diff --git a/crates/engine/src/clip_html.rs b/crates/engine/src/clip_html.rs
index d208155df..e1d217c9c 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/clip_html.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/clip_html.rs
@@ -267,6 +267,12 @@ fn attr<'a>(attrs: &'a str, name: &str) -> Option<&'a str> {
     }
 }
 
+/// Entities are at most `&` + 8 chars + `;` (a decimal code point at most 7 digits deep), so
+/// the semicolon is only looked for in the first 12 bytes — and `unwrap_or(rest)` never falls
+/// back to scanning the remainder of the text either (that turn re-scans per `&`, quadratic
+/// when a paste holds many bare `&`).
+const ENTITY_WINDOW: usize = 12;
+
 /// HTML text to plain text: entities decoded, whitespace runs (and `<br>`) collapsed to one
 /// space, trimmed. The text only serves to match a cell with the tab-separated text.
 fn decode(raw: &str) -> String {
@@ -275,7 +281,9 @@ fn decode(raw: &str) -> String {
     while let Some(amp) = rest.find('&') {
         out.push_str(rest.get(..amp).unwrap_or_default());
         rest = rest.get(amp..).unwrap_or_default();
-        let semi = rest.get(..12).unwrap_or(rest).find(';');
+        // `.min(len)` (not an `unwrap_or(rest)`) — a `get(..12)` that fails on a multibyte
+        // boundary used to fall back to the complete suffix, re-scanning per '&'.
+        let semi = rest.get(..ENTITY_WINDOW.min(rest.len())).and_then(|w| w.find(';'));
         let entity = semi.and_then(|e| rest.get(1..e));
         let ch = entity.and_then(|e| match e {
             "amp" => Some('&'),
@@ -382,6 +390,19 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(table_cells(quoted_gt, 1, 1), vec![vec![HtmlCell { text: "1500".into(), num: Some(1500.0) }]]);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn entities_recognized_only_within_the_twelve_byte_window() {
+        // The window never scans the rest of the text for a semicolon: a bare '&' followed by
+        // long plain text stays a bare '&', and one '&' after another is linear.
+        assert_eq!(decode("a&amplifier; b"), "a&amplifier; b");
+        assert_eq!(decode("&ampampampampAMP;"), "&ampampampampAMP;");
+        // Inside the window the usual forms still decode, and a trailing bare '&' too.
+        assert_eq!(decode("&#38;"), "&");
+        assert_eq!(decode("&#x266A;"), "\u{266A}");
+        assert_eq!(decode("a&amp;b&nbsp;c"), "a&b\u{a0}c");
+        assert_eq!(decode("amp&"), "amp&");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn hostile_markup_does_not_panic() {
         for html in [
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs
index 8a0bb1052..8b2899f27 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/mod.rs
@@ -552,9 +552,15 @@ pub fn auto_row_height(wb: &mut Workbook, si: usize, row: u32) {
         return;
     }
     let mut need: f32 = default;
+    // The cell loop must not rescan every merge per cell: the merges touching this row are
+    // picked out once, and per cell the candidates are re-checked (normally none or a couple;
+    // a sheet with many merges and many saved columns would otherwise scan all of them per
+    // cell, rows × merges × columns).
+    let row_merges: Vec<gridcraft_core::RangeRef> =
+        sh.merges.iter().copied().filter(|m| !m.is_single() && m.start.row <= row && row <= m.end.row).collect();
     for (c, cell) in sh.cells.row(row, 0, gridcraft_core::MAX_COLS - 1) {
         // Merged cells never auto-fit their rows, like Excel (column autofit skips them too).
-        if sh.merge_at(CellRef::new(row, c)).is_some_and(|m| !m.is_single()) {
+        if row_merges.iter().any(|m| m.contains(CellRef::new(row, c))) {
             continue;
         }
         let st = wb.styles.get(cell.style);
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/print.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/print.rs
index 4c80f2fa9..1c91518e2 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/print.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/print.rs
@@ -784,22 +784,27 @@ fn wrap_lines(text: &str, font: Font, size: f32, width: f32) -> Vec<String> {
                 out.push(std::mem::take(&mut line));
                 line = word.to_string();
             }
-            // Break a single over-long word by characters.
+            // Break a single over-long word by characters. The cut that fits is found by binary
+            // search (each try measures one candidate prefix), so an over-long word costs
+            // O(n log n) measurements instead of re-measuring the whole cut per character for
+            // every emitted line (`a` × 100k pasted text would be cubic worst case).
             while gridcraft_pdf::text_width(font, size, &line) > width && line.chars().count() > 1 {
-                let mut cut = String::new();
-                let mut rest = String::new();
-                for ch in line.chars() {
-                    if rest.is_empty() && gridcraft_pdf::text_width(font, size, &format!("{cut}{ch}")) <= width || cut.is_empty() {
-                        cut.push(ch);
+                let chars: Vec<char> = line.chars().collect();
+                let (mut lo, mut hi) = (1usize, chars.len());
+                while lo < hi {
+                    let mid = lo + (hi - lo).div_ceil(2);
+                    let cut: String = chars[..mid].iter().collect();
+                    if gridcraft_pdf::text_width(font, size, &cut) <= width {
+                        lo = mid;
                     } else {
-                        rest.push(ch);
+                        hi = mid - 1;
                     }
                 }
-                if rest.is_empty() {
+                if lo == chars.len() {
                     break;
                 }
-                out.push(cut);
-                line = rest;
+                out.push(chars[..lo].iter().collect());
+                line = chars[lo..].iter().collect();
             }
             if out.len() > 2000 {
                 return out;
@@ -1306,7 +1311,16 @@ fn decode_image(data: &[u8], max_w: u32, max_h: u32) -> Option<(Vec<u8>, u32, u3
 }
 
 /// Draws charts, pictures, shapes and sparklines overlapping the body block of a page.
-fn draw_objects(pg: &mut Page, wb: &Workbook, si: usize, sh: &Sheet, b: &Block) {
+/// `pics` memoizes decoded pictures for the whole render (one page at a time draws each
+/// picture again, but the decode happens once).
+fn draw_objects(
+    pg: &mut Page,
+    wb: &Workbook,
+    si: usize,
+    sh: &Sheet,
+    b: &Block,
+    pics: &mut std::collections::HashMap<(usize, usize), Option<(Vec<u8>, u32, u32)>>,
+) {
     let block = b.range();
     let (sx0, sy0) = (sh.col_left(block.start.col), sh.row_top(block.start.row));
     let (sx1, sy1) = (sh.col_left(block.end.col.saturating_add(1)), sh.row_top(block.end.row.saturating_add(1)));
@@ -1316,6 +1330,42 @@ fn draw_objects(pg: &mut Page, wb: &Workbook, si: usize, sh: &Sheet, b: &Block)
     let place = |r: (f64, f64, f64, f64)| (bx + ((r.0 - sx0) as f32) * b.k, by + ((r.1 - sy0) as f32) * b.k, r.2 as f32 * b.k, r.3 as f32 * b.k);
     pg.save();
     pg.clip_rect(bx, by, bw, bh);
+    draw_sparklines(pg, wb, si, sh, b, block);
+    for (imi, im) in sh.images.iter().enumerate() {
+        let r = anchor_rect(sh, &im.anchor);
+        if !visible(r) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let (x, y, w, h) = place(r);
+        // About 150 dpi is plenty for print.
+        let (mw, mh) = (((w / 72.0) * 150.0).ceil().clamp(1.0, 4000.0) as u32, ((h / 72.0) * 150.0).ceil().clamp(1.0, 4000.0) as u32);
+        let decoded = pics.entry((si, imi)).or_insert_with(|| decode_image(&im.data, mw, mh));
+        if let Some((px, pw, ph)) = decoded.as_ref() {
+            pg.image_rgba(x, y, w, h, px, *pw, *ph);
+        }
+    }
+    for shp in &sh.shapes {
+        let r = anchor_rect(sh, &shp.anchor);
+        if !visible(r) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let (x, y, w, h) = place(r);
+        draw_shape(pg, wb, shp, b, (x, y, w, h));
+    }
+    for ch in &sh.charts {
+        let r = anchor_rect(sh, &ch.anchor);
+        if !visible(r) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let (x, y, _, _) = place(r);
+        let data = gridcraft_chart::resolve(wb, si, ch);
+        let prims = gridcraft_chart::render(ch, &data, r.2 as f32, r.3 as f32, &PdfMeasure);
+        draw_prims(pg, &prims, Xf { ox: x, oy: y, k: b.k });
+    }
+    pg.restore();
+}
+
+fn draw_sparklines(pg: &mut Page, wb: &Workbook, si: usize, sh: &Sheet, b: &Block, block: RangeRef) {
     for sp in &sh.sparklines {
         if !block.contains(sp.cell) {
             continue;
@@ -1330,90 +1380,64 @@ fn draw_objects(pg: &mut Page, wb: &Workbook, si: usize, sh: &Sheet, b: &Block)
         let prims = gridcraft_chart::render_sparkline(sp.kind, &vals, [color[0], color[1], color[2], 255], sp.markers, wpx, hpx);
         draw_prims(pg, &prims, Xf { ox: x, oy: y, k: b.k });
     }
-    for im in &sh.images {
-        let r = anchor_rect(sh, &im.anchor);
-        if !visible(r) {
-            continue;
+}
+
+fn draw_shape(pg: &mut Page, wb: &Workbook, shp: &gridcraft_model::Shape, b: &Block, (x, y, w, h): (f32, f32, f32, f32)) {
+    let fill = rgb_of(shp.fill, wb);
+    let line = rgb_of(shp.line, wb).filter(|_| !shp.format.no_line).map(|c| (c, (0.75 * b.k).max(0.25)));
+    match shp.kind {
+        ShapeKind::Ellipse => {
+            let pts: Vec<[f32; 2]> = (0..72)
+                .map(|i| {
+                    let a = i as f32 / 72.0 * std::f32::consts::TAU;
+                    [x + w / 2.0 + w / 2.0 * a.cos(), y + h / 2.0 + h / 2.0 * a.sin()]
+                })
+                .collect();
+            pg.polygon(&pts, fill, line);
         }
-        let (x, y, w, h) = place(r);
-        // About 150 dpi is plenty for print.
-        let (mw, mh) = (((w / 72.0) * 150.0).ceil().clamp(1.0, 4000.0) as u32, ((h / 72.0) * 150.0).ceil().clamp(1.0, 4000.0) as u32);
-        if let Some((px, pw, ph)) = decode_image(&im.data, mw, mh) {
-            pg.image_rgba(x, y, w, h, &px, pw, ph);
+        ShapeKind::Triangle => pg.polygon(&[[x + w / 2.0, y], [x + w, y + h], [x, y + h]], fill, line),
+        ShapeKind::Line | ShapeKind::Arrow => {
+            let c = line.map(|l| l.0).or(fill).unwrap_or([0, 0, 0]);
+            pg.stroke_line(x, y, x + w, y + h, (1.0 * b.k).max(0.3), c);
+            if shp.kind == ShapeKind::Arrow {
+                let ang = h.atan2(w);
+                let al = 8.0 * b.k;
+                let p = |da: f32| [x + w - al * (ang + da).cos(), y + h - al * (ang + da).sin()];
+                pg.polygon(&[[x + w, y + h], p(0.4), p(-0.4)], Some(c), None);
+            }
+        }
+        _ => {
+            pg.polygon(&[[x, y], [x + w, y], [x + w, y + h], [x, y + h]], fill, line);
         }
     }
-    for shp in &sh.shapes {
-        let r = anchor_rect(sh, &shp.anchor);
-        if !visible(r) {
-            continue;
-        }
-        let (x, y, w, h) = place(r);
-        let fill = rgb_of(shp.fill, wb);
-        let line = rgb_of(shp.line, wb).filter(|_| !shp.format.no_line).map(|c| (c, (0.75 * b.k).max(0.25)));
-        match shp.kind {
-            ShapeKind::Ellipse => {
-                let pts: Vec<[f32; 2]> = (0..72)
-                    .map(|i| {
-                        let a = i as f32 / 72.0 * std::f32::consts::TAU;
-                        [x + w / 2.0 + w / 2.0 * a.cos(), y + h / 2.0 + h / 2.0 * a.sin()]
-                    })
-                    .collect();
-                pg.polygon(&pts, fill, line);
-            }
-            ShapeKind::Triangle => pg.polygon(&[[x + w / 2.0, y], [x + w, y + h], [x, y + h]], fill, line),
-            ShapeKind::Line | ShapeKind::Arrow => {
-                let c = line.map(|l| l.0).or(fill).unwrap_or([0, 0, 0]);
-                pg.stroke_line(x, y, x + w, y + h, (1.0 * b.k).max(0.3), c);
-                if shp.kind == ShapeKind::Arrow {
-                    let ang = h.atan2(w);
-                    let al = 8.0 * b.k;
-                    let p = |da: f32| [x + w - al * (ang + da).cos(), y + h - al * (ang + da).sin()];
-                    pg.polygon(&[[x + w, y + h], p(0.4), p(-0.4)], Some(c), None);
-                }
-            }
-            _ => {
-                pg.polygon(&[[x, y], [x + w, y], [x + w, y + h], [x, y + h]], fill, line);
-            }
-        }
-        if !shp.text.is_empty() {
-            use gridcraft_model::{ShapeTextAlign, ShapeTextAnchor};
-            let fm = &shp.format;
-            let text_box = shp.kind == ShapeKind::TextBox;
-            let size = fm.font_size.unwrap_or(11.0).clamp(1.0, 4000.0) * b.scale;
-            let font = Font::styled(Font::family_for(fm.font.as_deref().unwrap_or("")), fm.bold, fm.italic);
-            let color = fm.text_color.and_then(|c| rgb_of(c, wb)).unwrap_or([0, 0, 0]);
-            let align = fm.align.unwrap_or(if text_box { ShapeTextAlign::Left } else { ShapeTextAlign::Center });
-            let anchor = fm.anchor.unwrap_or(if text_box { ShapeTextAnchor::Top } else { ShapeTextAnchor::Middle });
-            let lines = wrap_lines(&shp.text, font, size, (w - 4.0 * b.k).max(size));
-            let block_h = lines.len().min(500) as f32 * size * 1.2;
-            let mut yy = match anchor {
-                ShapeTextAnchor::Top => y + 2.0 * b.k,
-                ShapeTextAnchor::Middle => y + (h - block_h) / 2.0,
-                ShapeTextAnchor::Bottom => y + h - 2.0 * b.k - block_h,
-            } + size * 0.8;
-            for l in lines.iter().take(500) {
-                let lw = gridcraft_pdf::text_width(font, size, l);
-                let lx = match align {
-                    ShapeTextAlign::Left => x + 2.0 * b.k,
-                    ShapeTextAlign::Center => x + (w - lw) / 2.0,
-                    ShapeTextAlign::Right => x + w - 2.0 * b.k - lw,
-                };
-                pg.text(lx, yy, size, font, color, l);
-                yy += size * 1.2;
-            }
-        }
+    if shp.text.is_empty() {
+        return;
     }
-    for ch in &sh.charts {
-        let r = anchor_rect(sh, &ch.anchor);
-        if !visible(r) {
-            continue;
-        }
-        let (x, y, _, _) = place(r);
-        let data = gridcraft_chart::resolve(wb, si, ch);
-        let prims = gridcraft_chart::render(ch, &data, r.2 as f32, r.3 as f32, &PdfMeasure);
-        draw_prims(pg, &prims, Xf { ox: x, oy: y, k: b.k });
+    use gridcraft_model::{ShapeTextAlign, ShapeTextAnchor};
+    let fm = &shp.format;
+    let text_box = shp.kind == ShapeKind::TextBox;
+    let size = fm.font_size.unwrap_or(11.0).clamp(1.0, 4000.0) * b.scale;
+    let font = Font::styled(Font::family_for(fm.font.as_deref().unwrap_or("")), fm.bold, fm.italic);
+    let color = fm.text_color.and_then(|c| rgb_of(c, wb)).unwrap_or([0, 0, 0]);
+    let align = fm.align.unwrap_or(if text_box { ShapeTextAlign::Left } else { ShapeTextAlign::Center });
+    let anchor = fm.anchor.unwrap_or(if text_box { ShapeTextAnchor::Top } else { ShapeTextAnchor::Middle });
+    let lines = wrap_lines(&shp.text, font, size, (w - 4.0 * b.k).max(size));
+    let block_h = lines.len().min(500) as f32 * size * 1.2;
+    let mut yy = match anchor {
+        ShapeTextAnchor::Top => y + 2.0 * b.k,
+        ShapeTextAnchor::Middle => y + (h - block_h) / 2.0,
+        ShapeTextAnchor::Bottom => y + h - 2.0 * b.k - block_h,
+    } + size * 0.8;
+    for l in lines.iter().take(500) {
+        let lw = gridcraft_pdf::text_width(font, size, l);
+        let lx = match align {
+            ShapeTextAlign::Left => x + 2.0 * b.k,
+            ShapeTextAlign::Center => x + (w - lw) / 2.0,
+            ShapeTextAlign::Right => x + w - 2.0 * b.k - lw,
+        };
+        pg.text(lx, yy, size, font, color, l);
+        yy += size * 1.2;
     }
-    pg.restore();
 }
 
 fn draw_headings(pg: &mut Page, b: &Block, col_heads: bool, row_heads: bool, at: (f32, f32), size: (f32, f32)) {
@@ -1528,6 +1552,9 @@ pub fn render_pdf(wb: &Workbook, layouts: &[SheetLayout], file: &str, path: &str
     let mut page_no = 0usize;
     let mut pending_links = Vec::new();
     let mut printed_blocks = Vec::new();
+    // Decoded pictures are reused across the pages their anchor covers: a floating picture
+    // spanning 40 pages was decoded (and pushed into the PDF) 40 times (#2389).
+    let mut pics: std::collections::HashMap<(usize, usize), Option<(Vec<u8>, u32, u32)>> = std::collections::HashMap::new();
     for lay in layouts {
         let Some(sh) = wb.sheet(lay.sheet) else { continue };
         let mut cf = if sh.cond_formats.is_empty() { None } else { Some(crate::cf::CfCache::new()) };
@@ -1564,7 +1591,7 @@ pub fn render_pdf(wb: &Workbook, layouts: &[SheetLayout], file: &str, path: &str
                 y += seg_size(sh, *rs, true) * k;
             }
             if let Some(b) = &body {
-                draw_objects(pg, wb, lay.sheet, sh, b);
+                draw_objects(pg, wb, lay.sheet, sh, b, &mut pics);
             }
             if lay.settings.headings {
                 let fill = [0xF2, 0xF2, 0xF2];
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/io.rs b/crates/engine/src/io.rs
index b18e8577b..216522603 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/io.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/io.rs
@@ -448,6 +448,11 @@ impl std::fmt::Write for ClipboardHtml {
 /// Most rows Save as Web Page writes. A sheet whose used range is taller fails instead of losing cells.
 const HTML_EXPORT_MAX_ROWS: u32 = 100_001;
 
+/// Rows × columns of one web-page table. Save as Web Page writes every kept row's full used
+/// column span into one growing String, so a sparse sheet with a lone far-right cell (or a
+/// tall, wide one) would otherwise be gigabytes of `<td></td>` before finishing (#2387).
+const HTML_EXPORT_MAX_CELLS: u64 = 4_000_000;
+
 /// A sheet as a standalone HTML table (Save as Web Page). A sheet with pictures gets the sheet's
 /// own column widths and row heights so each picture and chart (inline SVG) can sit at its anchor.
 pub fn to_html(wb: &Workbook, sheet: usize) -> Result<String> {
@@ -479,6 +484,17 @@ pub fn to_html(wb: &Workbook, sheet: usize) -> Result<String> {
                 r.height()
             )));
         }
+        // The table is one growing String: every kept row writes a `<td>` for the whole used
+        // column span (unless the sheet has no row that is that wide). A tall, wide sheet
+        // (or a sparse one with a lone far-right cell) would be gigabytes before finishing,
+        // so the rectangle itself is bounded (#2387).
+        if u64::from(r.height()) * u64::from(r.width()) > HTML_EXPORT_MAX_CELLS {
+            return Err(EngineError::Other(format!(
+                "the sheet is too tall × wide for a web page ({} × {} cells, at most {HTML_EXPORT_MAX_CELLS}). Save as .xlsx or CSV instead.",
+                r.height(),
+                r.width()
+            )));
+        }
         if fixed {
             out.push_str("<colgroup>");
             for col in (r.start.col..=r.end.col).filter(|&c| !sh.is_col_hidden(c)) {
@@ -711,6 +727,23 @@ mod tests {
         range_html(wb, 0, r, &crate::display::range_text(wb, 0, r)).unwrap()
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn html_export_refuses_an_outsized_grid_instead_of_growing_forever() {
+        // #2387: the used rectangle alone bounds the output (every row writes the whole
+        // column span), so a sparse sheet with one cell at A1 and another far right
+        // 300 rows down is 4.9M cells → refused before a byte of `<td>` is written.
+        let mut wb = Workbook::new();
+        let sh = wb.sheet_mut(0).unwrap();
+        sh.set_value(CellRef::new(0, 0), gridcraft_core::Value::Text("start".into()));
+        sh.set_value(CellRef::new(300, 16383), gridcraft_core::Value::Text("corner".into()));
+        let err = to_html(&wb, 0).unwrap_err();
+        assert!(err.to_string().contains("too tall × wide"), "{err}");
+        // A normal sheet is fine.
+        let mut ok = Workbook::new();
+        ok.sheet_mut(0).unwrap().set_value(CellRef::new(5, 2), gridcraft_core::Value::Text("t".into()));
+        assert!(to_html(&ok, 0).is_ok());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn html_export_embeds_images_as_data_uris() {
         let mut wb = Workbook::new();