diff --git a/lua/fzf-lua/core.lua b/lua/fzf-lua/core.lua
index 164ca100..24dd0b18 100644
--- a/lua/fzf-lua/core.lua
+++ b/lua/fzf-lua/core.lua
@@ -343,12 +343,15 @@ M.fzf = function(contents, opts)
       opts.keymap = opts.keymap or {}
       opts.keymap.fzf = opts.keymap.fzf or {}
       opts.keymap.fzf["zero"] = previewer:zero()
-      -- Only enable flex layout native roitate if zero event wasn't
-      -- set as it's most likely set by the default builtin previewer
-    elseif opts.__FZF_VERSION
+    end
+    if opts.__FZF_VERSION
         and opts.__FZF_VERSION >= 0.46
         and opts.winopts.preview.layout == "flex"
         and tonumber(opts.winopts.preview.flip_columns) > 0
+        -- Only enable flex layout native rotate if zero event wasn't
+        -- set as it's most likely set by the default builtin previewer
+        -- or when using split mode for the background "empty previewer"
+        and (not previewer.zero or opts.winopts.split)
     then
       local transformer = string.format(utils.__IS_WINDOWS
         and "IF %%FZF_COLUMNS%% LEQ %d (echo change-preview-window:%s) "