diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index a10b46cb0..9a97f71f8 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -674,6 +674,7 @@ draw_combining_char(Screen *self, text_loop_state *s, char_type ch) {
     if (has_prev_char) {
         CPUCell *cp; GPUCell *gp;
         linebuf_init_cells(self->linebuf, ypos, &cp, &gp);
+        if (xpos > 0 && gp[xpos].attrs.width == 0 && gp[xpos-1].attrs.width == 2) xpos--;
         bool added = line_add_combining_char(cp, gp, self->text_cache, self->lc, ch, xpos);
         unsigned base_pos = self->lc->count - (added ? 2 : 1);
         if (ch == VS16) {  // emoji presentation variation marker makes default text presentation emoji (narrow emoji) into wide emoji
diff --git a/kitty_tests/screen.py b/kitty_tests/screen.py
index 3b3bcbe1a..1a18d918f 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/screen.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/screen.py
@@ -657,6 +657,7 @@ class TestScreen(BaseTest):
         self.ae(s.text_for_selection(), ('abc  ', 'xy'))
         self.ae(s.text_for_selection(True), ('a\x1b[32mb\x1b[39mc  ', 'xy', '\x1b[m'))
         self.ae(s.text_for_selection(True, True), ('a\x1b[32mb\x1b[39mc', 'xy', '\x1b[m'))
+        # ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
 
     def test_soft_hyphen(self):
         s = self.create_screen()
@@ -668,17 +669,24 @@ class TestScreen(BaseTest):
 
     def test_variation_selectors(self):
         s = self.create_screen()
-        s.draw('\U0001f610')
-        self.ae(s.cursor.x, 2)
-        s.carriage_return(), s.linefeed()
-        s.draw('\U0001f610\ufe0e')
-        self.ae(s.cursor.x, 1)
-        s.carriage_return(), s.linefeed()
-        s.draw('\u25b6')
-        self.ae(s.cursor.x, 1)
-        s.carriage_return(), s.linefeed()
-        s.draw('\u25b6\ufe0f')
-        self.ae(s.cursor.x, 2)
+        def t(*a):
+            s.reset()
+            for i in range(0, len(a), 2):
+                char, x = a[i], a[i+1]
+                s.draw(char)
+                self.ae(s.cursor.x, x, f'after char: {char!r}')
+        # already wide + VS15
+        t('\U0001f610', 2, '\ufe0e', 1, '\ufe0e', 1)
+        t('\U0001f610\ufe0e', 1, '\ufe0e', 1)
+        # narrow + VS16
+        t('\u25b6', 1, '\ufe0f', 2)
+        t('\u25b6\ufe0f', 2)
+        # wide + VS16
+        t('\u26d4\ufe0f', 2, '\ufe0f', 2)
+        t('\u26d4', 2, '\ufe0f', 2)
+        # narrow + VS15
+        t('\u25b6', 1, '\ufe0e', 1)
+        t('\u25b6\ufe0e', 1)
 
     def test_writing_with_cursor_on_trailer_of_wide_character(self):
         s = self.create_screen()