diff --git a/d2layouts/d2sequence/sequence_diagram.go b/d2layouts/d2sequence/sequence_diagram.go
index a3f85366a..277474be5 100644
--- a/d2layouts/d2sequence/sequence_diagram.go
+++ b/d2layouts/d2sequence/sequence_diagram.go
@@ -189,10 +189,10 @@ func (sd *sequenceDiagram) placeGroup(group *d2graph.Object) {
 	for _, m := range sd.messages {
 		if m.ContainedBy(group) {
 			for _, p := range m.Route {
-				minX = math.Min(minX, p.X)
-				minY = math.Min(minY, p.Y)
-				maxX = math.Max(maxX, p.X)
-				maxY = math.Max(maxY, p.Y)
+				minX = math.Min(minX, p.X-HORIZONTAL_PAD)
+				minY = math.Min(minY, p.Y-MIN_MESSAGE_DISTANCE/2.)
+				maxX = math.Max(maxX, p.X+HORIZONTAL_PAD)
+				maxY = math.Max(maxY, p.Y+MIN_MESSAGE_DISTANCE/2.)
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -213,18 +213,16 @@ func (sd *sequenceDiagram) placeGroup(group *d2graph.Object) {
 			}
 		}
 		if inGroup {
-			minY = math.Min(minY, n.TopLeft.Y)
-			maxY = math.Max(maxY, n.TopLeft.Y+n.Height)
-			minX = math.Min(minX, n.TopLeft.X)
-			maxX = math.Max(maxX, n.TopLeft.X+n.Width)
+			minX = math.Min(minX, n.TopLeft.X-HORIZONTAL_PAD)
+			minY = math.Min(minY, n.TopLeft.Y-MIN_MESSAGE_DISTANCE/2.)
+			maxY = math.Max(maxY, n.TopLeft.Y+n.Height+HORIZONTAL_PAD)
+			maxX = math.Max(maxX, n.TopLeft.X+n.Width+MIN_MESSAGE_DISTANCE/2.)
 		}
 	}
 
-	hasNested := false
 	for _, ch := range group.ChildrenArray {
 		for _, g := range sd.groups {
 			if ch == g {
-				hasNested = true
 				minX = math.Min(minX, ch.TopLeft.X-GROUP_CONTAINER_PADDING)
 				minY = math.Min(minY, ch.TopLeft.Y-GROUP_CONTAINER_PADDING)
 				maxX = math.Max(maxX, ch.TopLeft.X+ch.Width+GROUP_CONTAINER_PADDING)
@@ -233,12 +231,6 @@ func (sd *sequenceDiagram) placeGroup(group *d2graph.Object) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if !hasNested {
-		minX -= HORIZONTAL_PAD
-		minY -= MIN_MESSAGE_DISTANCE / 2.
-		maxX += HORIZONTAL_PAD
-		maxY += MIN_MESSAGE_DISTANCE / 2.
-	}
 
 	group.Box = geo.NewBox(
 		geo.NewPoint(
diff --git a/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/dagre/board.exp.json b/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/dagre/board.exp.json
index b4de79b7d..5112d0c4e 100644
--- a/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/dagre/board.exp.json
+++ b/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/dagre/board.exp.json
@@ -200,10 +200,10 @@
       "type": "",
       "pos": {
         "x": 221,
-        "y": 566
+        "y": 526
       },
       "width": 368,
-      "height": 650,
+      "height": 730,
       "opacity": 1,
       "strokeDash": 0,
       "strokeWidth": 2,
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@
         "x": 245,
         "y": 1306
       },
-      "width": 453,
+      "width": 443,
       "height": 466,
       "opacity": 1,
       "strokeDash": 0,
@@ -355,8 +355,8 @@
         "x": 601,
         "y": 1822
       },
-      "width": 268,
-      "height": 206,
+      "width": 258,
+      "height": 216,
       "opacity": 1,
       "strokeDash": 0,
       "strokeWidth": 2,
diff --git a/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/dagre/sketch.exp.svg b/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/dagre/sketch.exp.svg
index 31bbcafd3..7ba310439 100644
--- a/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/dagre/sketch.exp.svg
+++ b/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/dagre/sketch.exp.svg
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 <svg
 style="background: white;"
 xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
-width="1069" height="2268" viewBox="-100 -50 1069 2268"><style type="text/css">
+width="1059" height="2268" viewBox="-100 -50 1059 2268"><style type="text/css">
 <![CDATA[
 .shape {
   shape-rendering: geometricPrecision;
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ width="1069" height="2268" viewBox="-100 -50 1069 2268"><style type="text/css">
 }
 
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diff --git a/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/elk/board.exp.json b/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/elk/board.exp.json
index b4de79b7d..5112d0c4e 100644
--- a/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/elk/board.exp.json
+++ b/e2etests/testdata/stable/sequence_diagram_groups/elk/board.exp.json
@@ -200,10 +200,10 @@
       "type": "",
       "pos": {
         "x": 221,
-        "y": 566
+        "y": 526
       },
       "width": 368,
-      "height": 650,
+      "height": 730,
       "opacity": 1,
       "strokeDash": 0,
       "strokeWidth": 2,
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@
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