diff --git a/runtime/ui/layout/area.go b/runtime/ui/layout/area.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..497534b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/ui/layout/area.go
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package layout
+
+type Area struct {
+	minX, minY, maxX, maxY int
+}
diff --git a/runtime/ui/layout/manager.go b/runtime/ui/layout/manager.go
index d5693c2..d53a42a 100644
--- a/runtime/ui/layout/manager.go
+++ b/runtime/ui/layout/manager.go
@@ -23,24 +23,7 @@ func (lm *Manager) Add(element Layout, location Location) {
 	lm.elements[location] = append(lm.elements[location], element)
 }
 
-// layout defines the definition of the window pane size and placement relations to one another. This
-// is invoked at application start and whenever the screen dimensions change.
-// A few things to note:
-//  1. gocui has borders around all views (even if Frame=false). This means there are a lot of +1/-1 magic numbers
-//     needed (but there are comments!).
-//  2. since there are borders, in order for it to appear as if there aren't any spaces for borders, the views must
-//     overlap. To prevent screen artifacts, all elements must be layedout from the top of the screen to the bottom.
-func (lm *Manager) Layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
-
-	minX, minY := -1, -1
-	maxX, maxY := g.Size()
-
-	var hasResized bool
-	if maxX != lm.lastX || maxY != lm.lastY {
-		hasResized = true
-	}
-	lm.lastX, lm.lastY = maxX, maxY
-
+func (lm *Manager) layoutHeaders(g *gocui.Gui, area Area) (Area, error) {
 	// layout headers top down
 	if elements, exists := lm.elements[LocationHeader]; exists {
 		for _, element := range elements {
@@ -48,7 +31,7 @@ func (lm *Manager) Layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 			// this eliminates the need to discover a default size based on all element requests
 			height := 0
 			if element.IsVisible() {
-				requestedHeight := element.RequestedSize(maxY)
+				requestedHeight := element.RequestedSize(area.maxY)
 				if requestedHeight != nil {
 					height = *requestedHeight
 				} else {
@@ -57,23 +40,22 @@ func (lm *Manager) Layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 			}
 
 			// layout the header within the allocated space
-			err := element.Layout(g, minX, minY, maxX, minY+height)
+			err := element.Layout(g, area.minX, area.minY, area.maxX, area.minY+height)
 			if err != nil {
 				logrus.Errorf("failed to layout '%s' header: %+v", element.Name(), err)
+				return area, err
 			}
 
 			// restrict the available screen real estate
-			minY += height
+			area.minY += height
 
 		}
 	}
+	return area, nil
+}
 
+func (lm *Manager) planFooters(g *gocui.Gui, area Area) (Area, []int) {
 	var footerHeights = make([]int, 0)
-	// we need to keep the current maxY before carving out the space for the body columns
-	var footerMaxY = maxY
-	var footerMinX = minX
-	var footerMaxX = maxX
-
 	// we need to layout the footers last, but account for them when drawing the columns. This block is for planning
 	// out the real estate needed for the footers now (but not laying out yet)
 	if elements, exists := lm.elements[LocationFooter]; exists {
@@ -87,7 +69,7 @@ func (lm *Manager) Layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 			// this eliminates the need to discover a default size based on all element requests
 			height := 0
 			if element.IsVisible() {
-				requestedHeight := element.RequestedSize(maxY)
+				requestedHeight := element.RequestedSize(area.maxY)
 				if requestedHeight != nil {
 					height = *requestedHeight
 				} else {
@@ -98,10 +80,13 @@ func (lm *Manager) Layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 		}
 		// restrict the available screen real estate
 		for _, height := range footerHeights {
-			maxY -= height
+			area.maxY -= height
 		}
 	}
+	return area, footerHeights
+}
 
+func (lm *Manager) layoutColumns(g *gocui.Gui, area Area) (Area, error) {
 	// layout columns left to right
 	if elements, exists := lm.elements[LocationColumn]; exists {
 		widths := make([]int, len(elements))
@@ -109,7 +94,7 @@ func (lm *Manager) Layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 			widths[idx] = -1
 		}
 		variableColumns := len(elements)
-		availableWidth := maxX
+		availableWidth := area.maxX
 
 		// first pass: planout the column sizes based on the given requests
 		for idx, element := range elements {
@@ -138,17 +123,21 @@ func (lm *Manager) Layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 			}
 
 			// layout the column within the allocated space
-			err := element.Layout(g, minX, minY, minX+width, maxY)
+			err := element.Layout(g, area.minX, area.minY, area.minX+width, area.maxY)
 			if err != nil {
 				logrus.Errorf("failed to layout '%s' column: %+v", element.Name(), err)
+				return area, err
 			}
 
 			// move left to right, scratching off real estate as it is taken
-			minX += width
+			area.minX += width
 
 		}
 	}
+	return area, nil
+}
 
+func (lm *Manager) layoutFooters(g *gocui.Gui, area Area, footerHeights []int) (Area, error) {
 	// layout footers top down (which is why the list is reversed). Top down is needed due to border overlap.
 	if elements, exists := lm.elements[LocationFooter]; exists {
 		for idx := len(elements) - 1; idx >= 0; idx-- {
@@ -158,30 +147,84 @@ func (lm *Manager) Layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 			for oIdx := 0; oIdx <= idx; oIdx++ {
 				bottomPadding += footerHeights[oIdx]
 			}
-			topY = footerMaxY - bottomPadding - height
+			topY = area.maxX - bottomPadding - height
 			// +1 for border
 			bottomY = topY + height + 1
 
 			// layout the footer within the allocated space
 			// note: since the headers and rows are inclusive counting from -1 (to account for a border) we must
 			// do the same vertically, thus a -1 is needed for a starting Y
-			err := element.Layout(g, footerMinX, topY, footerMaxX, bottomY)
+			err := element.Layout(g, area.minX, topY, area.maxX, bottomY)
 			if err != nil {
 				logrus.Errorf("failed to layout '%s' footer: %+v", element.Name(), err)
+				return area, err
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	return area, nil
+}
+
+func (lm *Manager) notifyLayoutChange() error {
+	for _, elements := range lm.elements {
+		for _, element := range elements {
+			err := element.OnLayoutChange()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// layout defines the definition of the window pane size and placement relations to one another. This
+// is invoked at application start and whenever the screen dimensions change.
+// A few things to note:
+//  1. gocui has borders around all views (even if Frame=false). This means there are a lot of +1/-1 magic numbers
+//     needed (but there are comments!).
+//  2. since there are borders, in order for it to appear as if there aren't any spaces for borders, the views must
+//     overlap. To prevent screen artifacts, all elements must be layedout from the top of the screen to the bottom.
+func (lm *Manager) Layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
+
+	curMaxX, curMaxY := g.Size()
+	area := Area{
+		minX: -1,
+		minY: -1,
+		maxX: curMaxX,
+		maxY: curMaxY,
+	}
+
+	var hasResized bool
+	if curMaxX != lm.lastX || curMaxY != lm.lastY {
+		hasResized = true
+	}
+	lm.lastX, lm.lastY = curMaxX, curMaxY
+
+	// plan and layout all headers
+	area, err := lm.layoutHeaders(g, area)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// plan all footers, don't layout until all columns have been layedout. This is necessary since we must layout from
+	// top to bottom, but we need the real estate planned for the footers to determine the bottom of the columns.
+	var footerArea = area
+	area, footerHeights := lm.planFooters(g, area)
+
+	// plan and layout the main columns
+	area, err = lm.layoutColumns(g, area)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// layout the footers according to the original available area and planned heights
+	area, err = lm.layoutFooters(g, footerArea, footerHeights)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 
 	// notify everyone of a layout change (allow to update and render)
 	if hasResized {
-		for _, elements := range lm.elements {
-			for _, element := range elements {
-				err := element.OnLayoutChange()
-				if err != nil {
-					return err
-				}
-			}
-		}
+		return lm.notifyLayoutChange()
 	}
 
 	return nil