diff --git a/src/game.cpp b/src/game.cpp
index bffd0f45d37c7..5fd0d1e0d1432 100644
--- a/src/game.cpp
+++ b/src/game.cpp
@@ -7066,7 +7066,7 @@ bool game::take_screenshot( const std::string &path ) const
 //helper method so we can keep list_items shorter
 void game::reset_item_list_state( const catacurses::window &window, int height, bool bRadiusSort )
 {
-    const int width = 44;
+    const int width = getmaxx( window );
     for( int i = 1; i < TERMX; i++ ) {
         if( i < width ) {
             mvwputch( window, point( i, 0 ), c_light_gray, LINE_OXOX ); // -
@@ -7180,8 +7180,19 @@ void game::list_items_monsters()
 
 game::vmenu_ret game::list_items( const std::vector<map_item_stack> &item_list )
 {
+    std::vector<map_item_stack> ground_items = item_list;
     int iInfoHeight = std::min( 25, TERMY / 2 );
-    const int width = 45;
+    int width = 45;
+
+    //find max length of item name and resize window width
+    for( const map_item_stack &cur_item : ground_items ) {
+        const int item_len = utf8_width( remove_color_tags( cur_item.example->display_name() ) ) + 15;
+        if( item_len > width ) {
+            width = item_len;
+        }
+    }
+    width = clamp( width, 45, ( TERMX - VIEW_OFFSET_X ) / 3 );
+
     const int offsetX = TERMX - VIEW_OFFSET_X - width;
 
     catacurses::window w_items = catacurses::newwin( TERMY - 2 - iInfoHeight - VIEW_OFFSET_Y * 2,
@@ -7209,7 +7220,6 @@ game::vmenu_ret game::list_items( const std::vector<map_item_stack> &item_list )
         uistate.list_item_init = true;
     }
 
-    std::vector<map_item_stack> ground_items = item_list;
     //this stores only those items that match our filter
     std::vector<map_item_stack> filtered_items =
         !sFilter.empty() ? filter_item_stacks( ground_items, sFilter ) : ground_items;