diff --git a/crates/core/src/io/wrap.rs b/crates/core/src/io/wrap.rs
index f42ef7c..e4ad23a 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/io/wrap.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/io/wrap.rs
@@ -3,9 +3,14 @@
 /// to avoid pathological cases on oversized lines.
 pub const MAX_WRAP_INPUT_LEN: usize = 10 * 1024 * 1024;
 
+/// Column spacing for tab stop alignment.
+const TAB_WIDTH: usize = 4;
+
 /// Split a line into chunks of exactly `width` display columns.
 /// For a log viewer, we want character-level wrapping, not word-level.
 /// Uses `unicode-width` for correct CJK/emoji/zero-width handling.
+/// Tab characters expand to the next tab-stop boundary and split across
+/// rows when the expansion exceeds the remaining width.
 pub fn wrap_line_chars(line: &str, width: usize) -> Vec<String> {
     use unicode_width::UnicodeWidthChar;
 
@@ -19,29 +24,40 @@ pub fn wrap_line_chars(line: &str, width: usize) -> Vec<String> {
     let mut row = String::new();
     let mut col = 0;
     for ch in line.chars() {
-        let w = if ch == '\t' {
-            4
-        } else if ch.is_control() {
-            // Control characters (except tab): width 0, still pushed to preserve content.
-            // Visible rendering is the caller's responsibility.
-            0
-        } else {
-            ch.width().unwrap_or(0)
-        };
-        if col + w > width && !row.is_empty() {
-            result.push(std::mem::take(&mut row));
-            col = 0;
-        }
         if ch == '\t' {
-            row.push_str("    ");
-            col += 4;
+            let tab_stop = TAB_WIDTH - (col % TAB_WIDTH);
+            let mut remaining = tab_stop;
+            while remaining > 0 {
+                let avail = width.saturating_sub(col);
+                let fill = remaining.min(avail);
+                for _ in 0..fill {
+                    row.push(' ');
+                }
+                col += fill;
+                remaining -= fill;
+                if col >= width {
+                    result.push(std::mem::take(&mut row));
+                    col = 0;
+                }
+            }
         } else {
+            let w = if ch.is_control() {
+                // Control characters (except tab): width 0, still pushed to preserve content.
+                // Visible rendering is the caller's responsibility.
+                0
+            } else {
+                ch.width().unwrap_or(0)
+            };
+            if col + w > width && !row.is_empty() {
+                result.push(std::mem::take(&mut row));
+                col = 0;
+            }
             row.push(ch);
             col += w;
-        }
-        if col >= width {
-            result.push(std::mem::take(&mut row));
-            col = 0;
+            if col >= width {
+                result.push(std::mem::take(&mut row));
+                col = 0;
+            }
         }
     }
     if !row.is_empty() {
@@ -108,7 +124,7 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_wrap_with_tab() {
         let result = wrap_line_chars("a\tb", 4);
-        assert_eq!(result, vec!["a", "    ", "b"]);
+        assert_eq!(result, vec!["a   ", "b"]);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -188,4 +204,31 @@ mod tests {
         let result = wrap_line_chars("你好", 1);
         assert_eq!(result, vec!["你", "好"]);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_tab_narrow_width() {
+        let result = wrap_line_chars("\t", 2);
+        assert_eq!(result, vec!["  ", "  "]);
+        let result = wrap_line_chars("\t", 1);
+        assert_eq!(result, vec![" ", " ", " ", " "]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_tab_stop_alignment() {
+        assert_eq!(wrap_line_chars("a\tb", 8), vec!["a   b"]);
+        assert_eq!(wrap_line_chars("ab\t", 4), vec!["ab  "]);
+        assert_eq!(wrap_line_chars("abc\tb", 8), vec!["abc b"]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_tab_at_line_boundary() {
+        let result = wrap_line_chars("a\tb", 4);
+        assert_eq!(result, vec!["a   ", "b"]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_tab_regression_ab_tab() {
+        let result = wrap_line_chars("ab\t", 4);
+        assert_eq!(result, vec!["ab  "]);
+    }
 }