diff --git a/OpenNest.Engine/Fill/RemnantFiller.cs b/OpenNest.Engine/Fill/RemnantFiller.cs
index 9251b82..13f8fa3 100644
--- a/OpenNest.Engine/Fill/RemnantFiller.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.Engine/Fill/RemnantFiller.cs
@@ -102,11 +102,21 @@ namespace OpenNest.Engine.Fill
                 if (placed == null)
                     continue;
 
+                // Remove the topmost bounding box part to create a clean
+                // rectangular obstacle boundary. Without this, gaps between
+                // individual bounding boxes cause the next drawing to fill
+                // into inter-row spaces, producing an interleaved layout.
+                if (placed.Count > 1)
+                    RemoveTopmostPart(placed);
+
                 allParts.AddRange(placed);
                 localQty[item.Drawing.Name] = System.Math.Max(0, qty - placed.Count);
 
-                foreach (var p in placed)
-                    finder.AddObstacle(p.BoundingBox.Offset(spacing));
+                // Add the envelope of all placed parts as a single obstacle
+                // rather than individual bounding boxes, preventing the
+                // remnant finder from seeing inter-part gaps.
+                var envelope = ComputeEnvelope(placed, spacing);
+                finder.AddObstacle(envelope);
 
                 return true;
             }
@@ -114,6 +124,39 @@ namespace OpenNest.Engine.Fill
             return false;
         }
 
+        private static void RemoveTopmostPart(List<Part> parts)
+        {
+            var topIdx = 0;
+
+            for (var i = 1; i < parts.Count; i++)
+            {
+                if (parts[i].BoundingBox.Top > parts[topIdx].BoundingBox.Top)
+                    topIdx = i;
+            }
+
+            parts.RemoveAt(topIdx);
+        }
+
+        private static Box ComputeEnvelope(List<Part> parts, double spacing)
+        {
+            var left = double.MaxValue;
+            var bottom = double.MaxValue;
+            var right = double.MinValue;
+            var top = double.MinValue;
+
+            foreach (var p in parts)
+            {
+                var bb = p.BoundingBox;
+                if (bb.Left < left) left = bb.Left;
+                if (bb.Bottom < bottom) bottom = bb.Bottom;
+                if (bb.Right > right) right = bb.Right;
+                if (bb.Top > top) top = bb.Top;
+            }
+
+            return new Box(left - spacing, bottom - spacing,
+                right - left + spacing * 2, top - bottom + spacing * 2);
+        }
+
         private static List<Part> TryFillInRemnants(
             NestItem item,
             int qty,
diff --git a/OpenNest.Engine/Strategies/PairsFillStrategy.cs b/OpenNest.Engine/Strategies/PairsFillStrategy.cs
index c73a9fe..4fda406 100644
--- a/OpenNest.Engine/Strategies/PairsFillStrategy.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.Engine/Strategies/PairsFillStrategy.cs
@@ -1,25 +1,42 @@
 using OpenNest.Engine.Fill;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Threading;
 
 namespace OpenNest.Engine.Strategies
 {
     public class PairsFillStrategy : IFillStrategy
     {
+        private static readonly AsyncLocal<bool> active = new();
+
         public string Name => "Pairs";
         public NestPhase Phase => NestPhase.Pairs;
         public int Order => 100;
 
         public List<Part> Fill(FillContext context)
         {
-            var comparer = context.Policy?.Comparer;
-            var dedup = GridDedup.GetOrCreate(context.SharedState);
-            var filler = new PairFiller(context.Plate, comparer, dedup);
-            var result = filler.Fill(context.Item, context.WorkArea,
-                context.PlateNumber, context.Token, context.Progress);
+            // Prevent recursive PairFiller — remnant fills within PairFiller
+            // create a new engine that runs the full pipeline, which would
+            // invoke PairsFillStrategy again, causing deep recursion.
+            if (active.Value)
+                return null;
 
-            context.SharedState["BestFits"] = result.BestFits;
+            active.Value = true;
+            try
+            {
+                var comparer = context.Policy?.Comparer;
+                var dedup = GridDedup.GetOrCreate(context.SharedState);
+                var filler = new PairFiller(context.Plate, comparer, dedup);
+                var result = filler.Fill(context.Item, context.WorkArea,
+                    context.PlateNumber, context.Token, context.Progress);
 
-            return result.Parts;
+                context.SharedState["BestFits"] = result.BestFits;
+
+                return result.Parts;
+            }
+            finally
+            {
+                active.Value = false;
+            }
         }
     }
 }