diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index 387d789..3c8b3f0 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -470,17 +470,15 @@ static void win_draw_bar(win_t *win)
 	XSetBackground(e->dpy, gc, win->bar_bg.pixel);
 
 	if ((len = strlen(r->buf)) > 0) {
-		if ((tw = TEXTWIDTH(win, r->buf, len)) > w) {
-			XftDrawDestroy(d);
-			return;
+		if ((tw = TEXTWIDTH(win, r->buf, len)) <= w) {
+			x = win->w - tw - H_TEXT_PAD;
+			win_draw_text(win, d, &win->bar_fg, x, y, r->buf, len, tw);
 		}
-		x = win->w - tw - H_TEXT_PAD;
-		w -= tw;
-		win_draw_text(win, d, &win->bar_fg, x, y, r->buf, len, tw);
+		/* remaining width, also keeping gap between left and right parts */
+		w -= tw + (2 * H_TEXT_PAD);
 	}
-	if ((len = strlen(l->buf)) > 0) {
+	if ((len = strlen(l->buf)) > 0 && w > 0) {
 		x = H_TEXT_PAD;
-		w -= 2 * H_TEXT_PAD; /* gap between left and right parts */
 		win_draw_text(win, d, &win->bar_fg, x, y, l->buf, len, w);
 	}
 	XftDrawDestroy(d);