diff --git a/frontend/apps/reader/modules/readerfooter.lua b/frontend/apps/reader/modules/readerfooter.lua
index e89b0b735..879092307 100644
--- a/frontend/apps/reader/modules/readerfooter.lua
+++ b/frontend/apps/reader/modules/readerfooter.lua
@@ -380,7 +380,6 @@ local ReaderFooter = WidgetContainer:extend{
     text_font_face = "ffont",
     height = Screen:scaleBySize(DMINIBAR_CONTAINER_HEIGHT),
     horizontal_margin = Size.span.horizontal_default,
-    text_left_margin = Size.span.horizontal_default,
     bottom_padding = Size.padding.tiny,
     settings = {},
     -- added to expose them to unit tests
@@ -740,7 +739,7 @@ function ReaderFooter:resetLayout(force_reset)
         self.progress_bar.width = math.floor(new_screen_width - 2 * self.settings.progress_margin_width)
     else
         self.progress_bar.width = math.floor(
-            new_screen_width - self.text_width - self.settings.progress_margin_width*2)
+            new_screen_width - 2 * self.settings.progress_margin_width - self.text_width)
     end
     if self.separator_line then
         self.separator_line.dimen.w = new_screen_width - 2 * self.horizontal_margin
@@ -1480,10 +1479,14 @@ function ReaderFooter:addToMainMenu(menu_items)
                             return not self.settings.progress_bar_position
                         end,
                         callback = function()
+                            -- "Same as book" is disabled in this mode, and we enforce the defaults.
                             if self.settings.progress_margin then
                                 self.settings.progress_margin = false
-                                self.settings.progress_margin_width = Size.span.horizontal_default
+                                self.settings.progress_margin_width = self.horizontal_margin
                             end
+                            -- Text alignment is also disabled
+                            self.settings.align = "center"
+
                             self.settings.progress_bar_position = nil
                             self:refreshFooter(true, true)
                         end
@@ -1907,12 +1910,13 @@ function ReaderFooter:_updateFooterText(force_repaint, force_recompute)
     local text = self:genFooterText()
     if not text then text = "" end
     self.footer_text:setText(text)
-    self.footer_text:setMaxWidth(math.floor(self._saved_screen_width - 2 * self.settings.progress_margin_width))
     if self.settings.disable_progress_bar then
         if self.has_no_mode or text == "" then
             self.text_width = 0
             self.footer_text.height = 0
         else
+            -- No progress bar, we're only constrained to fit inside self.footer_container
+            self.footer_text:setMaxWidth(math.floor(self._saved_screen_width - 2 * self.horizontal_margin))
             self.text_width = self.footer_text:getSize().w
             self.footer_text.height = self.footer_text:getSize().h
         end
@@ -1923,6 +1927,13 @@ function ReaderFooter:_updateFooterText(force_repaint, force_recompute)
             self.text_width = 0
             self.footer_text.height = 0
         else
+            -- With a progress bar above or below us, we want to align ourselves to the bar's margins... iff text is centered.
+            if self.settings.align == "center" then
+                self.footer_text:setMaxWidth(math.floor(self._saved_screen_width - 2 * self.settings.progress_margin_width))
+            else
+                -- Otherwise, we have to constrain ourselves to the container, or weird shit happens.
+                self.footer_text:setMaxWidth(math.floor(self._saved_screen_width - 2 * self.horizontal_margin))
+            end
             self.text_width = self.footer_text:getSize().w
             self.footer_text.height = self.footer_text:getSize().h
         end
@@ -1932,13 +1943,15 @@ function ReaderFooter:_updateFooterText(force_repaint, force_recompute)
             self.text_width = 0
             self.footer_text.height = 0
         else
+            -- Alongside a progress bar, it's the bar's width plus whatever's left.
             local text_max_available_ratio = (100 - self.settings.progress_bar_min_width_pct) / 100
-            self.footer_text:setMaxWidth(math.floor(text_max_available_ratio * self._saved_screen_width - 2 * self.settings.progress_margin_width))
-            self.text_width = self.footer_text:getSize().w + self.text_left_margin
+            self.footer_text:setMaxWidth(math.floor(text_max_available_ratio * self._saved_screen_width - 2 * self.settings.progress_margin_width - self.horizontal_margin))
+            -- Add some spacing between the text and the bar
+            self.text_width = self.footer_text:getSize().w + self.horizontal_margin
             self.footer_text.height = self.footer_text:getSize().h
         end
         self.progress_bar.width = math.floor(
-            self._saved_screen_width - self.text_width - self.settings.progress_margin_width*2)
+            self._saved_screen_width - 2 * self.settings.progress_margin_width - self.text_width)
     end
 
     if self.separator_line then
diff --git a/spec/unit/readerfooter_spec.lua b/spec/unit/readerfooter_spec.lua
index 6397592b9..4ff82cb92 100644
--- a/spec/unit/readerfooter_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/unit/readerfooter_spec.lua
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ describe("Readerfooter module", function()
         tapFooterMenu(fake_menu, "Progress percentage".." (⤠)")
         assert.are.same('⤠ 0%', footer.footer_text.text)
         assert.is.same(false, footer.has_no_mode)
-        assert.is.same(footer.footer_text:getSize().w + footer.text_left_margin,
+        assert.is.same(footer.footer_text:getSize().w + footer.horizontal_margin,
                        footer.text_width)
         tapFooterMenu(fake_menu, "Progress percentage".." (⤠)")
         assert.is.same(true, footer.has_no_mode)