diff --git a/assets/js/shell.js b/assets/js/shell.js
index 9824bdd..55fe07e 100644
--- a/assets/js/shell.js
+++ b/assets/js/shell.js
@@ -21,13 +21,27 @@
   // layout below it. so on top of the CSS, actually shorten the text in the DOM:
   // clip from the FRONT (oldest part, same side as the terminal-scroll above) and
   // mark the cut with "…" — the leading verb ("cat "/"cd ") is allowed to go first.
+  //
+  // the lang-switch (de/en) is position:absolute top-right over the same row —
+  // CSS reserves padding-right for it, but that padding doesn't actually stop
+  // overflowing nowrap text (padding isn't a layout barrier for overflow), so a
+  // long enough line still slides under it. check the real rendered edges too,
+  // not just clientWidth, so the toggle at the far end is never covered.
+  function overlapsLangSwitch() {
+    var ls = document.querySelector(".lang-switch");
+    if (!ls) return false;
+    var lsRect = ls.getBoundingClientRect();
+    var inRect = input.getBoundingClientRect();
+    return inRect.right > lsRect.left - 8;   // 8px breathing room
+  }
+  function fits() { return promptEl.scrollWidth <= promptEl.clientWidth && !overlapsLangSwitch(); }
   function fitOneLine(text) {
     if (!promptEl) return text;
     promptEl.scrollLeft = 0;                 // measure from a clean, unscrolled state
     input.textContent = text;
-    if (promptEl.scrollWidth <= promptEl.clientWidth) return text;
+    if (fits()) return text;
     var shown = text;
-    while (shown.length > 1 && promptEl.scrollWidth > promptEl.clientWidth) {
+    while (shown.length > 1 && !fits()) {
       shown = shown.slice(1);
       input.textContent = "…" + shown;
     }