diff --git a/src/glayout/primitives/fet.py b/src/glayout/primitives/fet.py
index 9f4ac6d3..c83a1607 100644
--- a/src/glayout/primitives/fet.py
+++ b/src/glayout/primitives/fet.py
@@ -12,6 +12,33 @@
 from decimal import Decimal
 from glayout.routing.straight_route import straight_route
 from glayout.spice import Netlist
+from warnings import warn
+
+
+def __comp_min_width(pdk: MappedPDK) -> float:
+    """Minimum diffusion height that can host a contact (rule CO.4 in gf180).
+
+    The COMP region must enclose the contact by min_enclosure on every side:
+
+        mcon.width + 2 * mcon-active_diff.min_enclosure
+
+    which is 0.22 + 2*0.07 = 0.36um in gf180. Below that the *channel* may
+    still be narrower, but the diffusion under the contact may not: that is
+    the classic "dogbone" geometry, and it is what the PDK's own pcell does
+    (gf180mcu::nfet_03v3_draw declares wmin=0.22 and lays out a 0.22um device
+    with the COMP at two different heights).
+
+    Derived from the PDK rules rather than hardcoded, so it carries over to
+    other technologies. Returns 0.0 if the rules are unavailable, which keeps
+    the previous behaviour.
+    """
+    try:
+        return pdk.snap_to_2xgrid(
+            pdk.get_grule("mcon")["width"]
+            + 2 * pdk.get_grule("mcon", "active_diff")["min_enclosure"]
+        )
+    except Exception:
+        return 0.0
 
 
 @validate_arguments
@@ -27,11 +54,24 @@ def __gen_fingers_macro(pdk: MappedPDK, rmult: int, fingers: int, length: float,
     poly_spacing = max(sd_viaxdim, poly_spacing)
     met1_minsep = pdk.get_grule("met1")["min_separation"]
     poly_spacing += met1_minsep if length < met1_minsep else 0
+    # On a dogbone the pads stand proud of the channel, so the gap between two
+    # of them is a notch in the diffusion and owes COMP-to-COMP spacing. Left
+    # alone it comes out at 0.26um against a 0.28um rule. Widening the gate
+    # pitch fixes it without touching the channel, so the device stays the
+    # width that was asked for and only grows along x.
+    if max(width, __comp_min_width(pdk)) > width:
+        pad_xdim = sd_viaxdim + 2 * pdk.get_grule("mcon", "active_diff")["min_enclosure"]
+        comp_space = pdk.get_grule("active_diff")["min_separation"]
+        poly_spacing = max(poly_spacing, pad_xdim + comp_space - length)
     # create a single finger
     finger = Component("finger")
     gate = finger << rectangle(size=(length, poly_height), layer=pdk.get_glayer("poly"), centered=True)
-    sd_viaarr = via_array(pdk, "active_diff", "met1", size=(sd_viaxdim, width), minus1=True, lay_bottom=False).copy()
-    interfinger_correction = via_array(pdk,"met1",inter_finger_topmet, size=(None, width),lay_every_layer=True, num_vias=(1,None))
+    # Contacts are sized by the *contact* width, not the channel width: a
+    # narrow channel does not prevent contacting, the diffusion simply widens
+    # under the contact (dogbone). Without this, small W violates CO.4.
+    contact_width = max(width, __comp_min_width(pdk))
+    sd_viaarr = via_array(pdk, "active_diff", "met1", size=(sd_viaxdim, contact_width), minus1=True, lay_bottom=False, no_exception=True).copy()
+    interfinger_correction = via_array(pdk,"met1",inter_finger_topmet, size=(None, contact_width),lay_every_layer=True, num_vias=(1,None), no_exception=True)
     sd_viaarr << interfinger_correction
     sd_viaarr_ref = finger << sd_viaarr
     sd_viaarr_ref.movex((poly_spacing+length) / 2)
@@ -50,8 +90,26 @@ def __gen_fingers_macro(pdk: MappedPDK, rmult: int, fingers: int, length: float,
     # create diffusion and +doped region
     multiplier = rename_ports_by_orientation(centered_farray)
     diff_extra_enc = 2 * pdk.get_grule("mcon", "active_diff")["min_enclosure"]
-    diff_dims =(diff_extra_enc + evaluate_bbox(multiplier)[0], width)
-    diff = multiplier << rectangle(size=diff_dims,layer=pdk.get_glayer("active_diff"),centered=True)
+    # The channel is `width` tall; the diffusion only has to widen where a
+    # contact sits on it, so that CO.4's enclosure is met. Widening the whole
+    # strip instead would be simpler to draw and would silently build a wider
+    # device than the caller asked for -- a 0.22um request coming out as
+    # 0.36um, with no error to notice it by. Hence the dogbone: a narrow strip
+    # the full length, with a pad at each source/drain contact.
+    comp_w = max(width, __comp_min_width(pdk))
+    diff_len = diff_extra_enc + evaluate_bbox(multiplier)[0]
+    diff_dims = (diff_len, comp_w)
+    diff = multiplier << rectangle(size=(diff_len, width),
+                                   layer=pdk.get_glayer("active_diff"),
+                                   centered=True)
+    if comp_w > width:
+        pad_dims = (sd_viaxdim + diff_extra_enc, comp_w)
+        pitch = poly_spacing + length
+        for contact in range(fingers + 1):
+            pad = multiplier << rectangle(size=pad_dims,
+                                          layer=pdk.get_glayer("active_diff"),
+                                          centered=True)
+            pad.movex((contact - fingers / 2) * pitch)
     sd_diff_ovhg = pdk.get_grule(sdlayer, "active_diff")["min_enclosure"]
     sdlayer_dims = [dim + 2*sd_diff_ovhg for dim in diff_dims]
     sdlayer_ref = multiplier << rectangle(size=sdlayer_dims, layer=pdk.get_glayer(sdlayer),centered=True)
@@ -210,10 +268,23 @@ def multiplier(
     min_length = pdk.get_grule("poly")["min_width"]
     length = min_length if (length or min_length) <= min_length else length
     length = pdk.snap_to_2xgrid(length)
-    min_width = max(min_length, pdk.get_grule("active_diff")["min_width"])
+    # The floor on width is the diffusion's own min width -- 0.22um in gf180,
+    # matching the wmin the foundry pcell declares. It used to be max(that,
+    # min_length), but min_length is the poly's min width, which constrains
+    # the channel *length*: using it here confused two different dimensions
+    # and quietly turned a requested 0.22um device into a 0.28um one.
+    min_width = pdk.get_grule("active_diff")["min_width"]
+    if width and width < min_width:
+        warn(f"width {width}um is below the {min_width}um minimum for "
+             f"{pdk.name}; building a {min_width}um device instead")
     width = min_width if (width or min_width) <= min_width else width
     width = pdk.snap_to_2xgrid(width)
-    poly_height = width + 2 * pdk.get_grule("poly", "active_diff")["overhang"]
+    # The end cap has to clear the *widest* diffusion the poly runs beside,
+    # which on a dogbone is the contact pad, not the channel. Sizing this on
+    # `width` alone leaves the poly 0.17um short at the pad corners and trips
+    # PL.4. Note this does not widen the device: electrical width is poly
+    # over COMP, and COMP is still `width` tall under the gate.
+    poly_height = max(width, __comp_min_width(pdk)) + 2 * pdk.get_grule("poly", "active_diff")["overhang"]
     # call finger array
     multiplier = __gen_fingers_macro(pdk, interfinger_rmult, fingers, length, width, poly_height, sdlayer, inter_finger_topmet)
     # route all drains/ gates/ sources
diff --git a/tests/drc/run_cell_drc.py b/tests/drc/run_cell_drc.py
index 65fb5c9b..2fb9369d 100644
--- a/tests/drc/run_cell_drc.py
+++ b/tests/drc/run_cell_drc.py
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ class CellSpec:
     "diff_pair_ibias":                        "glayout.cells.composite:diff_pair_ibias",
     "low_voltage_cmirror":                    "glayout.cells.composite:low_voltage_cmirror",
     "opamp":                                  "glayout.cells.composite:opamp",
+    # Narrow primitives: the diffusion under a contact cannot shrink with the
+    # channel (CO.4 in gf180), so these exercise the dogbone path in fet.py.
+    "nmos_narrow":                            "glayout.primitives.fet:nmos",
+    "pmos_narrow":                            "glayout.primitives.fet:pmos",
 }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/parameters/ci_drc_gf180.csv b/tests/parameters/ci_drc_gf180.csv
index 165214f7..00f4b6ca 100644
--- a/tests/parameters/ci_drc_gf180.csv
+++ b/tests/parameters/ci_drc_gf180.csv
@@ -8,3 +8,5 @@ differential_to_single_ended_converter,"{""rmult"": 3, ""half_pload"": [3.0, 1.0
 diff_pair_ibias,"{""half_diffpair_params"": [5.0, 1.0, 1], ""diffpair_bias"": [5.0, 2.0, 1], ""rmult"": 2, ""with_antenna_diode_on_diffinputs"": 0}"
 low_voltage_cmirror,"{""width"": [4.0, 1.5], ""length"": 2.0, ""fingers"": [2, 1], ""multipliers"": [1, 1]}"
 opamp,"{""half_diffpair_params"": [5.0, 1.0, 1], ""diffpair_bias"": [5.0, 2.0, 1], ""half_common_source_params"": [7.0, 1.0, 10, 5], ""half_common_source_bias"": [6.0, 2.0, 8, 4], ""half_pload"": [6.0, 1.0, 5], ""add_output_stage"": false, ""with_antenna_diode_on_diffinputs"": 0, ""rmult"": 1}"
+nmos_narrow,"{""width"": 0.22, ""length"": 0.28}"
+pmos_narrow,"{""width"": 0.22, ""length"": 0.28}"
diff --git a/tests/parameters/ci_drc_sky130.csv b/tests/parameters/ci_drc_sky130.csv
index b4a4f46d..5c61030c 100644
--- a/tests/parameters/ci_drc_sky130.csv
+++ b/tests/parameters/ci_drc_sky130.csv
@@ -8,3 +8,5 @@ differential_to_single_ended_converter,"{""rmult"": 1, ""half_pload"": [3.0, 1.0
 diff_pair_ibias,"{""half_diffpair_params"": [5.0, 1.0, 1], ""diffpair_bias"": [5.0, 2.0, 1], ""rmult"": 1, ""with_antenna_diode_on_diffinputs"": 0}"
 low_voltage_cmirror,"{""width"": [4.0, 1.5], ""length"": 2.0, ""fingers"": [2, 1], ""multipliers"": [1, 1]}"
 opamp,"{""half_diffpair_params"": [6, 1, 4], ""diffpair_bias"": [6, 2, 4], ""half_common_source_params"": [7, 1, 10, 3], ""half_common_source_bias"": [6, 2, 8, 2], ""output_stage_params"": [5, 1, 16], ""output_stage_bias"": [6, 2, 4], ""half_pload"": [6, 1, 6], ""mim_cap_size"": [12, 12], ""mim_cap_rows"": 3, ""rmult"": 2, ""with_antenna_diode_on_diffinputs"": 0, ""add_output_stage"": false}"
+nmos_narrow,"{""width"": 0.15, ""length"": 0.15}"
+pmos_narrow,"{""width"": 0.15, ""length"": 0.15}"