diff --git a/quickshell/Common/GridLayout.js b/quickshell/Common/GridLayout.js
index 02f91c2a3..af1b9dcf4 100644
--- a/quickshell/Common/GridLayout.js
+++ b/quickshell/Common/GridLayout.js
@@ -131,44 +131,33 @@ function cellAt(layout, x, y, cols, rows) {
     };
 }
 
-// With gravity, a tile dragged down onto another and dropped at its row gets lifted straight back above it. So a
-// tile coming from above lands just past the tiles it overlaps, and one fully covering a single tile that fits
-// where it came from trades places with it.
-function dropInto(items, cells, index, target) {
+// With gravity, a tile dropped onto the stack it came from rises back toward the hole it left. So the drop tries
+// the target row and the rows below it, packing each, and keeps the one that settles nearest the target.
+function dropInto(items, cells, index, target, pack, step = 1) {
     const origin = cells[index];
-    if (!origin || !target)
+    if (!origin || !target || !pack)
         return items;
-    const box = cell => ({
-                "x": cell.col,
-                "y": cell.row,
-                "w": cell.cols,
-                "h": cell.rows
-            });
-    const moved = {
-        "x": target.col,
-        "y": target.row,
-        "w": origin.cols,
-        "h": origin.rows
-    };
-    if (overlaps([box(origin)], moved.x, moved.y, moved.w, moved.h))
+    if (target.col < origin.col + origin.cols && origin.col < target.col + origin.cols && target.row < origin.row + origin.rows && origin.row < target.row + origin.rows)
         return items;
-    const hits = cells.filter((cell, i) => i !== index && cell && overlaps([box(cell)], moved.x, moved.y, moved.w, moved.h));
-    if (hits.length === 0)
-        return items;
-    if (hits.every(cell => cell.row >= origin.row + origin.rows)) {
-        const row = hits.reduce((bottom, cell) => Math.max(bottom, cell.row + cell.rows), moved.y);
-        return items.map((item, i) => i === index ? Object.assign({}, item, {
+    const limit = cells.reduce((bottom, cell) => cell ? Math.max(bottom, cell.row + cell.rows) : bottom, 0) + origin.rows;
+    let best = null;
+    for (let row = target.row; row <= limit; row += step) {
+        const trial = items.map((item, i) => i === index ? Object.assign({}, item, {
                 "row": row
             }) : item);
+        const landed = pack(trial)[index]?.row;
+        if (landed === undefined)
+            return items;
+        const distance = Math.abs(landed - target.row);
+        if (!best || distance < best.distance || (distance === best.distance && landed >= target.row))
+            best = {
+                "trial": trial,
+                "distance": distance
+            };
+        if (landed >= target.row)
+            break;
     }
-    const other = hits.length === 1 ? hits[0] : null;
-    const covered = other && other.col >= moved.x && other.row >= moved.y && other.col + other.cols <= moved.x + moved.w && other.row + other.rows <= moved.y + moved.h;
-    if (!covered || other.cols > origin.cols || other.rows > origin.rows)
-        return items;
-    return items.map((item, i) => cells[i] === other ? Object.assign({}, item, {
-            "col": origin.col,
-            "row": origin.row
-        }) : item);
+    return best.trial;
 }
 
 function placedItems(items, slots) {
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/CcTileGrid.qml b/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/CcTileGrid.qml
index 49783dc3a..34b8c13f9 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/CcTileGrid.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/CcTileGrid.qml
@@ -38,12 +38,18 @@ DEditableGrid {
     readonly property var shownIndices: savedWidgets.reduce((indices, widget, i) => !WidgetUtils.inFooter(widget) && WidgetUtils.isShown(widget) && model?.componentForWidget(widget) ? indices.concat([i]) : indices, [])
 
     sourceItems: shownIndices.map(i => Object.assign({}, savedWidgets[i], sizeWithHiddenTwin(i)))
-    slotLayout: GridUtils.packCards(layoutItems.map(widget => Object.assign({}, widget, WidgetUtils.clampSize(widget, columns, maximumRows))), placementOrder, columns, width, CcMetrics.gridGap, cellWidth - CcMetrics.gridGap, I18n.isRtl, null, CcMetrics.gridStep, true)
-    swapDrags: true
+    slotLayout: GridUtils.packCards(clamped(layoutItems), placementOrder, columns, width, CcMetrics.gridGap, cellWidth - CcMetrics.gridGap, I18n.isRtl, null, CcMetrics.gridStep, true)
+    gravity: true
+    rowStep: CcMetrics.gridStep
+    packer: items => GridUtils.packCells(clamped(items), placementOrder, columns, null, CcMetrics.gridStep, true).cells
     placeholderRadius: draggingSlot?.small ? Theme.fullRadius(draggingSlot.width, draggingSlot.height) : (draggingSlot?.tileItem?.bodyRadius ?? Theme.fullRadius(width, CcMetrics.tileHeight))
 
     onLayoutCommitted: items => model.setLayout(withHidden(items))
 
+    function clamped(items) {
+        return items.map(widget => Object.assign({}, widget, WidgetUtils.clampSize(widget, columns, maximumRows)));
+    }
+
     function sizeWithHiddenTwin(index) {
         const widget = savedWidgets[index];
         const size = WidgetUtils.clampSize(widget, Infinity);
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/ControlCenterContent.qml b/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/ControlCenterContent.qml
index cdf649eb1..8327ceff2 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/ControlCenterContent.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/ControlCenterContent.qml
@@ -184,12 +184,18 @@ FocusScope {
     }
 
     // Goes by the dragged tile, not the pointer: the middle of its top row has to cross the grid's edge as it
-    // was at drag start, which the grid growing under the drag cannot move.
+    // was at drag start, which the grid growing under the drag cannot move. Below the grid that edge sits one
+    // row lower while the panel has room to grow, so a tile can still be dropped into a new bottom row.
     function footerTakesGridDrag(tile) {
         if (gridDragWidget === null || footer.freeCells() < WidgetUtils.footerMinCells(gridDragWidget.id))
             return false;
-        const anchor = tile.y + Math.min(tile.height, widgetGrid.slotLayout.rowUnit) / 2;
-        return footerOnTop ? anchor < -CcMetrics.gridGap / 2 : anchor > widgetGrid.pinnedHeight + CcMetrics.gridGap / 2;
+        const rowUnit = widgetGrid.slotLayout.rowUnit;
+        const anchor = tile.y + Math.min(tile.height, rowUnit) / 2;
+        if (footerOnTop)
+            return anchor < -CcMetrics.gridGap / 2;
+        const newRow = CcMetrics.gridGap + rowUnit;
+        const room = widgetGrid.pinnedHeight + newRow <= availableGridHeight ? newRow : 0;
+        return anchor > widgetGrid.pinnedHeight + room + CcMetrics.gridGap / 2;
     }
 
     // Drops commit a tick later: committing inside the release handler would destroy the dragged item mid-signal.
diff --git a/quickshell/Widgets/DEditableGrid.qml b/quickshell/Widgets/DEditableGrid.qml
index 3c69e3cc1..b461c7907 100644
--- a/quickshell/Widgets/DEditableGrid.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Widgets/DEditableGrid.qml
@@ -32,7 +32,12 @@ Item {
     property var dropHandler: null
     // An item hovering from outside, placed first so the grid makes room for it.
     property var externalItem: null
-    property bool swapDrags: false
+    // The layout compacts upward, so a drop has to account for the hole the dragged item leaves.
+    property bool gravity: false
+    // Takes the items with the dragged one at its target and returns their packed cells, so a drop can tell
+    // whether gravity would lift the dragged item back above where it was dropped.
+    property var packer: null
+    property real rowStep: 1
     readonly property alias tileModel: tiles
     readonly property bool interacting: draggingSourceIndex >= 0 || sizePreview !== null || externalItem !== null
     readonly property real layoutHeight: interacting ? Math.max(heldHeight, slotLayout.totalHeight) : slotLayout.totalHeight
@@ -54,7 +59,7 @@ Item {
         if (interactingIndex < 0 || !changes)
             return items;
         const changed = items.map((item, i) => i === interactingIndex ? Object.assign({}, item, changes) : item);
-        return swapDrags && dragCell && draggingSourceIndex >= 0 ? GridUtils.dropInto(changed, pinnedCells, draggingSourceIndex, dragCell) : changed;
+        return gravity && dragCell && draggingSourceIndex >= 0 ? GridUtils.dropInto(changed, pinnedCells, draggingSourceIndex, dragCell, packer, rowStep) : changed;
     }
 
     signal layoutCommitted(var items)
diff --git a/quickshell/tests/dash-grid.test.mjs b/quickshell/tests/dash-grid.test.mjs
index d4f2726a3..cadcbc2d0 100644
--- a/quickshell/tests/dash-grid.test.mjs
+++ b/quickshell/tests/dash-grid.test.mjs
@@ -81,18 +81,37 @@ test("panel step follows the pointer and holds on a pinned edge", () => {
     assert.equal(grid.nearestStep(rightEdge, 20, 6, 30, 1400), 20);
 });
 
-test("a tile dragged down lands past the tile it covers instead of back above it", () => {
-    const items = [{ id: "a" }, { id: "b" }, { id: "c" }];
+const dropped = (cells, index, target, columns = 2, step = 1) => {
+    const items = cells.map((cell, i) => ({ id: String(i), w: cell.cols, h: cell.rows, col: cell.col, row: cell.row }));
+    const moved = items.map((item, i) => i === index ? Object.assign({}, item, target) : item);
+    const order = [index].concat(items.map((item, i) => i).filter(i => i !== index));
+    const pack = trial => grid.packCells(trial, order, columns, null, step, true).cells;
+    return plain(pack(grid.dropInto(moved, cells, index, target, pack, step)).map(cell => [cell.col, cell.row]));
+};
+
+test("a tile dragged down its own stack lands where dropped instead of back above the tile it covers", () => {
     const cells = [{ col: 0, row: 0, cols: 1, rows: 1 }, { col: 0, row: 1, cols: 1, rows: 1 }, { col: 0, row: 2, cols: 1, rows: 2 }];
-    assert.deepEqual(plain(grid.dropInto(items, cells, 0, { col: 0, row: 1 })), [{ id: "a", row: 2 }, { id: "b" }, { id: "c" }]);
-    assert.deepEqual(plain(grid.dropInto(items, cells, 0, { col: 0, row: 2 })), [{ id: "a", row: 4 }, { id: "b" }, { id: "c" }]);
-    assert.deepEqual(plain(grid.dropInto(items, cells, 2, { col: 0, row: 0 })), items);
-    assert.deepEqual(plain(grid.dropInto(items, cells, 1, { col: 0, row: 2 })), [{ id: "a" }, { id: "b", row: 4 }, { id: "c" }]);
+    assert.deepEqual(dropped(cells, 0, { col: 0, row: 1 }), [[0, 1], [0, 0], [0, 2]]);
+    assert.deepEqual(dropped(cells, 0, { col: 0, row: 2 }), [[0, 3], [0, 0], [0, 1]]);
+    assert.deepEqual(dropped(cells, 2, { col: 0, row: 0 }), [[0, 2], [0, 3], [0, 0]]);
+    assert.deepEqual(dropped(cells, 1, { col: 0, row: 2 }), [[0, 0], [0, 3], [0, 1]]);
 });
 
-test("a tile dropped sideways or up onto a same-size tile trades places with it", () => {
-    const items = [{ id: "a" }, { id: "b" }, { id: "c" }];
-    const cells = [{ col: 0, row: 0, cols: 1, rows: 1 }, { col: 1, row: 0, cols: 1, rows: 1 }, { col: 1, row: 1, cols: 1, rows: 1 }];
-    assert.deepEqual(plain(grid.dropInto(items, cells, 0, { col: 1, row: 0 })), [{ id: "a" }, { id: "b", col: 0, row: 0 }, { id: "c" }]);
-    assert.deepEqual(plain(grid.dropInto(items, cells, 2, { col: 1, row: 0 })), [{ id: "a" }, { id: "b", col: 1, row: 1 }, { id: "c" }]);
+test("a half-width tile dragged down beside a blocked stack moves one step per half row", () => {
+    const cells = [{ col: 0, row: 0, cols: 1, rows: 1 }, { col: 1, row: 0, cols: 0.5, rows: 1 }, { col: 1.5, row: 0, cols: 0.5, rows: 1 }, { col: 0, row: 1, cols: 2, rows: 1 }, { col: 0, row: 2, cols: 2, rows: 1 }];
+    const rowOf = target => dropped(cells, 1, { col: 1, row: target }, 2, 0.5)[1][1];
+    assert.deepEqual([1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3].map(rowOf), [2, 2, 2, 3, 3]);
+});
+
+test("a tile dragged down from another column lands where dropped unless gravity would lift it back", () => {
+    const cells = [{ col: 0, row: 0, cols: 1, rows: 1 }, { col: 0, row: 1, cols: 1, rows: 1 }, { col: 0, row: 2, cols: 1, rows: 1 }, { col: 1, row: 0, cols: 1, rows: 1 }];
+    const items = cells.map((cell, i) => ({ id: "abcd"[i], col: cell.col, row: cell.row }));
+    const drop = (index, target) => {
+        const moved = items.map((item, i) => i === index ? Object.assign({}, item, target) : item);
+        const order = [index].concat(items.map((item, i) => i).filter(i => i !== index));
+        const pack = trial => grid.packCells(trial, order, 2, null, 1, true).cells;
+        return plain(grid.packCells(grid.dropInto(moved, cells, index, target, pack), order, 2, null, 1, true).cells.map(cell => [cell.col, cell.row]));
+    };
+    assert.deepEqual(drop(3, { col: 0, row: 1 }), [[0, 0], [0, 2], [0, 3], [0, 1]]);
+    assert.deepEqual(drop(0, { col: 0, row: 1 }), [[0, 1], [0, 0], [0, 2], [1, 0]]);
 });