diff --git a/__mocks__/xterm.ts b/__mocks__/xterm.ts
index 12387eb0..29daed19 100644
--- a/__mocks__/xterm.ts
+++ b/__mocks__/xterm.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ export class Terminal {
     }
     element = {
         addEventListener: vi.fn(),
+        parentElement: {
+            clientHeight: 480,
+            clientWidth: 640
+        }
     }
     constructor (props) {
         this.out = ""
@@ -62,5 +66,18 @@ export class Terminal {
         const ev = new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key })
         this.keyHandler( { domEvent: ev } )
     }
+    resize:(columns: number, rows: number) => void = vi.fn();
+    _core = {
+        _renderService: {
+            dimensions: {
+                css: {
+                    cell: {
+                        width: 5,
+                        height: 11
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
 
diff --git a/aatp/http_webrtc/http_webrtc.spec.ts b/aatp/http_webrtc/http_webrtc.spec.ts
index 256dd238..ebf276ce 100644
--- a/aatp/http_webrtc/http_webrtc.spec.ts
+++ b/aatp/http_webrtc/http_webrtc.spec.ts
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ pinch_max_y_velocity = 0.1`
         await page.screenshot({ path: `/result/2.png` })
         await expect(page.locator('.pane')).toHaveCount(2)
     })
-    test('a pane can be close', async() => {
-        sleep(500)
+    test('a pane can be closed', async() => {
+        await sleep(500)
         const exitState = await page.evaluate(() => {
             try {
                 window.terminal7.activeG.activeW.activeP.d.send("exit\n")
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ pinch_max_y_velocity = 0.1`
         await page.screenshot({ path: `/result/second.png` })
         const lines = await page.evaluate(() =>
            window.terminal7.activeG.activeW.activeP.t.buffer.active.length)
-        expect(lines).toEqual(38)
+        await expect(lines).toEqual(38)
         await page.evaluate(async() => {
             const gate = window.terminal7.activeG
             gate.disengage().then(() => {
diff --git a/aatp/ui/ui.spec.ts b/aatp/ui/ui.spec.ts
index dfb864b2..3bc0717b 100644
--- a/aatp/ui/ui.spec.ts
+++ b/aatp/ui/ui.spec.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ insecure=true`)
         await expect(page.locator('#t0')).toBeVisible()
         await sleep(500)
         await page.keyboard.press('ArrowDown')
-        await page.keyboard.press('ArrowDown')
         await page.keyboard.press('Enter')
         await expect(page.locator('.windows-container')).toBeHidden()
     })
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ insecure=true`)
         await page.screenshot({ path: `/result/2.png` })
         await page.locator('.tabbar .reset').click()
         await expect(page.locator('#t0')).toBeVisible()
-        sleep(20)
+        await sleep(20)
         await page.keyboard.press('Enter')
         await expect(page.locator('#t0')).toBeHidden()
         await expect(page.locator('.pane')).toHaveCount(1)
diff --git a/src/gate.ts b/src/gate.ts
index 4c0efb7a..4bc05ffa 100644
--- a/src/gate.ts
+++ b/src/gate.ts
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ export class Gate {
     /*
      * returns an array of panes
      */
-    panes() {
+    panes(): Pane[] {
         const r = []
         this.t7.cells.forEach(c => {
             if (c instanceof Pane && (c.gate == this))
@@ -388,10 +388,11 @@ export class Gate {
     reset() {
         this.t7.map.shell.runCommand("reset", [this.name])
     }
-    setLayout(state: ServerPayload = null) {
+    setLayout(state: ServerPayload = null, fromPresenter = false) {
         console.log("in setLayout", state)
         const winLen = this.windows.length
-        this.fontScale = 1
+        if(this.fitScreen)
+            this.fontScale = 1
         // got an empty state
         if ((state == null) || !(state.windows instanceof Array) || (state.windows.length == 0)) {
             // create the first window and pane
@@ -410,7 +411,7 @@ export class Gate {
             if (this.layoutWidth != state.width || this.layoutHeight != state.height) {
                 this.layoutWidth = state.width
                 this.layoutHeight = state.height
-                this.fitScreen = false
+                if (fromPresenter) this.fitScreen = false
                 this.scaleContainer()
             }
             state.windows.forEach(w =>  {
@@ -476,7 +477,9 @@ export class Gate {
             container.style.transformOrigin = "top left"
         }
         this.panes().forEach(p => {
-            p.t.options.fontSize = Math.floor(scale * p.fontSize)
+            // NOTE: the step of changing the font size is 0.5, there is no visual change when doing smaller steps
+            const fontSize = p.fontSize * scale
+            p.t.options.fontSize = Math.floor(fontSize) + (String(fontSize).includes('.') ? .5 : 0)
         })
         this.fontScale = scale
     }
@@ -698,7 +701,7 @@ export class Gate {
         this.session.onStateChange = (state, failure?) => this.onSessionState(state, failure)
         this.session.onCMD = msg => {
             if (msg.type == "set_payload") {
-                this.setLayout(msg.args.payload)
+                this.setLayout(msg.args.payload, true)
             }
         }
         this.t7.log("opening session")
diff --git a/src/pane.ts b/src/pane.ts
index c42b1338..75a71eab 100644
--- a/src/pane.ts
+++ b/src/pane.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,19 @@ const ABIT = 10,
         caseSensitive: true,
     }
 
+export interface SerializedPane {
+    sx: number,
+    sy: number,
+    xoff: number,
+    yoff: number,
+    fontSize: number,
+    channelID: number,
+    active: boolean,
+    zoomed: boolean,
+    rows: number,
+    cols: number
+}
+
 export class Pane extends Cell {
     active = false
     aLeader = false
@@ -201,7 +214,8 @@ export class Pane extends Cell {
         this.fontSize += by
         if (this.fontSize < 6) this.fontSize = 6
         else if (this.fontSize > 30) this.fontSize = 30
-        this.t.options.fontSize = this.fontSize * this.gate.fontScale
+        const fontSize = this.fontSize * this.gate.fontScale
+        this.t.options.fontSize = Math.floor(fontSize) + (String(fontSize).includes('.') ? .5 : 0)
         this.fit()
         this.gate.sendState()
     }
@@ -298,7 +312,7 @@ export class Pane extends Cell {
     // returns true is size was changed
     // TODO: make it async
     fit(cb = null) {
-        if (!this.t) {
+        if (!this.t || !this.gate?.fitScreen) {
             if (cb instanceof Function)
                 cb(this)
             return
@@ -307,7 +321,7 @@ export class Pane extends Cell {
         const oldc = this.t.cols
 
         // there's no point in fitting when in the middle of a restore
-        //  it happens in the eend anyway
+        //  it happens in the end anyway
         try {
             this.fitAddon.fit()
         } catch (e) {
@@ -706,7 +720,7 @@ export class Pane extends Cell {
             this.unzoom()
         super.close()
     }
-    dump() {
+    dump(): SerializedPane {
         const cell = {
             sx: this.sx,
             sy: this.sy,
@@ -715,14 +729,16 @@ export class Pane extends Cell {
             fontSize: this.fontSize,
             channelID: null,
             active: false,
-            zoomed: false
+            zoomed: false,
+            rows: this.t.rows,
+            cols: this.t.cols
         }
         cell.channelID = this.channelID
         if (this.w.activeP && this == this.w.activeP)
             cell.active = true
         if (this.zoomed)
             cell.zoomed = true
-        return cell as this
+        return cell
     }
     // listening for terminal selection changes
     selectionChanged() {
diff --git a/src/window.ts b/src/window.ts
index dc453b38..65bf53f2 100644
--- a/src/window.ts
+++ b/src/window.ts
@@ -262,8 +262,22 @@ export class Window {
             thisCell.yoff = thatCell.yoff
             thisCell.fontSize = thatCell.fontSize
             if (thisCell.t) {
-                thisCell.t.options.fontSize = thatCell.fontSize * this.gate.fontScale
-                thisCell.fit()
+                // NOTE: the step of changing the font size is 0.5, there is no visual change when doing smaller steps
+                const fontSize = thatCell.fontSize * this.gate.fontScale
+                thisCell.t.options.fontSize = Math.floor(fontSize) + (String(fontSize).includes('.') ? .5 : 0)
+
+                const availableHeight = thisCell.t.element.parentElement.clientHeight
+                const availableWidth = thisCell.t.element.parentElement.clientWidth
+
+                const adjustFontSize = (availableWidth: number, availableHeight: number) => {
+                    const charDims: { width: number, height: number } = thisCell.t._core._renderService.dimensions.css.cell
+                    if (charDims.width * thatCell.cols > availableWidth || charDims.height * thatCell.rows > availableHeight) {
+                        thisCell.t.options.fontSize -= .5
+                        adjustFontSize(availableWidth, availableHeight)
+                    }
+                }
+                adjustFontSize(availableWidth, availableHeight)
+                thisCell.t.resize(thatCell.cols, thatCell.rows)
             }
             if (thatCell.active)
                 thisCell.focus()
@@ -275,6 +289,7 @@ export class Window {
             setTimeout(() => zoomed.zoom(), 100)
             console.log("will zoom in 100ms")
         }
+        newLayout.refreshDividers()
         return newLayout
 
     }