diff --git a/menu.c b/menu.c
index 207d71c..360ee69 100644
--- a/menu.c
+++ b/menu.c
@@ -155,11 +155,17 @@ void menu_getopts(struct menu *menu, int argc, char *argv[]) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s", usage);
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
+}
 
+// Compute menu line height and padding.
+void menu_calc_height(struct menu *menu) {
 	int height = get_font_height(menu->font);
 	menu->line_height = height + 2;
 	menu->height = menu->line_height;
 	if (menu->lines > 0) {
+		if (menu->item_count < (size_t)menu->lines) {
+			menu->lines = menu->item_count;
+		}
 		menu->height += menu->height * menu->lines;
 	}
 	menu->padding = height / 2;
@@ -189,6 +195,7 @@ static int compare_items(const void *a, const void *b) {
 	return strcmp(item_a->text, item_b->text);
 }
 
+// Sort and deduplicate menu items.
 void menu_sort_and_deduplicate(struct menu *menu) {
 	size_t j = 1;
 	size_t i;
diff --git a/menu.h b/menu.h
index fdd9ad2..491b014 100644
--- a/menu.h
+++ b/menu.h
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ void menu_destroy(struct menu *menu);
 void menu_getopts(struct menu *menu, int argc, char *argv[]);
 void menu_add_item(struct menu *menu, char *text);
 void menu_sort_and_deduplicate(struct menu *menu);
+void menu_calc_height(struct menu *menu);
 void menu_invalidate(struct menu *menu);
 void menu_render_items(struct menu *menu);
 void menu_paste(struct menu *menu, const char *text, ssize_t len);
diff --git a/wmenu-run.c b/wmenu-run.c
index 1b7b8c1..59f6dc0 100644
--- a/wmenu-run.c
+++ b/wmenu-run.c
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	struct menu *menu = menu_create(exec_item);
 	menu_getopts(menu, argc, argv);
 	read_items(menu);
+	menu_calc_height(menu);
 	int status = menu_run(menu);
 	menu_destroy(menu);
 	return status;
diff --git a/wmenu.c b/wmenu.c
index 38e78b9..84007e5 100644
--- a/wmenu.c
+++ b/wmenu.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	struct menu *menu = menu_create(print_item);
 	menu_getopts(menu, argc, argv);
 	read_items(menu);
+	menu_calc_height(menu);
 	int status = menu_run(menu);
 	menu_destroy(menu);
 	return status;