //   console.log(
+  //     "[PortfolioGallery] dominantHex sample",
+  //     items.slice(0, 5).map((it) => ({
+  //       id: it.id,
+  //       dominantHex: it.dominantHex,
+  //     }))
+  //   );
+  // }, [items]);
 
   if (!loading && done && galleryItems.length === 0) {
     return (
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ export default function PortfolioGallery({
         items={galleryItems}
         hrefFrom="portfolio"
         showCaption={false}
+        debug={false}
         targetRowHeight={160}
         targetRowHeightMobile={160}
         maxRowHeight={300}