diff --git a/projects/angular-gridster2/src/lib/gridsterEmptyCell.ts b/projects/angular-gridster2/src/lib/gridsterEmptyCell.ts
index 6018287c..51879723 100644
--- a/projects/angular-gridster2/src/lib/gridsterEmptyCell.ts
+++ b/projects/angular-gridster2/src/lib/gridsterEmptyCell.ts
@@ -245,6 +245,8 @@ export class GridsterEmptyCell {
         item.y = this.gridster.movingItem ? this.gridster.movingItem.y : 0;
       }
     }
+    item.x = Math.min(item.x, Math.max($options.maxCols - item.cols, 0));
+    item.y = Math.min(item.y, Math.max($options.maxRows - item.rows, 0));
     if (!$options.enableOccupiedCellDrop && this.gridster.checkCollision(item)) {
       return;
     }
diff --git a/projects/angular-gridster2/src/lib/tests/gridsterEmptyCell.spec.ts b/projects/angular-gridster2/src/lib/tests/gridsterEmptyCell.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fda296f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/angular-gridster2/src/lib/tests/gridsterEmptyCell.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import { signal } from '@angular/core';
+
+import { GridsterEmptyCell } from '../gridsterEmptyCell';
+
+describe('gridsterEmptyCell service', () => {
+  it('keeps default-sized drop items inside max grid bounds', () => {
+    const gridster: any = {
+      options: signal({ scale: 1 }),
+      $options: signal({
+        defaultItemCols: 6,
+        defaultItemRows: 3,
+        emptyCellDragMaxCols: 50,
+        emptyCellDragMaxRows: 50,
+        enableOccupiedCellDrop: false,
+        maxCols: 12,
+        maxRows: 25
+      }),
+      el: {
+        scrollLeft: 0,
+        scrollTop: 0,
+        getBoundingClientRect: () =>
+          ({
+            left: 0,
+            top: 0
+          }) as ClientRect
+      },
+      gridRenderer: {
+        getLeftMargin: () => 0,
+        getTopMargin: () => 0
+      },
+      pixelsToPositionX: (x: number, roundingMethod: (x: number) => number) => roundingMethod(x / 100),
+      pixelsToPositionY: (y: number, roundingMethod: (y: number) => number) => roundingMethod(y / 100),
+      checkCollision: vi.fn(() => false)
+    };
+    const emptyCell = new GridsterEmptyCell(gridster);
+    const event = {
+      clientX: 700,
+      clientY: 100,
+      preventDefault: vi.fn(),
+      stopPropagation: vi.fn()
+    } as unknown as MouseEvent;
+
+    const item = emptyCell.getValidItemFromEvent(event);
+
+    expect(item).toMatchObject({ x: 6, y: 1, cols: 6, rows: 3 });
+    expect(gridster.checkCollision).toHaveBeenCalledWith(item);
+  });
+});