diff --git a/src/stitching_scanner.py b/src/stitching_scanner.py
index 2aaf745..865ce02 100644
--- a/src/stitching_scanner.py
+++ b/src/stitching_scanner.py
@@ -165,15 +165,17 @@ class StitchingScanner:
         h_base, w_base = base.shape[:2]
         h_strip, w_strip = strip.shape[:2]
         
-        # Clamp y_offset
-        y_offset = max(0, min(y_offset, h_base - h_strip))
-        blend_w = min(blend_width, w_strip, w_base)
+        # === DEBUG MAGIC NUMBERS ===
+        DEBUG_SHIFT_RIGHT = -15   # Positive = shift strip right
+        DEBUG_SHIFT_UP = 5        # Positive = shift strip up
+        # ===========================
         
-
-        DEBUG_SHIFT_RIGHT = -12   # Positive = shift strip right
-        DEBUG_SHIFT_UP = -25      # Positive = shift strip up
+        blend_w = min(blend_width, w_strip, w_base)
 
         if append_right:
+            # Clamp y_offset for append_right (no debug shifts here)
+            y_offset = max(0, min(y_offset, h_base - h_strip))
+            
             # Expand mosaic to the right
             result_width = w_base + w_strip - blend_w
             result = np.zeros((h_base, result_width, 3), dtype=np.uint8)
@@ -207,19 +209,40 @@ class StitchingScanner:
             if x_offset is None:
                 x_offset = 0
             
-
+            # Apply debug shifts
             x_offset = x_offset + DEBUG_SHIFT_RIGHT
-
             y_offset = y_offset - DEBUG_SHIFT_UP
-            # Clamp x_offset to valid range
-            x_offset = 0 - min(x_offset, w_base - blend_w)
             
-
-            # y_offset = max(0, min(y_offset, h_base - h_strip))
-
+            # Clamp x_offset to valid range
+            x_offset = max(0, min(x_offset, w_base - blend_w))
+            # x_offset = min(x_offset, w_base)
+            
+            # Handle strip cropping if y_offset is negative (strip protrudes above frame)
+            strip_y_start = 0  # How much to crop from top of strip
+            if y_offset < 0:
+                strip_y_start = -y_offset  # Crop this many rows from top of strip
+                y_offset = 0
+                self.log(f"  Cropping {strip_y_start}px from top of strip (DEBUG_SHIFT_UP={DEBUG_SHIFT_UP})")
+            
+            # Handle strip cropping if it protrudes below frame
+            strip_y_end = h_strip
+            if y_offset + (h_strip - strip_y_start) > h_base:
+                strip_y_end = h_strip - ((y_offset + (h_strip - strip_y_start)) - h_base)
+                self.log(f"  Cropping bottom of strip, new strip_y_end={strip_y_end}")
+            
+            # Get the cropped strip
+            if strip_y_start >= strip_y_end:
+                self.log(f"  WARNING: Strip fully cropped, nothing to place")
+                return base.copy()
+            
+            cropped_strip = strip[strip_y_start:strip_y_end, :]
+            h_cropped = cropped_strip.shape[0]
+            
             self.log(f"=== _blend_horizontal_at_y (append_left) ===")
             self.log(f"  base: {w_base}x{h_base}, strip: {w_strip}x{h_strip}")
             self.log(f"  x_offset: {x_offset}, y_offset: {y_offset}, blend_w: {blend_w}")
+            self.log(f"  DEBUG: shift_right={DEBUG_SHIFT_RIGHT}, shift_up={DEBUG_SHIFT_UP}")
+            self.log(f"  Strip crop: rows [{strip_y_start}:{strip_y_end}] -> height {h_cropped}")
             
             # Result is same size as base (no expansion when going left)
             result = base.copy()
@@ -229,14 +252,14 @@ class StitchingScanner:
             strip_x_end = min(x_offset + w_strip, w_base)
             strip_cols_to_copy = strip_x_end - strip_x_start
             
-            self.log(f"  Placing strip at X={strip_x_start}:{strip_x_end}, Y={y_offset}:{y_offset + h_strip}")
+            self.log(f"  Placing strip at X={strip_x_start}:{strip_x_end}, Y={y_offset}:{y_offset + h_cropped}")
             self.log(f"  Strip cols to copy: {strip_cols_to_copy}")
             
             # Step 1: Copy strip content (non-blend portion) at correct position
             # For LEFT scanning, blend is on the RIGHT side of the strip
             non_blend_end = strip_cols_to_copy - blend_w
             if non_blend_end > 0:
-                result[y_offset:y_offset + h_strip, strip_x_start:strip_x_start + non_blend_end] = strip[:, :non_blend_end]
+                result[y_offset:y_offset + h_cropped, strip_x_start:strip_x_start + non_blend_end] = cropped_strip[:, :non_blend_end]
                 self.log(f"  Step 1: Placed non-blend at X={strip_x_start}:{strip_x_start + non_blend_end}")
             
             # Step 2: Create blend on the RIGHT edge of strip (blending with existing content)
@@ -245,11 +268,11 @@ class StitchingScanner:
             
             if blend_w > 0 and blend_x_start >= strip_x_start:
                 alpha = np.linspace(1, 0, blend_w, dtype=np.float32)[np.newaxis, :, np.newaxis]
-                strip_overlap = strip[:, -blend_w:].astype(np.float32)
-                base_overlap = base[y_offset:y_offset + h_strip, blend_x_start:blend_x_end].astype(np.float32)
+                strip_overlap = cropped_strip[:, -blend_w:].astype(np.float32)
+                base_overlap = base[y_offset:y_offset + h_cropped, blend_x_start:blend_x_end].astype(np.float32)
                 blended = (strip_overlap * alpha + base_overlap * (1 - alpha)).astype(np.uint8)
                 
-                result[y_offset:y_offset + h_strip, blend_x_start:blend_x_end] = blended
+                result[y_offset:y_offset + h_cropped, blend_x_start:blend_x_end] = blended
                 self.log(f"  Step 2: Blend zone at X={blend_x_start}:{blend_x_end}")
             
             self.log(f"  Final: Strip placed at X={strip_x_start}, Y={y_offset}, mosaic size unchanged: {w_base}x{h_base}")