diff --git a/src/main/java/codechicken/nei/ItemZoom.java b/src/main/java/codechicken/nei/ItemZoom.java
index b029a1cb..3d3eac97 100644
--- a/src/main/java/codechicken/nei/ItemZoom.java
+++ b/src/main/java/codechicken/nei/ItemZoom.java
@@ -111,8 +111,14 @@ public class ItemZoom extends Widget implements IContainerInputHandler {
             this.xPosition = (availableAreaWidth - this.scale * SLOT_SIZE) / 2;
             this.availableAreaWidth = (int) (availableAreaWidth / screenScale);
 
-            if (availableAreaWidth / screenScale >= mouse.x) {
-                this.xPosition += gui.width * screenScale - availableAreaWidth;
+            final float rightSideShift = gui.width * screenScale - availableAreaWidth;
+            final boolean leftSideFree = availableAreaWidth / screenScale < mouse.x;
+            final boolean rightSideFree = mouse.x < gui.width - availableAreaWidth / screenScale;
+
+            final boolean showOnRight = leftSideFree && rightSideFree ? !preferLeftSide() : !leftSideFree;
+
+            if (showOnRight) {
+                this.xPosition += rightSideShift;
             }
 
             try {
@@ -128,6 +134,22 @@ public class ItemZoom extends Widget implements IContainerInputHandler {
         }
     }
 
+    private boolean preferLeftSide() {
+        switch (NEIClientConfig.getIntSetting("inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide")) {
+            case 1:
+                return true;
+            case 2:
+                return false;
+        }
+
+        final int leftCount = NEIClientConfig.isBookmarkPanelHidden()
+                || ItemPanels.bookmarkPanel.getGrid().getPerPage() == 0 ? 0 : ItemPanels.bookmarkPanel.getGrid().size();
+        final int rightCount = ItemPanels.itemPanel.getGrid().getPerPage() == 0 ? 0
+                : ItemPanels.itemPanel.getGrid().size();
+
+        return leftCount <= rightCount;
+    }
+
     private float getPointSize(GuiContainer gui) {
         final float screenScale = 1.0f / getScreenScale();
         final float availableAreaWidth = (gui.width - (gui.xSize + gui.width) / 2) * screenScale;
diff --git a/src/main/java/codechicken/nei/NEIClientConfig.java b/src/main/java/codechicken/nei/NEIClientConfig.java
index 732e5bac..5218f534 100644
--- a/src/main/java/codechicken/nei/NEIClientConfig.java
+++ b/src/main/java/codechicken/nei/NEIClientConfig.java
@@ -382,6 +382,11 @@ public class NEIClientConfig {
         tag.getTag("inventory.itemzoom.onlySolid").getBooleanValue(false);
         API.addOption(new OptionToggleButton("inventory.itemzoom.onlySolid", true));
 
+        tag.getTag("inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide")
+                .setComment("Which side to prefer showing the zoomed item on, when both sides are free.")
+                .getIntValue(0);
+        API.addOption(new OptionCycled("inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide", 3, true));
+
         tag.getTag("inventory.itemzoom.helpText")
                 .setComment("Display name \"Item Zoom\" and the hotkey to toggle this mod below the zoomed item.")
                 .getBooleanValue(true);
diff --git a/src/main/resources/assets/nei/lang/en_US.lang b/src/main/resources/assets/nei/lang/en_US.lang
index 12ce30e9..6e3258c0 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/assets/nei/lang/en_US.lang
+++ b/src/main/resources/assets/nei/lang/en_US.lang
@@ -520,6 +520,13 @@ nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.neiOnly.tip=Zoom items only from the JEI ingredie
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.onlySolid=Show Only Solid Items
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.onlySolid.true=Enabled
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.onlySolid.false=Disabled
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide=Preferred Side
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.0=Auto
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.1=Left
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.2=Right
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.0.tip=Prefer whichever side currently has fewer items in its panel.
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.1.tip=Always prefer the left side, unless the cursor is there.
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.2.tip=Always prefer the right side, unless the cursor is there.
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.helpText=Display Help Text
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.helpText.true=Enabled
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.helpText.false=Disabled
diff --git a/src/main/resources/assets/nei/lang/ru_RU.lang b/src/main/resources/assets/nei/lang/ru_RU.lang
index 6e2add71..552c2de9 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/assets/nei/lang/ru_RU.lang
+++ b/src/main/resources/assets/nei/lang/ru_RU.lang
@@ -335,6 +335,13 @@ nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.neiOnly.tip=Увеличивать предмет
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.onlySolid=Показывать только твердые предметы
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.onlySolid.true=Включено
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.onlySolid.false=Отключено
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide=Предпочитаемая сторона
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.0=Авто
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.1=Слева
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.2=Справа
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.0.tip=Выбирать сторону, где сейчас меньше предметов в панели.
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.1.tip=Всегда предпочитать левую сторону, если там нет курсора.
+nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.preferredSide.2.tip=Всегда предпочитать правую сторону, если там нет курсора.
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.helpText=Показывать текст помощи
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.helpText.true=Включено
 nei.options.inventory.itemzoom.helpText.false=Отключено