diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 60b27d1ae7..30db3c1150 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -2278,18 +2278,22 @@ API void ncselector_destroy(struct ncselector* n, char** item);
 
 // multiselection widget -- a selector supporting multiple selections.
 //
-//                                 ╭──────────────────────────╮
-//                                 │This is the primary header│
-//   ╭──────────────────────this is the secondary header──────╮
-//   │                                                        │
-//   │ [ ] option1   Long text #1                             │
-//   │ [X] option2   Long text #2                             │
-//   │ [ ] option3   Long text #3                             │
-//   │ [ ] option4   Long text #4                             │
-//   │ [X] option5   Long text #5                             │
-//   │ [ ] option6   Long text #6                             │
-//   │                                                        │
-//   ╰────────────────────────────────────here's the footer───╯
+//      ╭────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
+//      │ this is truly an awfully long example of a MULTISELECTOR title │
+//╭─────┴─────────────────────────────pick one (you will die regardless)─┤
+//│  ↑                                                                   │
+//│ ☐ 1 Across the Atlantic Ocean, there was a place called North America│
+//│ ☐ 2 Discovered by an Italian in the employ of the queen of Spain     │
+//│ ☐ 3 Colonized extensively by the Spanish and the French              │
+//│ ☐ 4 Developed into a rich nation by Dutch-supplied African slaves    │
+//│ ☐ 5 And thus became the largest English-speaking nation on earth     │
+//│ ☐ 6 Namely, the United States of America                             │
+//│ ☐ 7 The inhabitants of the United States called themselves Yankees   │
+//│ ☐ 8 For some reason                                                  │
+//│ ☐ 9 And, eventually noticing the rest of the world was there,        │
+//│ ☐ 10 Decided to rule it.                                             │
+//│  ↓                                                                   │
+//╰─────────────────────────press q to exit (there is sartrev("no exit")─╯
 //
 // Unlike the selector widget, zero to all of the items can be selected, but
 // also the widget does not support adding or removing items at runtime.
diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index 1982a06dca..d4990d9f1c 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -187,8 +187,7 @@ typedef struct ncmultiselector {
   unsigned current;            // index of highlighted item
   unsigned startdisp;          // index of first option displayed
   unsigned maxdisplay;         // max number of items to display, 0 -> no limit
-  int longop;                  // columns occupied by longest option
-  int longdesc;                // columns occupied by longest description
+  int longitem;                // columns occupied by longest item
   struct selector_item* items; // list of items and descriptions, heap-copied
   unsigned itemcount;          // number of pairs in 'items'
   char* title;                 // can be NULL, in which case there's no riser
diff --git a/src/lib/selector.c b/src/lib/selector.c
index 0b7b89cc79..607bf1e661 100644
--- a/src/lib/selector.c
+++ b/src/lib/selector.c
@@ -404,8 +404,8 @@ ncmultiselector_body_width(const ncmultiselector* n){
   if(n->secondarycols + 2 > cols){
     cols = n->secondarycols + 2;
   }
-  if(n->longop + n->longdesc + 5 > cols){
-    cols = n->longop + n->longdesc + 5;
+  if(n->longitem + 7 > cols){
+    cols = n->longitem + 7;
   }
   return cols;
 }
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ ncmultiselector_draw(ncmultiselector* n){
   const int bodyoffset = dimx - bodywidth + 2;
   if(n->maxdisplay && n->maxdisplay < n->itemcount){
     n->ncp->channels = n->descchannels;
-    n->arrowx = bodyoffset + 3;
+    n->arrowx = bodyoffset + 1;
     ncplane_putegc_yx(n->ncp, yoff, n->arrowx, "↑", NULL);
   }else{
     n->arrowx = -1;
@@ -652,9 +652,8 @@ ncmultiselector* ncmultiselector_create(ncplane* n, int y, int x, const multisel
   ns->footercols = opts->footer ? mbswidth(opts->footer) : 0;
   ns->current = 0;
   ns->startdisp = 0;
-  ns->longop = 0;
+  ns->longitem = 0;
   ns->maxdisplay = opts->maxdisplay;
-  ns->longdesc = 0;
   ns->opchannels = opts->opchannels;
   ns->boxchannels = opts->boxchannels;
   ns->descchannels = opts->descchannels;
@@ -675,13 +674,13 @@ ncmultiselector* ncmultiselector_create(ncplane* n, int y, int x, const multisel
     const struct selector_item* src = &opts->items[ns->itemcount];
     int cols = mbswidth(src->option);
     ns->items[ns->itemcount].opcolumns = cols;
-    if(cols > ns->longop){
-      ns->longop = cols;
+    if(cols > ns->longitem){
+      ns->longitem = cols;
     }
-    cols = mbswidth(src->desc);
-    ns->items[ns->itemcount].desccolumns = cols;
-    if(cols > ns->longdesc){
-      ns->longdesc = cols;
+    int cols2 = mbswidth(src->desc);
+    ns->items[ns->itemcount].desccolumns = cols2;
+    if(cols + cols2 > ns->longitem){
+      ns->longitem = cols + cols2;
     }
     ns->items[ns->itemcount].option = strdup(src->option);
     ns->items[ns->itemcount].desc = strdup(src->desc);
diff --git a/src/poc/multiselect.c b/src/poc/multiselect.c
index cc8932c8e9..61be0b7a48 100644
--- a/src/poc/multiselect.c
+++ b/src/poc/multiselect.c
@@ -4,17 +4,19 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <notcurses/notcurses.h>
 
+// http://theboomerbible.com/tbb112.html
 static struct selector_item items[] = {
-  { "first", "this is the first option", },
-  { "2nd", "this is the second option", },
-  { "3", "third, third, third option am i", },
-  { "fourth", "i have another option here", },
-  { "five", "golden rings", },
-  { "666", "now it is time for me to REIGN IN BLOOD", },
-  { "7seven7", "this monkey's gone to heaven", },
-  { "8 8 8", "the chinese 平仮名平平仮名仮名love me, i'm told", },
-  { "nine", "nine, nine, nine 'cause you left me", },
-  { "ten", "stunning and brave", },
+  { "1", "Across the Atlantic Ocean, there was a place called North America", },
+  { "2", "Discovered by an Italian in the employ of the queen of Spain", },
+  { "3", "Colonized extensively by the Spanish and the French", },
+  { "4", "Developed into a rich nation by Dutch-supplied African slaves", },
+  { "5", "And thus became the largest English-speaking nation on earth", },
+  { "6", "Namely, the United States of America", },
+  { "7", "The inhabitants of the United States called themselves Yankees", },
+  { "8", "For some reason", },
+  { "9", "And, eventually noticing the rest of the world was there,", },
+  { "10", "Decided to rule it.", },
+  { "11", "This is their story.", },
 };
 
 static void
@@ -63,16 +65,16 @@ int main(void){
   sopts.maxdisplay = 10;
   sopts.items = items;
   sopts.itemcount = sizeof(items) / sizeof(*items);
-  sopts.title = "this is truly, absolutely an awfully long example of a selector title";
+  sopts.title = "this is truly an awfully long example of a MULTISELECTOR title";
   sopts.secondary = "pick one (you will die regardless)";
-  sopts.footer = "press q to exit (there is no exit)";
-  channels_set_fg(&sopts.boxchannels, 0x20e040);
+  sopts.footer = "press q to exit (there is sartrev(\"no exit\")";
+  channels_set_fg(&sopts.boxchannels, 0x20e0e0);
   channels_set_fg(&sopts.opchannels, 0xe08040);
-  channels_set_fg(&sopts.descchannels, 0x80e040);
+  channels_set_fg(&sopts.descchannels, 0xe0e040);
   channels_set_bg(&sopts.opchannels, 0);
   channels_set_bg(&sopts.descchannels, 0);
   channels_set_fg(&sopts.footchannels, 0xe00040);
-  channels_set_fg(&sopts.titlechannels, 0xffff80);
+  channels_set_fg(&sopts.titlechannels, 0x80ffff);
   channels_set_fg(&sopts.bgchannels, 0x002000);
   channels_set_bg(&sopts.bgchannels, 0x002000);
   channels_set_fg_alpha(&sopts.bgchannels, CELL_ALPHA_BLEND);