diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs
index f65b5e11f..633be3c9f 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs
@@ -453,6 +453,38 @@ fn same_content(a: Option<&gridcraft_model::Cell>, b: Option<&gridcraft_model::C
     }
 }
 
+/// Lines a single text line needs when word-wrapped into `width` points. The grid wraps whole
+/// words (egui's LayoutJob), so dividing the total width by the column width undercounts: each
+/// drawn line ends early at the last word that fits. A word wider than the column breaks
+/// mid-word, the way egui does. (#1969)
+fn wrapped_line_count(line: &str, width: f32, size: f32, bold: bool) -> f32 {
+    let word_w = |w: &str| crate::cmd::format::approx_text_width(w, size, bold);
+    let space_w = word_w(" ");
+    let mut lines = 1.0f32;
+    let mut used = 0.0f32;
+    for word in line.split_whitespace() {
+        let w = word_w(word);
+        if w > width {
+            // wider than the column: egui fills the current line, then breaks it across lines
+            if used > 0.0 {
+                lines += 1.0;
+            }
+            let chunks = (w / width).ceil();
+            lines += chunks - 1.0;
+            used = w - (chunks - 1.0) * width;
+            continue;
+        }
+        let gap = if used > 0.0 { space_w } else { 0.0 };
+        if used + gap + w > width {
+            lines += 1.0;
+            used = w;
+        } else {
+            used += gap + w;
+        }
+    }
+    lines
+}
+
 /// Recomputes an automatic row height from its content: the largest font, and wrapped text.
 /// Rows with a user-set height keep it.
 ///
@@ -503,7 +535,7 @@ pub fn auto_row_height(wb: &mut Workbook, si: usize, row: u32) {
                 let w = sh.col_width(c).max(1.0) - 6.0;
                 lines = text
                     .lines()
-                    .map(|l| (crate::cmd::format::approx_text_width(l, size, st.font.bold) / w.max(1.0)).ceil().max(1.0))
+                    .map(|l| wrapped_line_count(l, w.max(1.0), size, st.font.bold))
                     .sum::<f32>()
                     .max(1.0);
             }
diff --git a/crates/engine/tests/wrap_row_height.rs b/crates/engine/tests/wrap_row_height.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..12246182b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/engine/tests/wrap_row_height.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+//! #1969: a wrapped cell's row must fit WORD-wrapped lines, not the character-fit
+//! estimate (words can't split, so each drawn line ends early and narrow columns
+//! need more lines than width/estimate suggests).
+
+use gridcraft_engine::Session;
+use serde_json::json;
+
+fn session() -> Session {
+    let mut s = Session::new();
+    s.new_workbook();
+    s
+}
+
+fn row_height(s: &mut Session, row: u32) -> f32 {
+    s.doc().unwrap().wb.active().unwrap().row_height(row)
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn wrapped_row_fits_word_wrapped_lines() {
+    let mut s = session();
+    // Column fits ~10 characters; six-character words mean only one word per line.
+    s.execute("home.columnWidth", json!({"cols": "A:A", "chars": 10})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("cell.set", json!({"cell": "A1", "input": "aaaaaa bbbbbb cccccc dddddd"})).unwrap();
+    let plain = row_height(&mut s, 0);
+    s.execute("home.wrapText", json!({"range": "A1", "on": true})).unwrap();
+    let wrapped = row_height(&mut s, 0);
+    // Word wrap: 4 lines (one word each). The old estimate: ceil(28/10) = 3 lines.
+    // Line height at 11pt is ~19.8, so 4 lines need ~79 vs ~59 for 3.
+    assert!(wrapped >= plain + 3.0 * 19.0, "4 word-wrapped lines must grow the row by ~4 line heights: plain={plain}, wrapped={wrapped}");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn issue_repro_nasa_sentence() {
+    let mut s = session();
+    s.execute("home.columnWidth", json!({"cols": "A:A", "chars": 12})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("cell.set", json!({"cell": "A1", "input": "Since the 1960s, NASA has left hardware across the solar system\u{2013}on the Moon, on Mars, and in deep space."}))
+        .unwrap();
+    s.execute("home.wrapText", json!({"range": "A1", "on": true})).unwrap();
+    let h = row_height(&mut s, 0);
+    // Excel shows this at ~10 lines in a 12-char column; the character estimate undercounts.
+    assert!(h >= 9.0 * 19.0, "NASA sentence in a 12-char column needs ~10 lines, got height {h}");
+}