diff --git a/visidata/column.py b/visidata/column.py
index f3958e1a3..792ea717a 100644
--- a/visidata/column.py
+++ b/visidata/column.py
@@ -436,6 +436,8 @@ def getMaxWidth(self, rows):
                 row_w = dispwidth(self.getDisplayValue(r), maxwidth=self.sheet.windowWidth)
                 if w_max < row_w:
                     w_max = row_w
+                if w_max >= self.sheet.windowWidth:
+                    break
             w = w_max
         w = max(w, nlen)+2
         w = min(w, self.sheet.windowWidth)