diff --git a/pkg/gui/arrangement.go b/pkg/gui/arrangement.go
index 6c7e3e067..3c6cbc5b9 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/arrangement.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/arrangement.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) getMidSectionWeights() (int, int) {
 	mainSectionWeight := int(1/sidePanelWidthRatio) - 1
 	sideSectionWeight := 1
 
-	if gui.isMainPanelSplit() {
+	if gui.splitMainPanelSideBySide() {
 		mainSectionWeight = 5 // need to shrink side panel to make way for main panels if side-by-side
 	}
 
@@ -108,6 +108,28 @@ func (gui *Gui) infoSectionChildren(informationStr string, appStatus string) []*
 	return result
 }
 
+func (gui *Gui) splitMainPanelSideBySide() bool {
+	if !gui.isMainPanelSplit() {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	mainPanelSplitMode := gui.Config.GetUserConfig().Gui.MainPanelSplitMode
+	width, height := gui.g.Size()
+
+	switch mainPanelSplitMode {
+	case "vertical":
+		return false
+	case "horizontal":
+		return true
+	default:
+		if width < 200 && height > 30 { // 2 80 character width panels + 40 width for side panel
+			return false
+		} else {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (gui *Gui) getWindowDimensions(informationStr string, appStatus string) map[string]boxlayout.Dimensions {
 	width, height := gui.g.Size()
 
@@ -119,6 +141,11 @@ func (gui *Gui) getWindowDimensions(informationStr string, appStatus string) map
 		sidePanelsDirection = boxlayout.ROW
 	}
 
+	mainPanelsDirection := boxlayout.ROW
+	if gui.splitMainPanelSideBySide() {
+		mainPanelsDirection = boxlayout.COLUMN
+	}
+
 	root := &boxlayout.Box{
 		Direction: boxlayout.ROW,
 		Children: []*boxlayout.Box{
@@ -132,23 +159,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) getWindowDimensions(informationStr string, appStatus string) map
 						ConditionalChildren: gui.sidePanelChildren,
 					},
 					{
-						ConditionalDirection: func(width int, height int) int {
-							mainPanelSplitMode := gui.Config.GetUserConfig().Gui.MainPanelSplitMode
-
-							switch mainPanelSplitMode {
-							case "vertical":
-								return boxlayout.ROW
-							case "horizontal":
-								return boxlayout.COLUMN
-							default:
-								if width < 160 && height > 30 { // 2 80 character width panels
-									return boxlayout.ROW
-								} else {
-									return boxlayout.COLUMN
-								}
-							}
-						},
-						Direction: boxlayout.COLUMN,
+						Direction: mainPanelsDirection,
 						Weight:    mainSectionWeight,
 						Children:  gui.mainSectionChildren(),
 					},