diff --git a/resources/js/environment-canvas.js b/resources/js/environment-canvas.js
index 3b8cbe49fc..3d3472d222 100644
--- a/resources/js/environment-canvas.js
+++ b/resources/js/environment-canvas.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 //
 // DOM-free: `node --test` imports this file.
 
-import { apart, BOX_GAP, freeSpot, MAX_ZOOM, MIN_ZOOM } from './canvas-core.js';
+import { BOX_GAP, freeSpot, MAX_ZOOM, MIN_ZOOM } from './canvas-core.js';
 
 export const CARD_WIDTH = 260;
 export const COLUMN_GAP = 48;
@@ -464,12 +464,18 @@ const frameAround = (boxes, side, top) => {
   return grow({ x, y, w: Math.max(...boxes.map(b => b.x + b.w)) - x, h: Math.max(...boxes.map(b => b.y + b.h)) - y }, side, top);
 };
 
+// Area of `b` within `gap` of `a`: 0 when they are apart().
+const crowding = (a, b, gap) => Math.max(0, Math.min(a.x + a.w + gap, b.x + b.w) - Math.max(a.x - gap, b.x))
+  * Math.max(0, Math.min(a.y + a.h + gap, b.y + b.h) - Math.max(a.y - gap, b.y));
+
 /**
  * What a dragged card must keep clear of, for freeSpot(): `others` are the
  * other cards and the other zone frames (and, server view, the other project /
  * environment frames in its zone), grown by the room the card's own frames
  * take around it. `fits` checks the card's own frames, which also span its
- * other cards, against those frames.
+ * other cards, against those frames: they must not come closer to them than
+ * at the start of the drag. Frames that are already too close (the layout
+ * uses estimated card heights) do not lock the cards in place.
  */
 export function dragRules(graph, positions, sizes, id) {
   const node = graph.nodes.find(n => n.id === id);
@@ -487,11 +493,20 @@ export function dragRules(graph, positions, sizes, id) {
   const groupMates = grouped ? rects(own.nodes.filter(n => context(n) === context(node))) : [];
   // The other box must keep the frame's room on the side that faces the card.
   const room = (b, s, t) => ({ x: b.x - s, y: b.y - s, w: b.w + s * 2, h: b.h + s + t });
+  const at = node && cardRect(node, positions, sizes);
+  const notCloser = (frame, boxes, gap) => {
+    const start = at ? frame(toBox(at)) : null;
+    return box => {
+      const moved = frame(box);
+      return boxes.every(b => crowding(moved, b, gap) <= (start ? crowding(start, b, gap) : 0));
+    };
+  };
+  const zoneFits = notCloser(box => frameAround([...zoneMates, box], side, top), zones, BOX_GAP);
+  // Same gap between groups as layoutServerView, so a reload does not move the group.
+  const groupFits = grouped ? notCloser(box => frameAround([...groupMates, box], groupSide, groupTop), groups, GROUP_GAP) : () => true;
   return {
     others: [...rects(graph.nodes), ...zones.map(z => room(z, side, top)), ...groups.map(g => room(g, groupSide, groupTop))],
-    fits: box => zones.every(z => apart(frameAround([...zoneMates, box], side, top), z, BOX_GAP))
-      // Same gap between groups as layoutServerView, so a reload does not move the group.
-      && (!grouped || groups.every(g => apart(frameAround([...groupMates, box], groupSide, groupTop), g, GROUP_GAP))),
+    fits: box => zoneFits(box) && groupFits(box),
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/resources/js/environment-canvas.test.js b/resources/js/environment-canvas.test.js
index 015a997028..0d2bc1753b 100644
--- a/resources/js/environment-canvas.test.js
+++ b/resources/js/environment-canvas.test.js
@@ -629,6 +629,24 @@ test('server view: a dragged card keeps its group as far from another group as t
   assert.equal(freeSpot({ ...start, x: start.x - 10 }, others, undefined, fits), null);
 });
 
+test('server view: cards still move when the measured cards put their group too close to another group', () => {
+  const g = {
+    layout: 'server',
+    zones: [{ id: 'z1', name: 'web' }],
+    nodes: [srv('a', 'application', 'Shop / prod'), srv('c', 'application', 'Blog / prod')],
+    links: [],
+    positions: {},
+  };
+  const before = layoutServerView(g);
+  // The layout uses estimated sizes; the real Blog card is wider, so the groups are less than GROUP_GAP apart.
+  const sizes = { c: { width: CARD_WIDTH + 20, height: estimateNodeHeight(g.nodes[1]) } };
+  const { fits } = dragRules(g, before, sizes, 'a');
+  const start = { ...before.a, w: CARD_WIDTH, h: estimateNodeHeight(g.nodes[0]) };
+  assert.ok(fits(start), 'the card can stay where it is');
+  assert.ok(fits({ ...start, x: start.x + 50 }), 'the card can move away from the other group');
+  assert.ok(!fits({ ...start, x: start.x - 10 }), 'the card cannot move its group closer to the other group');
+});
+
 test('groupKey: a group with only an empty-environment placeholder has no key, so it cannot be moved', () => {
   const environment = { uuid: 'env', name: 'production' };
   assert.equal(groupKey([{ id: 'empty:env', type: 'empty', environment }], 'empty'), null);