diff --git a/d2layouts/d2sequence/constants.go b/d2layouts/d2sequence/constants.go
index 9f2dc2e5b..0dfb3f2a7 100644
--- a/d2layouts/d2sequence/constants.go
+++ b/d2layouts/d2sequence/constants.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const MIN_EDGE_DISTANCE = 100.
 const ACTIVATION_BOX_WIDTH = 20.
 
 // small pad so that edges don't touch lifelines and activation boxes
-const ACTIVATION_BOX_EDGE_PAD = 2.
+const ACTIVATION_BOX_EDGE_PAD = 5.
 
 // as the activation boxes start getting nested, their size grows
 const ACTIVATION_BOX_DEPTH_GROW_FACTOR = 10.
diff --git a/d2layouts/d2sequence/layout.go b/d2layouts/d2sequence/layout.go
index 2eca23f95..99ba69d63 100644
--- a/d2layouts/d2sequence/layout.go
+++ b/d2layouts/d2sequence/layout.go
@@ -203,10 +203,14 @@ func (sd *sequenceDiagram) placeActivationBoxes() {
 		minY := math.Min(minEdgeY, minChildY)
 		if minY == minChildY {
 			minY -= ACTIVATION_BOX_DEPTH_GROW_FACTOR
+		} else {
+			minY -= ACTIVATION_BOX_EDGE_PAD
 		}
 		maxY := math.Max(maxEdgeY, maxChildY)
 		if maxY == maxChildY {
 			maxY += ACTIVATION_BOX_DEPTH_GROW_FACTOR
+		} else {
+			maxY += ACTIVATION_BOX_EDGE_PAD
 		}
 
 		height := math.Max(maxY-minY, DEFAULT_ACTIVATION_BOX_HEIGHT)
diff --git a/d2layouts/d2sequence/layout_test.go b/d2layouts/d2sequence/layout_test.go
index fcdd12352..90320a464 100644
--- a/d2layouts/d2sequence/layout_test.go
+++ b/d2layouts/d2sequence/layout_test.go
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ func TestActivationBoxesSequenceDiagram(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Y diff of the 2 first edges
-	expectedHeight := g.Edges[1].Route[0].Y - g.Edges[0].Route[0].Y
+	expectedHeight := g.Edges[1].Route[0].Y - g.Edges[0].Route[0].Y + (2 * ACTIVATION_BOX_EDGE_PAD)
 	if a_t1.Height != expectedHeight {
 		t.Fatalf("expected a.t1 height to be %.5f, got %.5f", expectedHeight, a_t1.Height)
 	}
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ func TestActivationBoxesSequenceDiagram(t *testing.T) {
 	if a_t1.TopLeft.Y != b_t1.TopLeft.Y {
 		t.Fatal("expected a.t1 and b.t1 to be placed at the same Y")
 	}
-	if a_t1.TopLeft.Y != g.Edges[0].Route[0].Y {
+	if a_t1.TopLeft.Y != g.Edges[0].Route[0].Y-ACTIVATION_BOX_EDGE_PAD {
 		t.Fatal("expected a.t1 to be placed at the same Y of the first edge")
 	}