diff --git a/src/napari_matplotlib/base.py b/src/napari_matplotlib/base.py
index 8ef507d1..4bc15224 100644
--- a/src/napari_matplotlib/base.py
+++ b/src/napari_matplotlib/base.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ def __init__(self, napari_viewer: napari.viewer.Viewer):
 
         self.viewer = napari_viewer
         self.canvas = FigureCanvas()
+        self.canvas.figure.set_tight_layout(True)
         self.canvas.figure.patch.set_facecolor("#262930")
         self.toolbar = NavigationToolbar2QT(self.canvas, self)