diff --git a/container/container.go b/container/container.go
index 6070efe..0bfa7c5 100644
--- a/container/container.go
+++ b/container/container.go
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ func (c *Container) split() (image.Rectangle, image.Rectangle, error) {
 		if c.opts.split == splitTypeVertical {
 			return area.VSplitCells(ar, c.opts.splitFixed)
 		}
-		return area.HSplitCells(ar, c.opts.splitFixed)
+		return area.HSplitCells(ar, c.opts.splitFixed, false)
 	}
 
 	if c.opts.split == splitTypeVertical {
diff --git a/private/area/area.go b/private/area/area.go
index 34b21a1..9e2040c 100644
--- a/private/area/area.go
+++ b/private/area/area.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func FromSize(size image.Point) (image.Rectangle, error) {
 }
 
 // HSplit returns two new areas created by splitting the provided area at the
-// specified percentage of its width. The percentage must be in the range
+// specified percentage of its height. The percentage must be in the range
 // 0 <= heightPerc <= 100.
 // Can return zero size areas.
 func HSplit(area image.Rectangle, heightPerc int) (top image.Rectangle, bottom image.Rectangle, err error) {
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func VSplitCells(area image.Rectangle, cells int) (left image.Rectangle, right i
 // be a zero or a positive integer. Providing a zero returns top=image.ZR,
 // bottom=area. Providing a number equal or larger to area's height returns
 // top=area, bottom=image.ZR.
-func HSplitCells(area image.Rectangle, cells int) (top image.Rectangle, bottom image.Rectangle, err error) {
+func HSplitCells(area image.Rectangle, cells int, fromMax bool) (top image.Rectangle, bottom image.Rectangle, err error) {
 	if min := 0; cells < min {
 		return image.ZR, image.ZR, fmt.Errorf("invalid cells %d, must be a positive integer", cells)
 	}
@@ -119,8 +119,16 @@ func HSplitCells(area image.Rectangle, cells int) (top image.Rectangle, bottom i
 		return area, image.ZR, nil
 	}
 
-	top = image.Rect(area.Min.X, area.Min.Y, area.Max.X, area.Min.Y+cells)
-	bottom = image.Rect(area.Min.X, area.Min.Y+cells, area.Max.X, area.Max.Y)
+	splitY := area.Min.Y
+	if fromMax {
+		splitY = area.Max.Y - cells
+	} else {
+		splitY = area.Min.Y + cells
+	}
+
+	top = image.Rect(area.Min.X, area.Min.Y, area.Max.X, splitY)
+	bottom = image.Rect(area.Min.X, splitY, area.Max.X, area.Max.Y)
+
 	return top, bottom, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/private/area/area_test.go b/private/area/area_test.go
index f4a46eb..62141ce 100644
--- a/private/area/area_test.go
+++ b/private/area/area_test.go
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ func TestHSplitCells(t *testing.T) {
 		desc       string
 		area       image.Rectangle
 		cells      int
+		fromMax    bool
 		wantTop    image.Rectangle
 		wantBottom image.Rectangle
 		wantErr    bool
@@ -417,6 +418,14 @@ func TestHSplitCells(t *testing.T) {
 			wantTop:    image.Rect(1, 1, 3, 2),
 			wantBottom: image.Rect(1, 2, 3, 3),
 		},
+		{
+			desc:       "splits area with even height from max",
+			area:       image.Rect(1, 1, 3, 3),
+			cells:      1,
+			fromMax:    true,
+			wantTop:    image.Rect(1, 1, 3, 2),
+			wantBottom: image.Rect(1, 2, 3, 3),
+		},
 		{
 			desc:       "splits area with odd width",
 			area:       image.Rect(1, 1, 4, 4),
@@ -431,11 +440,19 @@ func TestHSplitCells(t *testing.T) {
 			wantTop:    image.Rect(0, 0, 4, 3),
 			wantBottom: image.Rect(0, 3, 4, 4),
 		},
+		{
+			desc:       "splits to unequal areas from max",
+			area:       image.Rect(0, 0, 4, 4),
+			cells:      3,
+			fromMax:    true,
+			wantTop:    image.Rect(0, 0, 4, 1),
+			wantBottom: image.Rect(0, 1, 4, 4),
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range tests {
 		t.Run(tc.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
-			gotTop, gotBottom, err := HSplitCells(tc.area, tc.cells)
+			gotTop, gotBottom, err := HSplitCells(tc.area, tc.cells, tc.fromMax)
 			if (err != nil) != tc.wantErr {
 				t.Errorf("HSplitCells => unexpected error:%v, wantErr:%v", err, tc.wantErr)
 			}
diff --git a/widgets/donut/donut.go b/widgets/donut/donut.go
index 7d98792..a95268d 100644
--- a/widgets/donut/donut.go
+++ b/widgets/donut/donut.go
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ func donutAndLabel(cvsAr image.Rectangle) (donAr, labelAr image.Rectangle, err e
 	// Two lines for the text label at the bottom.
 	// One for the text itself and one for visual space between the donut and
 	// the label.
-	donAr, labelAr, err = area.HSplitCells(cvsAr, height-2)
+	donAr, labelAr, err = area.HSplitCells(cvsAr, height-2, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return image.ZR, image.ZR, err
 	}