diff --git a/application.py b/application.py
index c9457f5..17e11ae 100755
--- a/application.py
+++ b/application.py
@@ -233,17 +233,25 @@ class Application(object):
 
         #lines = ["This is a completion buffer:", ""]
         lines = []
-        if len(candidates) > self.bufferlist.slots[n].height:
-            m = len(candidates) - (len(candidates) // 2)
-            mlen = 0
-            for c in candidates[:m]:
-                mlen = max(mlen, len(c))
-            for i in range(0, m):
-                if m + i < len(candidates):
-                    c1, c2 = candidates[i * 2], candidates[i * 2 + 1]
-                    lines.append("%-*s  %-s" % (mlen, c1, c2))
-                else:
-                    lines.append(candidates[i * 2])
+        clen = len(candidates)
+        if clen > self.bufferlist.slots[n].height:
+            maxlen = 0
+            for c in candidates:
+                maxlen = max(maxlen, len(c))
+
+            # NOTE: this is not an optimal packing, but it's fast and easy to
+            # understand. i encourage someone else to write something better.
+            numcols = self.bufferlist.slots[n].width // (maxlen + 2)
+            numrows = clen - ((clen // numcols) * (numcols - 1))
+            for i in range(0, numrows):
+                names = []
+                index = i * numcols
+                for j in range(0, numcols):
+                    if index + j < clen:
+                        names.append('%-*s' % (maxlen, candidates[index + j]))
+                    else:
+                        break
+                lines.append('  '.join(names))
         else:
             lines = list(candidates)
         data = '\n'.join(lines)