diff --git a/crates/text/src/layout.rs b/crates/text/src/layout.rs
index f844b571..79209957 100644
--- a/crates/text/src/layout.rs
+++ b/crates/text/src/layout.rs
@@ -257,6 +257,11 @@ impl Item {
     fn is_space(&self) -> bool {
         crate::breaks::is_space(self.ch)
     }
+    /// A space justified text widens: not U+200B, which only marks where a line may break (between
+    /// the words of Thai, Lao, Khmer or Burmese text, written without spaces).
+    fn stretches(&self) -> bool {
+        self.is_space() && self.ch != '\u{200B}'
+    }
 }
 
 /// Bidi embedding levels per char, and whether each char's paragraph runs right to left.
@@ -587,7 +592,7 @@ pub fn layout(text: &TextData, box_width: Option<f64>, box_height: Option<f64>)
             items.get(vis_end.wrapping_sub(1)).filter(|it| hang_end && !rtl_line && vis_end > *s + 1 && closes(it.ch)).map_or(0.0, |it| it.adv);
         let gstart = out.glyphs.len();
         // Justify: extra space per gap.
-        let gaps = items.get(*s..vis_end).unwrap_or(&[]).iter().filter(|it| it.is_space()).count();
+        let gaps = items.get(*s..vis_end).unwrap_or(&[]).iter().filter(|it| it.stretches()).count();
         let justify_extra = match (text.align_h, wrap) {
             (TextAlignH::Justified, Some(maxw)) if !para_end && !break_after(*e) && gaps > 0 => {
                 ((maxw - line_indent + hang_l + hang_r - width) / gaps as f64).max(0.0)
@@ -603,7 +608,7 @@ pub fn layout(text: &TextData, box_width: Option<f64>, box_height: Option<f64>)
             .unwrap_or(&[])
             .iter()
             .filter(|it| !is_line_break(it.ch))
-            .map(|it| it.adv + if it.is_space() { justify_extra } else { 0.0 })
+            .map(|it| it.adv + if it.stretches() { justify_extra } else { 0.0 })
             .sum();
         let mut pen = if rtl_line { -trailing } else { line_indent - hang_l };
         // List marker (before the line's text; zero-length char range so carets skip it).
@@ -698,7 +703,7 @@ pub fn layout(text: &TextData, box_width: Option<f64>, box_height: Option<f64>)
                 });
             }
             pen += it.adv;
-            if it.is_space() {
+            if it.stretches() {
                 pen += justify_extra;
             }
         }
diff --git a/crates/text/src/tests.rs b/crates/text/src/tests.rs
index 4475fbbc..d36c1589 100644
--- a/crates/text/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/text/src/tests.rs
@@ -519,3 +519,43 @@ fn lower_case_writes_final_sigma() {
     t.runs.push(figcraft_doc::StyleRun { start: 3, end: 4, style: other });
     assert_eq!(gids(&t).iter().map(|g| g.0).collect::<Vec<_>>(), want.iter().map(|g| g.0).collect::<Vec<_>>(), "split runs");
 }
+
+/// Thai is written without spaces between words; U+200B ZERO WIDTH SPACE marks where a line may
+/// break. ภาษา|ไทย|เขียน|ติดกัน ("Thai is written joined up") ไม่มี|ช่องว่าง|ระหว่าง|คำ ("with no
+/// spaces between words"), with one real space between the two phrases.
+#[test]
+fn justified_lines_dont_widen_zero_width_spaces() {
+    if !have_fonts() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let lay_out = |s: &str, align, w| {
+        let mut t = TextData::new(s);
+        t.style.font_size = 20.0;
+        t.align_h = align;
+        t.auto_resize = figcraft_doc::TextAutoResize::Height;
+        layout(&t, w, None)
+    };
+    let chars_before = |s: &str, pat: &str| s.find(pat).map(|b| s[..b].chars().count()).unwrap();
+    for (s, why) in [
+        ("ภาษา\u{200B}ไทย\u{200B}เขียน\u{200B}ติดกัน ไม่มี\u{200B}ช่องว่าง\u{200B}ระหว่าง\u{200B}คำ", "the real space takes the extra room"),
+        ("ภาษา\u{200B}ไทย\u{200B}เขียน\u{200B}ติดกัน\u{200B}ไม่มี\u{200B}ช่องว่าง\u{200B}ระหว่าง\u{200B}คำ", "no space to widen: as left-aligned"),
+    ] {
+        // A box that ends inside ช่องว่าง: the first line breaks at the U+200B before it.
+        let word = chars_before(s, "ช่องว่าง");
+        let natural = lay_out(s, TextAlignH::Left, None);
+        let (a, b) = (natural.caret(word).0, natural.caret(word + 4).0);
+        assert!(b > a, "{why}: chars need advances");
+        let w = a + (b - a) / 2.0;
+        let left = lay_out(s, TextAlignH::Left, Some(w));
+        let just = lay_out(s, TextAlignH::Justified, Some(w));
+        assert!(just.lines.len() >= 2 && just.lines[0].char_end == word, "{why}: {:?}", just.lines);
+        let space = s.chars().position(|c| c == ' ');
+        let extra = w - left.lines[0].width;
+        assert!(extra > 0.0, "{why}");
+        assert_eq!(left.glyphs.len(), just.glyphs.len());
+        for (l, j) in left.glyphs.iter().zip(&just.glyphs).filter(|(g, _)| g.char_end <= word) {
+            let want = if space.is_some_and(|sp| l.char_start > sp) { extra } else { 0.0 };
+            assert!((j.x - l.x - want).abs() < 1e-6, "{why}: char {} moved {} (want {want})", l.char_start, j.x - l.x);
+        }
+    }
+}