diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 417c47b94..9d11cfdba 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ Other improvements
 - A bug that prevented certain executables from being offered in tab-completions when root has been fixed (:issue:`9639`).
 - Builin `jobs` will print commands with non-printable chars escaped (:issue:`9808`)
 - An integer overflow in `string repeat` leading to a near-infinite loop has been fixed (:issue:`9899`).
+- `string shorten` behaves better in the presence of non-printable characters, including fixing an integer overflow that shortened strings more than intended. (:issue:`9854`)
+- `string pad` no longer allows non-printable characters as padding. (:issue:`9854`)
 
 For distributors
 ----------------
diff --git a/fish-rust/src/builtins/string.rs b/fish-rust/src/builtins/string.rs
index 67491049f..0583d0f7a 100644
--- a/fish-rust/src/builtins/string.rs
+++ b/fish-rust/src/builtins/string.rs
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ enum Direction {
     Right,
 }
 
-pub(self) fn width_without_escapes(ins: &wstr, start_pos: usize) -> i32 {
+pub(self) fn width_without_escapes(ins: &wstr, start_pos: usize) -> usize {
     let mut width: i32 = 0;
     for c in ins[start_pos..].chars() {
         let w = fish_wcwidth_visible(c);
@@ -287,8 +287,9 @@ pub(self) fn width_without_escapes(ins: &wstr, start_pos: usize) -> i32 {
             pos += 1;
         }
     }
-
-    return width;
+    // we subtracted less than we added
+    debug_assert!(width >= 0, "line has negative width");
+    return width as usize;
 }
 
 pub(self) fn escape_code_length(code: &wstr) -> Option<usize> {
diff --git a/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/length.rs b/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/length.rs
index d400658c4..6c53a2e0d 100644
--- a/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/length.rs
+++ b/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/length.rs
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ impl StringSubCommand<'_> for Length {
                     // Carriage-return returns us to the beginning. The longest substring without
                     // carriage-return determines the overall width.
                     for reset in split_string(&line, '\r') {
-                        let n = width_without_escapes(&reset, 0) as usize;
-                        max = max.max(n);
+                        let n = width_without_escapes(&reset, 0);
+                        max = usize::max(max, n);
                     }
                     if max > 0 {
                         nnonempty += 1;
diff --git a/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/pad.rs b/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/pad.rs
index 7b2ad761d..3238f042c 100644
--- a/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/pad.rs
+++ b/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/pad.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 
 use super::*;
-use crate::wutil::{fish_wcstol, fish_wcswidth};
+use crate::fallback::fish_wcwidth;
+use crate::wutil::fish_wcstol;
 
 pub struct Pad {
     char_to_pad: char,
-    pad_char_width: i32,
+    pad_char_width: usize,
     pad_from: Direction,
     width: usize,
 }
@@ -33,25 +34,23 @@ impl StringSubCommand<'_> for Pad {
     fn parse_opt(&mut self, name: &wstr, c: char, arg: Option<&wstr>) -> Result<(), StringError> {
         match c {
             'c' => {
-                let arg = arg.expect("option -c requires an argument");
-                if arg.len() != 1 {
+                let [pad_char] = arg.unwrap().as_char_slice() else {
                     return Err(invalid_args!(
                         "%ls: Padding should be a character '%ls'\n",
                         name,
-                        Some(arg)
+                        arg
                     ));
-                }
-                let pad_char_width = fish_wcswidth(arg.slice_to(1));
-                // can we ever have negative width?
-                if pad_char_width == 0 {
+                };
+                let pad_char_width = fish_wcwidth(*pad_char);
+                if pad_char_width <= 0 {
                     return Err(invalid_args!(
                         "%ls: Invalid padding character of width zero '%ls'\n",
                         name,
-                        Some(arg)
+                        arg
                     ));
                 }
-                self.pad_char_width = pad_char_width;
-                self.char_to_pad = arg.char_at(0);
+                self.pad_char_width = pad_char_width as usize;
+                self.char_to_pad = *pad_char;
             }
             'r' => self.pad_from = Direction::Right,
             'w' => {
@@ -71,8 +70,8 @@ impl StringSubCommand<'_> for Pad {
         optind: &mut usize,
         args: &[&'args wstr],
     ) -> Option<libc::c_int> {
-        let mut max_width = 0i32;
-        let mut inputs: Vec<(Cow<'args, wstr>, i32)> = Vec::new();
+        let mut max_width = 0usize;
+        let mut inputs: Vec<(Cow<'args, wstr>, usize)> = Vec::new();
         let mut print_newline = true;
 
         for (arg, want_newline) in Arguments::new(args, optind, streams) {
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ impl StringSubCommand<'_> for Pad {
             print_newline = want_newline;
         }
 
-        let pad_width = max_width.max(self.width as i32);
+        let pad_width = max_width.max(self.width);
 
         for (input, width) in inputs {
             use std::iter::repeat;
@@ -91,14 +90,14 @@ impl StringSubCommand<'_> for Pad {
             let remaining_width = (pad_width - width) % self.pad_char_width;
             let mut padded: WString = match self.pad_from {
                 Direction::Left => repeat(self.char_to_pad)
-                    .take(pad as usize)
-                    .chain(repeat(' ').take(remaining_width as usize))
+                    .take(pad)
+                    .chain(repeat(' ').take(remaining_width))
                     .chain(input.chars())
                     .collect(),
                 Direction::Right => input
                     .chars()
-                    .chain(repeat(' ').take(remaining_width as usize))
-                    .chain(repeat(self.char_to_pad).take(pad as usize))
+                    .chain(repeat(' ').take(remaining_width))
+                    .chain(repeat(self.char_to_pad).take(pad))
                     .collect(),
             };
 
diff --git a/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/shorten.rs b/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/shorten.rs
index 0c46ddc97..163b7383b 100644
--- a/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/shorten.rs
+++ b/fish-rust/src/builtins/string/shorten.rs
@@ -1,25 +1,26 @@
 use super::*;
 use crate::common::get_ellipsis_str;
-use crate::fallback::fish_wcwidth;
 use crate::wcstringutil::split_string;
-use crate::wutil::{fish_wcstol, fish_wcswidth};
+use crate::wutil::fish_wcstol;
 
 pub struct Shorten<'args> {
-    chars_to_shorten: &'args wstr,
+    ellipsis: &'args wstr,
+    ellipsis_width: usize,
     max: Option<usize>,
     no_newline: bool,
     quiet: bool,
-    direction: Direction,
+    shorten_from: Direction,
 }
 
 impl Default for Shorten<'_> {
     fn default() -> Self {
         Self {
-            chars_to_shorten: get_ellipsis_str(),
+            ellipsis: get_ellipsis_str(),
+            ellipsis_width: width_without_escapes(get_ellipsis_str(), 0),
             max: None,
             no_newline: false,
             quiet: false,
-            direction: Direction::Right,
+            shorten_from: Direction::Right,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -42,7 +43,10 @@ impl<'args> StringSubCommand<'args> for Shorten<'args> {
         arg: Option<&'args wstr>,
     ) -> Result<(), StringError> {
         match c {
-            'c' => self.chars_to_shorten = arg.expect("option --char requires an argument"),
+            'c' => {
+                self.ellipsis = arg.unwrap();
+                self.ellipsis_width = width_without_escapes(self.ellipsis, 0);
+            }
             'm' => {
                 self.max = Some(
                     fish_wcstol(arg.unwrap())?
@@ -51,7 +55,7 @@ impl<'args> StringSubCommand<'args> for Shorten<'args> {
                 )
             }
             'N' => self.no_newline = true,
-            'l' => self.direction = Direction::Left,
+            'l' => self.shorten_from = Direction::Left,
             'q' => self.quiet = true,
             _ => return Err(StringError::UnknownOption),
         }
@@ -67,7 +71,6 @@ impl<'args> StringSubCommand<'args> for Shorten<'args> {
     ) -> Option<libc::c_int> {
         let mut min_width = usize::MAX;
         let mut inputs = Vec::new();
-        let mut ell = self.chars_to_shorten;
 
         let iter = Arguments::new(args, optind, streams);
 
@@ -93,23 +96,23 @@ impl<'args> StringSubCommand<'args> for Shorten<'args> {
             // or we handle the lines separately.
             let mut splits = split_string(&arg, '\n').into_iter();
             if self.no_newline && splits.len() > 1 {
-                let mut s = match self.direction {
+                let mut s = match self.shorten_from {
                     Direction::Right => splits.next(),
                     Direction::Left => splits.last(),
                 }
                 .unwrap();
-                s.push_utfstr(ell);
+                s.push_utfstr(self.ellipsis);
                 let width = width_without_escapes(&s, 0);
 
-                if width > 0 && (width as usize) < min_width {
-                    min_width = width as usize;
+                if width > 0 && width < min_width {
+                    min_width = width;
                 }
                 inputs.push(s);
             } else {
                 for s in splits {
                     let width = width_without_escapes(&s, 0);
-                    if width > 0 && (width as usize) < min_width {
-                        min_width = width as usize;
+                    if width > 0 && width < min_width {
+                        min_width = width;
                     }
                     inputs.push(s);
                 }
@@ -118,18 +121,12 @@ impl<'args> StringSubCommand<'args> for Shorten<'args> {
 
         let ourmax: usize = self.max.unwrap_or(min_width);
 
-        // TODO: Can we have negative width
-
-        let ell_width: i32 = {
-            let w = fish_wcswidth(ell);
-            if w > ourmax as i32 {
-                // If we can't even print our ellipsis, we substitute nothing,
-                // truncating instead.
-                ell = L!("");
-                0
-            } else {
-                w
-            }
+        let (ell, ell_width) = if self.ellipsis_width > ourmax {
+            // If we can't even print our ellipsis, we substitute nothing,
+            // truncating instead.
+            (L!(""), 0)
+        } else {
+            (self.ellipsis, self.ellipsis_width)
         };
 
         let mut nsub = 0usize;
@@ -153,7 +150,7 @@ impl<'args> StringSubCommand<'args> for Shorten<'args> {
             let mut pos = 0usize;
             let mut max = 0usize;
             // Collect how much of the string we can use without going over the maximum.
-            if self.direction == Direction::Left {
+            if self.shorten_from == Direction::Left {
                 // Our strategy for keeping from the end.
                 // This is rather unoptimized - actually going *backwards* from the end
                 // is extremely tricky because we would have to subtract escapes again.
@@ -165,7 +162,7 @@ impl<'args> StringSubCommand<'args> for Shorten<'args> {
                     // If we're at the beginning and it fits, we sits.
                     //
                     // Otherwise we require it to fit the ellipsis
-                    if (w <= ourmax as i32 && pos == 0) || (w + ell_width <= ourmax as i32) {
+                    if (w <= ourmax && pos == 0) || (w + ell_width <= ourmax) {
                         out = line.slice_from(pos);
                         break;
                     }
@@ -191,23 +188,24 @@ impl<'args> StringSubCommand<'args> for Shorten<'args> {
                 streams.out.append1('\n');
                 continue;
             } else {
-                /* Direction::Right */
+                /* shorten the right side */
                 // Going from the left.
                 // This is somewhat easier.
                 while max <= ourmax && pos < line.len() {
                     pos += skip_escapes(&line, pos);
-                    let w = fish_wcwidth(line.char_at(pos));
-                    if w <= 0 || max + w as usize + ell_width as usize <= ourmax {
+                    let w = fish_wcwidth_visible(line.char_at(pos)) as isize;
+                    if w <= 0 || max + w as usize + ell_width <= ourmax {
                         // If it still fits, even if it is the last, we add it.
-                        max += w as usize;
+                        max = max.saturating_add_signed(w);
                         pos += 1;
                     } else {
                         // We're at the limit, so see if the entire string fits.
-                        let mut max2: usize = max + w as usize;
+                        let mut max2 = max + w as usize;
                         let mut pos2 = pos + 1;
                         while pos2 < line.len() {
                             pos2 += skip_escapes(&line, pos2);
-                            max2 += fish_wcwidth(line.char_at(pos2)) as usize;
+                            let w = fish_wcwidth_visible(line.char_at(pos2)) as isize;
+                            max2 = max2.saturating_add_signed(w);
                             pos2 += 1;
                         }
 
diff --git a/tests/checks/string.fish b/tests/checks/string.fish
index ee9f1bc0e..871052247 100644
--- a/tests/checks/string.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/string.fish
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ string pad -c_ --width 5 longer-than-width-param x
 string pad -c ab -w4 .
 # CHECKERR: string pad: Padding should be a character 'ab'
 
+# nonprintable characters does not make sense
+string pad -c \u07 .
+# CHECKERR: string pad: Invalid padding character of width zero {{'\a'}}
+
 # Visible length. Let's start off simple, colors are ignored:
 string length --visible (set_color red)abc
 # CHECK: 3
@@ -945,6 +949,37 @@ string shorten foo foobar
 # CHECK: foo
 # CHECK: fo…
 
+# pad with a bell, it has zero width, that's fine
+string shorten -c \a foo foobar | string escape
+# CHECK: foo
+# CHECK: foo\cg
+
+string shorten -c \aw foo foobar | string escape
+# CHECK: foo
+# CHECK: fo\cgw
+
+# backspace is fine!
+string shorten -c \b foo foobar | string escape
+# CHECK: foo
+# CHECK: foo\b
+
+string shorten -c \ba foo foobar | string escape
+# CHECK: foo
+# CHECK: fo\ba
+
+string shorten -c cool\b\b\b\b foo foobar | string escape
+# CHECK: foo
+# CHECK: foocool\b\b\b\b
+
+string shorten -c cool\b\b\b\b\b foo foobar | string escape
+# CHECK: foo
+# negative width ellipsis is fine
+# CHECK: foocool\b\b\b\b\b
+
+string shorten -c \a\aXX foo foobar | string escape
+# CHECK: foo
+# CHECK: f\cg\cgXX
+
 # A weird case - our minimum width here is 1,
 # so everything that goes over the width becomes "x"
 for i in (seq 1 10)
@@ -995,6 +1030,11 @@ string shorten -m6 (set_color blue)s(set_color red)t(set_color --bold brwhite)ri
 # Note that red sequence that we still pass on because it's width 0.
 # CHECK: \e\[34ms\e\[31mt\e\[1m\e\[37mrin\e\[31m…
 
+# See that colors aren't counted in ellipsis
+string shorten -c (set_color blue)s(set_color red)t(set_color --bold brwhite)rin(set_color red)g -m 8 abcdefghijklmno | string escape
+# Renders like "abstring" in colors
+# CHECK: ab\e\[34ms\e\[31mt\e\[1m\e\[37mrin\e\[31mg
+
 set -l str (set_color blue)s(set_color red)t(set_color --bold brwhite)rin(set_color red)g(set_color yellow)-shorten
 for i in (seq 1 (string length -V -- $str))
     set -l len (string shorten -m$i -- $str | string length -V)
@@ -1042,3 +1082,55 @@ string shorten -m0 foo bar asodjsaoidj
 # CHECK: foo
 # CHECK: bar
 # CHECK: asodjsaoidj
+
+# backspaces are weird
+string shorten abc ab abcdef(string repeat -n 6 \b) | string escape
+# CHECK: a…
+# CHECK: ab
+# this line has length zero, since backspace removes it all
+# CHECK: abcdef\b\b\b\b\b\b
+
+# due to an integer overflow this might truncate the third backspaced one, it should not
+string shorten abc ab abcdef(string repeat -n 7 \b) | string escape
+# CHECK: a…
+# CHECK: ab
+# this line has length zero, since backspace removes it all
+# CHECK: abcdef\b\b\b\b\b\b\b
+
+# due to an integer overflow this might truncate
+string shorten abc \bab ab abcdef | string escape
+# CHECK: a…
+# backspace does not contribute length at the start
+# CHECK: \bab
+# CHECK: ab
+# CHECK: a…
+
+string shorten abc \babc ab abcdef | string escape
+# CHECK: a…
+# CHECK: \ba…
+# CHECK: ab
+# CHECK: a…
+
+# non-printable-escape-chars (in this case bell)
+string shorten abc ab abcdef(string repeat -n 6 \a) | string escape
+# CHECK: a…
+# CHECK: ab
+# CHECK: a…
+
+string shorten abc ab abcdef(string repeat -n 7 \a) | string escape
+# CHECK: a…
+# CHECK: ab
+# CHECK: a…
+
+string shorten abc \aab ab abcdef | string escape
+# CHECK: a…
+# non-printables have length 0
+# CHECK: \cgab
+# CHECK: ab
+# CHECK: a…
+
+string shorten abc \aabc ab abcdef | string escape
+# CHECK: a…
+# CHECK: \cga…
+# CHECK: ab
+# CHECK: a…