diff --git a/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel.rs b/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel.rs
index 554218fc4..21ac38b38 100644
--- a/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel.rs
+++ b/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel.rs
@@ -776,3 +776,5 @@ impl Widget for VariablesPanel {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests;
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod wash_tests;
diff --git a/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/paint.rs b/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/paint.rs
index fef4a324a..e20db783e 100644
--- a/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/paint.rs
+++ b/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/paint.rs
@@ -279,13 +279,16 @@ fn paint_variant_header(
             let variant_width = cx.backend.measure_text(variant, 13.0);
             // Hover/press wash hugs `value v` (+ small L/R padding) instead of
             // washing the whole value-column cell. The hit target stays the
-            // wider `variant_header_rect` so the trigger is still easy to click.
+            // wider `variant_header_rect` so the trigger is still easy to click,
+            // and the wash is clamped to that hit column so a long variant name
+            // can't bleed into the neighbouring variant column.
+            let wash_left = x - HOVER_WASH_PAD_X;
+            let cell_right = wash_left + col_w.min(176.0);
+            let wash_right =
+                (wash_left + variant_width + 6.0 + 11.0 + HOVER_WASH_PAD_X * 2.0).min(cell_right);
             let wash = Rect {
-                origin: Point2D::new(x - HOVER_WASH_PAD_X, header_bottom + 4.0),
-                size: Point2D::new(
-                    variant_width + 6.0 + 11.0 + HOVER_WASH_PAD_X * 2.0,
-                    30.0,
-                ),
+                origin: Point2D::new(wash_left, header_bottom + 4.0),
+                size: Point2D::new((wash_right - wash_left).max(0.0), 30.0),
             };
             paint_feedback(panel, cx, VariablesPanelButton::VariantHeader(idx), wash, 8.0);
             paint_text(
diff --git a/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/tests.rs b/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/tests.rs
index 424e6adc7..8154c9754 100644
--- a/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/tests.rs
@@ -813,85 +813,6 @@ fn axis_chip_table_mirrors_active_theme_btree_order() {
     assert_eq!(p.chips[1].axis, "z-axis");
 }
 
-// ── fit-content hover wash (#26 variant header + #3 add-variable footer) ─────
-//
-// Both the variant-header value (`Default v`) and the footer `+ <label> v`
-// button sit inside a much wider hit target, but their hover highlight should
-// hug just the visible content (+ small L/R padding) rather than washing the
-// whole cell / footer width.
-
-#[test]
-fn variant_header_hover_wash_hugs_value_not_full_column() {
-    let mut s = EditorState::new();
-    s.editor_ui.variables_panel_hover = Some(VariablesPanelButton::VariantHeader(0));
-    let p = VariablesPanel::for_editor(&s);
-    let rect = Rect {
-        origin: Point2D::new(0.0, 0.0),
-        size: Point2D::new(VARIABLES_PANEL_WIDTH, 480.0),
-    };
-    let mut backend = TextCaptureBackend::default();
-    let mut cx = PaintCx {
-        backend: &mut backend,
-    };
-
-    p.paint(&mut cx, rect);
-
-    let theme = p.theme;
-    let wash = backend
-        .round_fills
-        .iter()
-        .find(|(_, _, color)| color_eq(*color, theme.button_hover))
-        .map(|(r, _, _)| *r)
-        .expect("hovered variant header should paint a button_hover wash");
-    // "Default" ≈ 7 ASCII chars @13px ≈ 50px → wash hugs value + chevron +
-    // padding (~80px), far under the >=156px value-column cell.
-    assert!(
-        wash.size.x < 110.0,
-        "variant-header wash should hug `value v`, got {}",
-        wash.size.x
-    );
-}
-
-#[test]
-fn footer_add_variable_hover_wash_left_aligned_and_hugs_content() {
-    let mut s = EditorState::new();
-    // Short CJK label → fit-content pill is clearly narrower than the button.
-    s.editor_ui.locale = Locale::ZhCn;
-    s.editor_ui.variables_panel_hover = Some(VariablesPanelButton::AddVariable);
-    let p = VariablesPanel::for_editor(&s);
-    let rect = Rect {
-        origin: Point2D::new(0.0, 0.0),
-        size: Point2D::new(VARIABLES_PANEL_WIDTH, 480.0),
-    };
-    let mut backend = TextCaptureBackend::default();
-    let mut cx = PaintCx {
-        backend: &mut backend,
-    };
-
-    p.paint(&mut cx, rect);
-
-    let theme = p.theme;
-    let button = add_variable_rect(rect);
-    let wash = backend
-        .round_fills
-        .iter()
-        .find(|(_, _, color)| color_eq(*color, theme.button_hover))
-        .map(|(r, _, _)| *r)
-        .expect("hovered add-variable footer should paint a button_hover wash");
-    // Pill is flush with the footer's (and rows') left edge — no centering gap.
-    assert!(
-        (wash.origin.x - button.origin.x).abs() < 0.01,
-        "footer wash should be left-aligned with the button, got {} vs {}",
-        wash.origin.x,
-        button.origin.x
-    );
-    // …hugs the `+ label v` content, well under the full 164px button…
-    assert!(
-        wash.size.x < button.size.x - 20.0,
-        "footer wash should hug content, got {} vs button {}",
-        wash.size.x,
-        button.size.x
-    );
-    // …and stays inside the footer button bounds.
-    assert!(wash.origin.x + wash.size.x <= button.origin.x + button.size.x + 0.01);
-}
+// Fit-content hover-wash tests (#26 variant header + #3 add-variable footer)
+// live in the sibling `variables_panel/wash_tests.rs` to keep this file under
+// the 800-line cap.
diff --git a/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/wash_tests.rs b/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/wash_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8dd2527a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/op-editor-ui/src/widgets/variables_panel/wash_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+//! Fit-content hover-wash tests for the VariablesPanel (#26 variant-header
+//! value + #3 add-variable footer). Split into its own file so
+//! `variables_panel/tests.rs` doesn't grow past the 800-line cap.
+//!
+//! Both the variant-header value (`Default v`) and the footer `+ <label> v`
+//! button sit inside a much wider hit target, but their hover highlight should
+//! hug just the visible content (+ small L/R padding) rather than washing the
+//! whole cell / footer width — and must stay clamped to the hit rect so a long
+//! localized value can't bleed into a neighbouring column.
+
+use super::*;
+use crate::widgets::PaintCx;
+use crate::{Color, Point2D, Rect};
+
+/// Captures `fill_round_rect` calls so the hover wash rect/colour can be
+/// asserted without a real GPU.
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct RoundFillCapture {
+    round_fills: Vec<(Rect, f32, Color)>,
+}
+
+impl crate::RenderBackend for RoundFillCapture {
+    fn begin_frame(&mut self) {}
+    fn end_frame(&mut self) {}
+    fn fill_rect(&mut self, _: Rect, _: Color) {}
+    fn stroke_rect(&mut self, _: Rect, _: Color, _: f32) {}
+    fn draw_text(&mut self, _: &crate::TextLayout, _: Point2D) {}
+    fn clip_rect(&mut self, _: Rect) {}
+    fn stroke_line(&mut self, _: Point2D, _: Point2D, _: Color, _: f32) {}
+    fn fill_round_rect(&mut self, rect: Rect, radius: f32, color: Color) {
+        self.round_fills.push((rect, radius, color));
+    }
+    fn stroke_round_rect(&mut self, _: Rect, _: f32, _: Color, _: f32) {}
+    fn stroke_svg_path(&mut self, _: &str, _: Point2D, _: f32, _: Color, _: f32) {}
+    fn save(&mut self) {}
+    fn restore(&mut self) {}
+    fn translate(&mut self, _: Point2D) {}
+    fn resize(&mut self, _: u32, _: u32) {}
+    fn dpi_scale(&self) -> f32 {
+        1.0
+    }
+}
+
+fn color_eq(a: Color, b: Color) -> bool {
+    (a.r - b.r).abs() < 0.001
+        && (a.g - b.g).abs() < 0.001
+        && (a.b - b.b).abs() < 0.001
+        && (a.a - b.a).abs() < 0.001
+}
+
+fn hover_wash(s: &EditorState) -> Option<Rect> {
+    let p = VariablesPanel::for_editor(s);
+    let rect = Rect {
+        origin: Point2D::new(0.0, 0.0),
+        size: Point2D::new(VARIABLES_PANEL_WIDTH, 480.0),
+    };
+    let mut backend = RoundFillCapture::default();
+    let mut cx = PaintCx {
+        backend: &mut backend,
+    };
+    p.paint(&mut cx, rect);
+    let button_hover = p.theme.button_hover;
+    backend
+        .round_fills
+        .iter()
+        .find(|(_, _, color)| color_eq(*color, button_hover))
+        .map(|(r, _, _)| *r)
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn variant_header_hover_wash_hugs_value_not_full_column() {
+    let mut s = EditorState::new();
+    s.editor_ui.variables_panel_hover = Some(VariablesPanelButton::VariantHeader(0));
+    let wash = hover_wash(&s).expect("hovered variant header should paint a button_hover wash");
+    // "Default" ≈ 7 ASCII chars @13px ≈ 50px → wash hugs value + chevron +
+    // padding (~80px), far under the >=156px value-column cell.
+    assert!(
+        wash.size.x < 110.0,
+        "variant-header wash should hug `value v`, got {}",
+        wash.size.x
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn variant_header_hover_wash_clamped_to_column_for_long_variant() {
+    // A long variant name must clamp the wash to its hit column (`col_w.min(176)`)
+    // rather than overflowing into the neighbouring variant column.
+    let mut s = EditorState::new();
+    let long = "a-very-long-variant-name-that-would-overflow-the-column";
+    s.doc
+        .themes
+        .get_or_insert_with(Default::default)
+        .insert("Theme-1".into(), vec![long.to_string()]);
+    s.editor_ui.variables_panel_hover = Some(VariablesPanelButton::VariantHeader(0));
+    let wash = hover_wash(&s).expect("hovered variant header should paint a button_hover wash");
+    // Unclamped this would be ~315px (54 ASCII chars). The hit column is
+    // `col_w.min(176)` (>= the 156px floor), so a clamped long-variant wash
+    // lands in [156, 176] — a short "Default" fallback (~79px, if the long
+    // variant failed to render) would fall below this range.
+    assert!(
+        (150.0..=177.0).contains(&wash.size.x),
+        "long-variant wash should clamp to its [156,176]px column, got {}",
+        wash.size.x
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn footer_add_variable_hover_wash_left_aligned_and_hugs_content() {
+    let mut s = EditorState::new();
+    // Short CJK label → fit-content pill is clearly narrower than the button.
+    s.editor_ui.locale = Locale::ZhCn;
+    s.editor_ui.variables_panel_hover = Some(VariablesPanelButton::AddVariable);
+    let rect = Rect {
+        origin: Point2D::new(0.0, 0.0),
+        size: Point2D::new(VARIABLES_PANEL_WIDTH, 480.0),
+    };
+    let button = add_variable_rect(rect);
+    let wash = hover_wash(&s).expect("hovered add-variable footer should paint a button_hover wash");
+    // Pill is flush with the footer's (and rows') left edge — no centering gap.
+    assert!(
+        (wash.origin.x - button.origin.x).abs() < 0.01,
+        "footer wash should be left-aligned with the button, got {} vs {}",
+        wash.origin.x,
+        button.origin.x
+    );
+    // …hugs the `+ label v` content, well under the full 164px button…
+    assert!(
+        wash.size.x < button.size.x - 20.0,
+        "footer wash should hug content, got {} vs button {}",
+        wash.size.x,
+        button.size.x
+    );
+    // …and stays inside the footer button bounds.
+    assert!(wash.origin.x + wash.size.x <= button.origin.x + button.size.x + 0.01);
+}