diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 66fa7c93..9ade3b6f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -91,9 +91,13 @@
   buffers. They provide the necessary color precision required by
   `gamma-correct-blending=yes`.
 * New cursor shapes, from `cursor-shape-v1` version 2.
+* `center-when-fullscreen` and `center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen`
+  to the `pad` option. This allows you to configure when the grid is
+  centered in more detail ([#2111][2111]).
 
 [2025]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/2025
 [1975]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/1975
+[2111]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/2111
 
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 07f781d6..d8f1c0ed 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -933,21 +933,34 @@ parse_section_main(struct context *ctx)
 
     else if (streq(key, "pad")) {
         unsigned x, y;
-        char mode[16] = {0};
+        char mode[64] = {0};
+        int ret = sscanf(value, "%ux%u %63s", &x, &y, mode);
 
-        int ret = sscanf(value, "%ux%u %15s", &x, &y, mode);
-        bool center = strcasecmp(mode, "center") == 0;
-        bool invalid_mode = !center && mode[0] != '\0';
+        enum center_when center = CENTER_NEVER;
 
-        if ((ret != 2 && ret != 3) || invalid_mode) {
+        if (ret == 3) {
+            if (strcasecmp(mode, "center") == 0)
+                center = CENTER_ALWAYS;
+            else if (strcasecmp(mode, "center-when-fullscreen") == 0)
+                center = CENTER_FULLSCREEN;
+            else if (strcasecmp(mode, "center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen") == 0)
+                center = CENTER_MAXIMIZED_AND_FULLSCREEN;
+            else
+                center = CENTER_INVALID;
+        }
+
+        if ((ret != 2 && ret != 3) || center == CENTER_INVALID) {
             LOG_CONTEXTUAL_ERR(
-                "invalid padding (must be in the form PAD_XxPAD_Y [center])");
+                "invalid padding (must be in the form PAD_XxPAD_Y "
+                "[center|"
+                "center-when-fullscreen|"
+                "center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen])");
             return false;
         }
 
         conf->pad_x = x;
         conf->pad_y = y;
-        conf->center = center;
+        conf->center_when = ret == 2 ? CENTER_NEVER : center;
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -3339,6 +3352,7 @@ config_load(struct config *conf, const char *conf_path,
         },
         .pad_x = 0,
         .pad_y = 0,
+        .center_when = CENTER_MAXIMIZED_AND_FULLSCREEN,
         .resize_by_cells = true,
         .resize_keep_grid = true,
         .resize_delay_ms = 100,
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 7cf6f6f5..315f7e24 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -201,6 +201,14 @@ enum shm_bit_depth {
     SHM_BITS_16,
 };
 
+enum center_when {
+    CENTER_INVALID,
+    CENTER_NEVER,
+    CENTER_FULLSCREEN,
+    CENTER_MAXIMIZED_AND_FULLSCREEN,
+    CENTER_ALWAYS,
+};
+
 struct config {
     char *term;
     char *shell;
@@ -218,7 +226,7 @@ struct config {
 
     unsigned pad_x;
     unsigned pad_y;
-    bool center;
+    enum center_when center_when;
 
     bool resize_by_cells;
     bool resize_keep_grid;
diff --git a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
index 81b88f64..74b3f35b 100644
--- a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
+++ b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
@@ -289,18 +289,29 @@ empty string to be set, but it must be quoted: *KEY=""*)
 
 *pad*
 	Padding between border and glyphs, in pixels (subject to output
-	scaling), in the form _XxY_.
+	scaling), in the form
+	
+	```
+	_XxY_ [center | center-when-fullscreen | center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen]
+	```
 	
 	This will add _at least_ X pixels on both the left and right
-	sides, and Y pixels on the top and bottom sides. The grid content
-	will be anchored in the top left corner. I.e. if the window
-	manager forces an odd window size on foot, the additional pixels
-	will be added to the right and bottom sides.
+	sides, and Y pixels on the top and bottom sides.
 	
-	To instead center the grid content, append *center* (e.g. *pad=5x5
-	center*).
+	When no centering is specified, the grid content is anchored to
+	the top left corner. I.e. if the window manager forces an odd
+	window size on foot, the additional pixels will be added to the
+	right and bottom sides.
 	
-	Default: _0x0_.
+	If *center* is specified, the grid content is instead
+	centered. This may cause "jumpiness" when resizing the window.
+	
+	With *center-when-fullscreen* and
+	*center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen*, the grid is anchored to
+	the top left corner, unless the window is maximized, or
+	fullscreened.
+	
+	Default: _0x0_ center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen.
 
 *resize-delay-ms*
 
diff --git a/foot.ini b/foot.ini
index f3ef6d85..73fdb7ab 100644
--- a/foot.ini
+++ b/foot.ini
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 # initial-window-size-pixels=700x500  # Or,
 # initial-window-size-chars=<COLSxROWS>
 # initial-window-mode=windowed
-# pad=0x0                             # optionally append 'center'
+# pad=0x0 center-when-maximized-and-fullscreen
 # resize-by-cells=yes
 # resize-keep-grid=yes
 # resize-delay-ms=100
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index a41eee0c..244152ef 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -4596,9 +4596,12 @@ render_resize(struct terminal *term, int width, int height, uint8_t opts)
     const int total_x_pad = term->width - grid_width;
     const int total_y_pad = term->height - grid_height;
 
-    const bool centered_padding = term->conf->center
-                                  || term->window->is_fullscreen
-                                  || term->window->is_maximized;
+    const enum center_when center = term->conf->center_when;
+    const bool centered_padding =
+        center == CENTER_ALWAYS ||
+        (center == CENTER_MAXIMIZED_AND_FULLSCREEN &&
+         (term->window->is_fullscreen || term->window->is_maximized)) ||
+        (center == CENTER_FULLSCREEN && term->window->is_fullscreen);
 
     if (centered_padding && !term->window->is_resizing) {
         term->margins.left = total_x_pad / 2;