diff --git a/src/Box.cpp b/src/Box.cpp
index bc5a46f..ee6d1df 100644
--- a/src/Box.cpp
+++ b/src/Box.cpp
@@ -75,4 +75,24 @@ Box Box::min_geometry() {
     return Box{ m_x, m_y, min_width, min_height };
 }
 
+double Box::clamp_for_dimension(Direction direction, double value) {
+    if (direction == Direction::Vertical) {
+        if (m_max_height != -1 && value > m_max_height) {
+            return m_max_height;
+        } else if (m_min_height != -1 && value < m_min_height) {
+            return m_min_height;
+        } else {
+            return value;
+        }
+    } else {
+        if (m_max_width != -1 && value > m_max_width) {
+            return m_max_width;
+        } else if (m_min_width != -1 && value < m_min_width) {
+            return m_min_width;
+        } else {
+            return value;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/src/Box.hpp b/src/Box.hpp
index 201350b..08d22ab 100644
--- a/src/Box.hpp
+++ b/src/Box.hpp
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ public:
     double min_height() const { return m_min_height; }
     double max_width() const { return m_max_width; }
     double max_height() const { return m_max_height; }
+    double dimension_at(Direction direction) { return direction == Direction::Horizontal ? width() : height(); }
+    double max_dimension_at(Direction direction) { return direction == Direction::Horizontal ? max_width() : max_height(); }
+    double min_dimension_at(Direction direction) { return direction == Direction::Horizontal ? min_width() : min_height(); }
+    double clamp_for_dimension(Direction direction, double value);
 
     void set_x(double x) { m_x = x; }
     void set_y(double y) { m_y = y; }
diff --git a/src/BoxLayout.cpp b/src/BoxLayout.cpp
index 66ce463..edca432 100644
--- a/src/BoxLayout.cpp
+++ b/src/BoxLayout.cpp
@@ -13,80 +13,48 @@ void BoxLayout::run() {
         return;
     }
 
-    double total_space = m_direction == Direction::Horizontal ? m_target->rect().width() : m_target->rect().height();
+    double total_space = m_target->rect().dimension_at(m_direction);
     double free_space = total_space;
     Point current_position { 0.0, 0.0 };
     int unslotted_widgets = 0;
     std::vector<Slot> working_slots(m_slots);
 
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < m_target->children().size(); i++) {
+        auto child = m_target->children()[i];
         if (i >= working_slots.size()) {
-            auto child = m_target->children()[i];
-            if (m_direction == Direction::Horizontal) {
-                if (child->rect().min_width() != -1 || child->rect().max_width() != -1) {
-                    child->rect().update();
-                    working_slots.push_back(Slot {
-                        0,
-                        child->rect().width(),
-                        SlotType::Pixel
-                    });
-                } else {
-                    unslotted_widgets++;
-                    working_slots.push_back(Slot {
-                        0,
-                        0,
-                        SlotType::Auto
-                    });
-                }
+            // widgets which are outside the pre-defined slot range
+
+            if (child->rect().max_dimension_at(m_direction) != -1 || child->rect().min_dimension_at(m_direction) != -1) {
+                // if the widget has a minimum or maximum size, we'll make a slot for its preferred size
+                child->rect().update();
+                working_slots.push_back(Slot { 0, child->rect().dimension_at(m_direction), SlotType::Pixel });
+                free_space -= child->rect().dimension_at(m_direction);
             } else {
-                if (child->rect().min_height() != -1 || child->rect().max_height() != -1) {
-                    child->rect().update();
-                    working_slots.push_back(Slot {
-                        0,
-                        child->rect().height(),
-                        SlotType::Pixel
-                    });
-                } else {
-                    unslotted_widgets++;
-                    working_slots.push_back(Slot {
-                        0,
-                        0,
-                        SlotType::Auto
-                    });
-                }
+                // we can consider widgets with no size perference "unslotted". these widgets will be evenly spaced amongst themselves.
+                unslotted_widgets++;
+                working_slots.push_back(Slot{ 0, 0, SlotType::Auto });
+            }
+        } else {
+            // widgets which have a pre-defined slot
+
+            // if the slot is fixed, we can already clamp it and subtract from free_space 
+            if (working_slots[i].type == SlotType::Pixel) {
+                working_slots[i].pixel = child->rect().clamp_for_dimension(m_direction, working_slots[i].pixel);
+                free_space -= working_slots[i].pixel;
             }
         }
     }
 
+    // compute all percentages for slots
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < m_target->children().size(); i++) {
         Slot *slot = &working_slots[i];
         auto child = m_target->children()[i];
 
-        if (slot->type == SlotType::Auto) {
-            continue;
-        }
-
         if (slot->type == SlotType::Percent) {
             slot->pixel = ((free_space / 100.0) * slot->percent);
+            slot->pixel = child->rect().clamp_for_dimension(m_direction, slot->pixel);
+            free_space -= slot->pixel;
         }
-
-        if (m_direction == Direction::Horizontal) {
-            if (child->rect().max_width() != -1 && slot->pixel > child->rect().max_width()) {
-                slot->pixel = child->rect().max_width();
-            }
-            if (child->rect().min_width() != -1 && slot->pixel < child->rect().min_width()) {
-                slot->pixel = child->rect().min_width();
-            }
-        } else {
-            if (child->rect().max_height() != -1 && slot->pixel > child->rect().max_height()) {
-                slot->pixel = child->rect().max_height();
-            }
-            if (child->rect().min_height() != -1 && slot->pixel < child->rect().min_height()) {
-                slot->pixel = child->rect().min_height();
-            }
-        }
-
-        free_space -= slot->pixel;
     }
 
     double space_per_unslotted_widget = free_space / unslotted_widgets;
@@ -94,6 +62,7 @@ void BoxLayout::run() {
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < m_target->children().size(); i++) {
         auto child = m_target->children()[i];
         Slot slot = working_slots[i];
+
         if (slot.type == SlotType::Auto) {
             slot.pixel = space_per_unslotted_widget;
         }
@@ -117,19 +86,11 @@ void BoxLayout::run() {
 };
 
 void BoxLayout::slot_percent(double percent) {
-    m_slots.push_back(Slot {
-        percent,
-        0,
-        SlotType::Percent,
-    });
+    m_slots.push_back(Slot { percent, 0, SlotType::Percent });
 }
 
 void BoxLayout::slot_pixel(double pixel) {
-    m_slots.push_back(Slot {
-        0,
-        pixel,
-        SlotType::Pixel,
-    });
+    m_slots.push_back(Slot { 0, pixel, SlotType::Pixel });
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 828f328..24e3861 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -22,14 +22,13 @@ int main() {
 
     auto main_widget = window.set_main_widget<Raven::Widget>();
     auto main_layout = main_widget->set_layout<Raven::BoxLayout>(Raven::Direction::Vertical);
-    main_layout->slot_pixel(32); // top bar
+    main_layout->slot_pixel(30); // top bar 
 
     auto top_bar = main_widget->add<Raven::Widget>();
     top_bar->set_style(&Raven::accent_widget_style);
     top_bar->set_layout<Raven::BoxLayout>(Raven::Direction::Horizontal);
 
-    auto scroll_container = main_widget->add<Raven::ScrollContainer>();
-    auto container_widget = scroll_container->make_target();
+    auto container_widget = main_widget->add<Raven::Widget>();
     container_widget->set_layout<Raven::BoxLayout>(Raven::Direction::Vertical);
     container_widget->resize(400, 400);
 
@@ -43,7 +42,9 @@ int main() {
     };
     auto remove_button = top_bar->add<Raven::Button>("remove");
     remove_button->on_click = [container_widget]() {
-        container_widget->remove_child(container_widget->children()[0]);
+        if (container_widget->children().size() > 0) {
+            container_widget->remove_child(container_widget->children()[0]);
+        }
     };
     auto dummy_button = top_bar->add<Raven::Button>("dummy");
     dummy_button->rect().set_max_width(60);