diff --git a/src/Handler/Utils/Exam.hs b/src/Handler/Utils/Exam.hs
index 044acc092..ad583e6ae 100644
--- a/src/Handler/Utils/Exam.hs
+++ b/src/Handler/Utils/Exam.hs
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ data ExamAutoOccurrenceException
   | ExamAutoOccurrenceExceptionNotEnoughSpace
   | ExamAutoOccurrenceExceptionNoUsers
   | ExamAutoOccurrenceExceptionRoomTooSmall
-  deriving (Show, Generic, Typeable)
+  deriving (Show, Eq, Generic, Typeable)
 
 instance Exception ExamAutoOccurrenceException
 
@@ -291,7 +291,10 @@ examAutoOccurrence (hash -> seed) rule ExamAutoOccurrenceConfig{..} occurrences
                 currentRatios = Map.merge Map.dropMissing Map.dropMissing (Map.zipWithMatched calculateRatio)
                                     currentOccurrences restrictedOccurrences
                 calculateRatio :: ExamOccurrenceId -> Natural -> Natural -> Rational
-                calculateRatio k c m = fromIntegral c % fromIntegral m - eaocNudgeSize * fromIntegral (lineNudges k)
+                calculateRatio k c m = fromIntegral c / (max 1 $ fromIntegral m * sizeModifier)
+                  where
+                    sizeModifier :: Rational
+                    sizeModifier = 1 + eaocNudgeSize * fromIntegral (lineNudges k)
                 biggestOutlier :: ExamOccurrenceId
                 biggestOutlier = fst . List.maximumBy (comparing $ view _2) $ Map.toList currentRatios
                 predToPositive :: Natural -> Maybe Natural
@@ -437,7 +440,7 @@ examAutoOccurrence (hash -> seed) rule ExamAutoOccurrenceConfig{..} occurrences
         longestLine :: Natural
         -- ^ For scaling costs
         -- longest restricted line (or 1 if all unrestricted)
-        longestLine = maybe 1 maximum $ fromNullable restrictedLengths
+        longestLine = maybe numUnassignedUsers maximum $ fromNullable restrictedLengths
 
         wordMap :: Map wordId Natural
         wordMap = Map.fromListWith (+) wordLengths
@@ -547,24 +550,24 @@ examAutoOccurrence (hash -> seed) rule ExamAutoOccurrenceConfig{..} occurrences
 
         widthCost :: Maybe lineId -> ExamOccurrenceCapacity -> Natural -> Extended Rational
         widthCost l Unrestricted w
-          = Finite (fromIntegral w
-                    - (fromIntegral extraUsers % List.genericLength unrestrictedLines)
-                    - nudgeRatio * fromIntegral longestLine)^2 
+          = Finite $ max 1 $ (fromIntegral w - sizeModifier * (fromIntegral extraUsers % List.genericLength unrestrictedLines)) ^ 2
           where
-            nudgeRatio :: Rational
-            nudgeRatio = maybe 0 (fromIntegral . lineNudge) l * eaocNudgeSize
+            sizeModifier :: Rational
+            sizeModifier = 1 + maybe 0 (fromIntegral . lineNudge) l * eaocNudgeSize
         widthCost l (Restricted lineWidth) w
           | lineWidth < w = PosInf
-          | otherwise = Finite (max 1 . abs $ ((fromIntegral w % fromIntegral lineWidth) - optimumRatio') * fromIntegral longestLine) ^ 2
+          | otherwise = Finite $ max 1 $ ((fromIntegral w / nudgedWidth - optimumRatio) * fromIntegral longestLine) ^ 2
           where
-            optimumRatio' :: Rational
-            optimumRatio' = maybe 0 (fromIntegral . lineNudge) l * eaocNudgeSize + optimumRatio
+            nudgedWidth :: Rational
+            nudgedWidth = max 1 $ sizeModifier * fromIntegral lineWidth
+            sizeModifier :: Rational
+            sizeModifier = 1 + maybe 0 (fromIntegral . lineNudge) l * eaocNudgeSize
 
     charCost :: [CI Char] -> [CI Char] -> Extended Rational
     charCost pA pB = Finite (max 1 $ List.genericLength (pA `lcp` pB) * eaocFinenessCost * fromIntegral longestLine) ^ 2
       where
         longestLine :: Natural
-        longestLine = maybe 1 maximum $ fromNullable $ catMaybes
+        longestLine = maybe (sum $ fromIntegral . length <$> users') maximum $ fromNullable $ catMaybes
                         $ view (_2 . _examOccurrenceCapacityIso) <$> occurrences''