1 files changed, 14 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/src/pardes.zig b/src/pardes.zig
index cae3a0ab..16193967 100644
--- a/src/pardes.zig
+++ b/src/pardes.zig
@@ -4446,9 +4446,21 @@ pub const Pardes = struct {
         }
     }
 
-    /// place a fresh doc pane: split an existing doc (the source if it's one,
-    /// else the first found), or take the left column when no doc exists yet
+    /// place a fresh doc pane. With a single column there is no separate file
+    /// column, so split BELOW the pane the look came from — the same acme split
+    /// as a dir open (splitParent picks a taller pane if the source is too
+    /// short). With two+ columns, open in the file column: split an existing
+    /// doc (the source if it's one, else the first found), or take the left
+    /// column when no doc exists yet.
     fn placeDoc(p: *Pardes, from_id: usize, free: usize, nt: *Pane) void {
+        if (p.ncol == 1) {
+            const src = p.splitParent(from_id);
+            const f = p.layoutFindTerm(src).?;
+            p.layoutInsert(f.col, f.idx + 1, free);
+            p.splitBelow(src, nt);
+            p.active = free;
+            return;
+        }
         var src_id: ?usize = null;
         if (p.panes[from_id]) |src| if (src.file != null or src.image != null) {
             src_id = from_id;