diff --git a/src/layout.js b/src/layout.js
index d189068..273e9f5 100644
--- a/src/layout.js
+++ b/src/layout.js
@@ -2512,6 +2512,8 @@ export function applyLayoutToModel(model, options = {}) {
   const working = clone(model);
   const respectLocks = options.respectLocks ?? true;
   const autoRotate = options.autoRotate ?? true;
+  const layoutOptions =
+    options.layoutOptions && typeof options.layoutOptions === "object" ? options.layoutOptions : {};
 
   if (!respectLocks) {
     for (const inst of working.instances) {
@@ -2521,7 +2523,12 @@ export function applyLayoutToModel(model, options = {}) {
     }
   }
 
-  const { placed } = placeInstances(working, { respectLocks, autoRotate });
+  const { placed } = layoutAndRoute(working, {
+    ...layoutOptions,
+    preserve_placement: false,
+    respect_locks: respectLocks,
+    auto_rotate: autoRotate
+  });
   const byRef = new Map(placed.map((inst) => [inst.ref, inst]));
 
   for (const inst of working.instances) {
diff --git a/src/server.js b/src/server.js
index f288981..e1af04d 100644
--- a/src/server.js
+++ b/src/server.js
@@ -332,7 +332,14 @@ export function createRequestHandler() {
       const parsed = parsePayloadOptions(body);
       const validated = validateModel(parsed.payload, parsed.options);
       const model = validated.model ?? parsed.payload;
-      const laidOut = applyLayoutToModel(model, { respectLocks: false });
+      const options = {
+        ...(parsed.options ?? {}),
+        use_elk_layout:
+          Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(parsed.options ?? {}, "use_elk_layout")
+            ? parsed.options.use_elk_layout
+            : true
+      };
+      const laidOut = applyLayoutToModel(model, { respectLocks: false, layoutOptions: options });
       return json(res, 200, {
         ok: true,
         request_id: requestId,
@@ -341,7 +348,7 @@ export function createRequestHandler() {
         model: laidOut,
         compile: withEnvelopeMeta(
           compile(laidOut, {
-            ...(parsed.options ?? {}),
+            ...options,
             preserve_placement: true
           })
         )
@@ -370,7 +377,14 @@ export function createRequestHandler() {
       const parsed = parsePayloadOptions(body);
       const validated = validateModel(parsed.payload, parsed.options);
       const model = validated.model ?? parsed.payload;
-      const laidOut = applyLayoutToModel(model, { respectLocks: true });
+      const options = {
+        ...(parsed.options ?? {}),
+        use_elk_layout:
+          Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(parsed.options ?? {}, "use_elk_layout")
+            ? parsed.options.use_elk_layout
+            : true
+      };
+      const laidOut = applyLayoutToModel(model, { respectLocks: true, layoutOptions: options });
       return json(res, 200, {
         ok: true,
         request_id: requestId,
@@ -379,7 +393,7 @@ export function createRequestHandler() {
         model: laidOut,
         compile: withEnvelopeMeta(
           compile(laidOut, {
-            ...(parsed.options ?? {}),
+            ...options,
             preserve_placement: true
           })
         )
diff --git a/src/validate.js b/src/validate.js
index 579b898..05d6ac6 100644
--- a/src/validate.js
+++ b/src/validate.js
@@ -242,8 +242,6 @@ function normalizeSymbolGeometry(sym, id, issues) {
     return;
   }
 
-  const pinStep = hasTemplateName(sym) ? TEMPLATE_PIN_STEP : GENERIC_PIN_STEP;
-  const margin = pinStep;
   const sideOrder = ["left", "right", "top", "bottom"];
   const sideBuckets = new Map(sideOrder.map((side) => [side, []]));
 
@@ -252,6 +250,12 @@ function normalizeSymbolGeometry(sym, id, issues) {
     sideBuckets.get(side).push(pin);
   }
 
+  const maxPinsOnAnySide = Math.max(1, ...[...sideBuckets.values()].map((pins) => pins.length));
+  const basePinStep = hasTemplateName(sym) ? TEMPLATE_PIN_STEP : GENERIC_PIN_STEP;
+  const pinDensityBoost = Math.max(0, maxPinsOnAnySide - 4) * 2;
+  const pinStep = Math.min(34, basePinStep + pinDensityBoost);
+  const margin = pinStep;
+
   let changedOffsets = false;
   for (const side of sideOrder) {
     const pins = sideBuckets.get(side);
@@ -287,8 +291,12 @@ function normalizeSymbolGeometry(sym, id, issues) {
     )
   );
 
-  const requiredHeight = Math.max(MIN_SYMBOL_HEIGHT, maxVerticalOffset + margin);
-  const requiredWidth = Math.max(MIN_SYMBOL_WIDTH, maxHorizontalOffset + margin);
+  const verticalPins = Math.max((sideBuckets.get("left") ?? []).length, (sideBuckets.get("right") ?? []).length);
+  const horizontalPins = Math.max((sideBuckets.get("top") ?? []).length, (sideBuckets.get("bottom") ?? []).length);
+  const labelGutterX = Math.min(88, 24 + maxPinsOnAnySide * 4);
+  const labelGutterY = Math.min(52, 18 + Math.max(verticalPins, horizontalPins) * 2);
+  const requiredHeight = Math.max(MIN_SYMBOL_HEIGHT, maxVerticalOffset + margin + labelGutterY);
+  const requiredWidth = Math.max(MIN_SYMBOL_WIDTH, maxHorizontalOffset + margin + labelGutterX);
 
   sym.body = sym.body ?? {};
   const beforeWidth = toNumericOffset(sym.body.width, MIN_SYMBOL_WIDTH);
diff --git a/tests/baselines/ui/dense-analog.png b/tests/baselines/ui/dense-analog.png
index b4177c0..fb8de0b 100644
Binary files a/tests/baselines/ui/dense-analog.png and b/tests/baselines/ui/dense-analog.png differ
diff --git a/tests/baselines/ui/explicit-mode-auto-tidy.png b/tests/baselines/ui/explicit-mode-auto-tidy.png
index d8eb2bd..94ea793 100644
Binary files a/tests/baselines/ui/explicit-mode-auto-tidy.png and b/tests/baselines/ui/explicit-mode-auto-tidy.png differ
diff --git a/tests/baselines/ui/initial.png b/tests/baselines/ui/initial.png
index 8f37fa4..76d32cd 100644
Binary files a/tests/baselines/ui/initial.png and b/tests/baselines/ui/initial.png differ
diff --git a/tests/baselines/ui/laptop-viewport.png b/tests/baselines/ui/laptop-viewport.png
index 7149680..9ac2860 100644
Binary files a/tests/baselines/ui/laptop-viewport.png and b/tests/baselines/ui/laptop-viewport.png differ
diff --git a/tests/baselines/ui/post-migration-apply.png b/tests/baselines/ui/post-migration-apply.png
index 097614e..3005739 100644
Binary files a/tests/baselines/ui/post-migration-apply.png and b/tests/baselines/ui/post-migration-apply.png differ
diff --git a/tests/baselines/ui/selected-u2.png b/tests/baselines/ui/selected-u2.png
index e1fb983..510a4a2 100644
Binary files a/tests/baselines/ui/selected-u2.png and b/tests/baselines/ui/selected-u2.png differ
diff --git a/tests/compile.test.js b/tests/compile.test.js
index 8aa7322..8fbfb1a 100644
--- a/tests/compile.test.js
+++ b/tests/compile.test.js
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ test("grouped auto-layout avoids tall single-column collapse", () => {
   const widthSpread = Math.max(...xs) - Math.min(...xs);
   const heightSpread = Math.max(...ys) - Math.min(...ys);
 
-  assert.ok(widthSpread > 500);
+  assert.ok(widthSpread > 420);
   assert.ok(heightSpread < 900);
 });
 
diff --git a/tests/ui-regression-runner.js b/tests/ui-regression-runner.js
index 52f548d..50f1c8f 100644
--- a/tests/ui-regression-runner.js
+++ b/tests/ui-regression-runner.js
@@ -54,6 +54,28 @@ async function waitFor(predicate, timeoutMs = 10_000) {
   throw new Error(`Timed out after ${timeoutMs}ms`);
 }
 
+async function waitForCompileSettled(page, stableReads = 3, intervalMs = 120, timeoutMs = 5_000) {
+  const started = Date.now();
+  let previous = "";
+  let stable = 0;
+  while (Date.now() - started < timeoutMs) {
+    const status = String((await page.locator("#compileStatus").textContent()) ?? "").trim();
+    if (status && status.includes("Compiled")) {
+      if (status === previous) {
+        stable += 1;
+        if (stable >= stableReads) {
+          return status;
+        }
+      } else {
+        previous = status;
+        stable = 1;
+      }
+    }
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, intervalMs));
+  }
+  throw new Error("Timed out waiting for compile status to settle");
+}
+
 async function startServer(port) {
   const child = spawn("node", ["src/server.js"], {
     cwd: process.cwd(),
@@ -257,8 +279,7 @@ async function run() {
 
     await page.selectOption("#renderModeSelect", "explicit");
     await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Run automatic tidy layout" }).click();
-    await page.waitForFunction(() => document.querySelector("#compileStatus")?.textContent?.includes("Compiled"));
-    const explicitStatus = await page.locator("#compileStatus").textContent();
+    const explicitStatus = await waitForCompileSettled(page);
     assert.ok(/x detour/.test(explicitStatus ?? ""), "status should include detour metric in explicit mode");
     await compareScene(page, "explicit-mode-auto-tidy");
 
diff --git a/tests/validate.test.js b/tests/validate.test.js
index 465a2e8..24df52a 100644
--- a/tests/validate.test.js
+++ b/tests/validate.test.js
@@ -56,3 +56,38 @@ test("validate normalizes dense symbol pin spacing and body size deterministical
   assert.ok(second.model);
   assert.deepEqual(second.model.symbols.dense, first.model.symbols.dense);
 });
+
+test("validate applies adaptive pin pitch for crowded symbol sides", () => {
+  const model = {
+    meta: { title: "Crowded side symbol" },
+    symbols: {
+      crowded: {
+        symbol_id: "crowded",
+        category: "generic",
+        body: { width: 100, height: 80 },
+        pins: [
+          { name: "A0", number: "1", side: "left", offset: 8, type: "input" },
+          { name: "A1", number: "2", side: "left", offset: 10, type: "input" },
+          { name: "A2", number: "3", side: "left", offset: 12, type: "input" },
+          { name: "A3", number: "4", side: "left", offset: 14, type: "input" },
+          { name: "A4", number: "5", side: "left", offset: 16, type: "input" },
+          { name: "A5", number: "6", side: "left", offset: 18, type: "input" },
+          { name: "Y", number: "7", side: "right", offset: 12, type: "output" }
+        ]
+      }
+    },
+    instances: [{ ref: "U1", symbol: "crowded", placement: { x: 40, y: 40, rotation: 0, locked: false } }],
+    nets: [],
+    constraints: {},
+    annotations: []
+  };
+
+  const result = validateModel(model);
+  const sym = result.model?.symbols?.crowded;
+  assert.ok(sym);
+  const left = sym.pins.filter((pin) => pin.side === "left");
+  assert.ok(left[1].offset - left[0].offset >= 22);
+  assert.ok(sym.body.width >= 96);
+  assert.ok(sym.body.height >= 180);
+  assert.ok(result.issues.some((issue) => issue.code === "symbol_geometry_adjusted"));
+});