diff --git a/bzGraflow.js b/bzGraflow.js
index 289278a..02fb486 100644
--- a/bzGraflow.js
+++ b/bzGraflow.js
@@ -505,15 +505,86 @@ class BZgraflow extends Buildoz{
                 else this.currentOrientation = 'vertical'
             }
         }
-        if(forceAutoplace) this.autoPlace(this.currentOrientation, parseInt(this.getBZAttribute('gapx')) || 80, parseInt(this.getBZAttribute('gapy')) || 80) 
-        this.fireEvent('refreshed', { })
-        if(this.hasAttribute('autofit')){
-            const autofitAttr = this.getAttribute('autofit')
-            const autofitPercent = (autofitAttr !== null && autofitAttr !== '' && !Number.isNaN(parseFloat(autofitAttr)))
-                ? parseFloat(autofitAttr)
-                : undefined
-            this.autofit(autofitPercent)
+        const gapx = parseInt(this.getBZAttribute('gapx')) || 80
+        const gapy = parseInt(this.getBZAttribute('gapy')) || 80
+        const finishRefresh = () => {
+            this.fireEvent('refreshed', { })
+            if(this.hasAttribute('autofit')){
+                const autofitAttr = this.getAttribute('autofit')
+                const autofitPercent = (autofitAttr !== null && autofitAttr !== '' && !Number.isNaN(parseFloat(autofitAttr)))
+                    ? parseFloat(autofitAttr)
+                    : undefined
+                if(this._canRunAutoPlace()) this.autofit(autofitPercent)
+                else this._scheduleLayoutWhenReady(() => this.autofit(autofitPercent))
+            }
         }
+        if(forceAutoplace) this._scheduleAutoPlaceWhenReady(this.currentOrientation, gapx, gapy, finishRefresh)
+        else finishRefresh()
+    }
+
+    disconnectedCallback(){
+        this._disconnectLayoutObserver()
+        super.disconnectedCallback?.()
+    }
+
+    _disconnectLayoutObserver(){
+        if(this._layoutObserver) {
+            this._layoutObserver.disconnect()
+            this._layoutObserver = null
+        }
+    }
+
+    _canRunAutoPlace(){
+        let nodesHaveLayoutSize = false
+        const ids = Object.keys(this.stagedNodes || {})
+        if(ids.length === 0) return(true)
+        for(const nid of ids){
+            if(nid.startsWith('longLinkPlaceHolder_')) continue
+            const el = this.stagedNodes[nid]
+            if(el && (el.offsetWidth > 0 || el.offsetHeight > 0)) {
+                nodesHaveLayoutSize=true
+                break
+            }
+        }
+        return((this.clientWidth > 0 && this.clientHeight > 0) && nodesHaveLayoutSize)
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * autoPlace uses offsetWidth/offsetHeight; when the host is hidden (display:none / off-screen view)
+     * those are 0 and layout is wrong. Defer until the element is measurable.
+     */
+    _scheduleLayoutWhenReady(callback){
+        this._layoutScheduleToken = (this._layoutScheduleToken || 0) + 1
+        const token = this._layoutScheduleToken
+        this._disconnectLayoutObserver()
+
+        const attempt = () => {
+            if(token !== this._layoutScheduleToken) return(true)
+            if(!this._canRunAutoPlace()) return(false)
+            this._disconnectLayoutObserver()
+            callback()
+            return(true)
+        }
+
+        if(attempt()) return
+
+        this._layoutObserver = new ResizeObserver(() => { attempt() })
+        this._layoutObserver.observe(this)
+
+        let frames = 0
+        const rafPoll = () => {
+            if(token !== this._layoutScheduleToken) return
+            if(attempt()) return
+            if(++frames < 12) requestAnimationFrame(rafPoll)
+        }
+        requestAnimationFrame(rafPoll)
+    }
+
+    _scheduleAutoPlaceWhenReady(orientation, gapx, gapy, onDone){
+        this._scheduleLayoutWhenReady(() => {
+            this.autoPlace(orientation, gapx, gapy)
+            if(typeof onDone === 'function') onDone()
+        })
     }
 
     // Convert viewport (client) coordinates to this instance's SVG local coordinates.