diff --git a/src/ui/widgets/Grip.ts b/src/ui/widgets/Grip.ts
index 27e8a9d1..b0bdc8ef 100644
--- a/src/ui/widgets/Grip.ts
+++ b/src/ui/widgets/Grip.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ export class Grip extends Widget {
   setGrabbable(on: boolean): void {
     if (this.grabbable === on) return;
     this.grabbable = on;
-    this.layout();
+    // Not laid out yet: the first resize places the mark, and squeezing it to nothing now would only
+    // make its label measure itself for no use.
+    if (this.w > 0) this.layout();
     this.invalidate();
   }