diff --git a/software/control/microscope_control_server.py b/software/control/microscope_control_server.py
index 0e8b98609..3210f13e4 100644
--- a/software/control/microscope_control_server.py
+++ b/software/control/microscope_control_server.py
@@ -685,7 +685,12 @@ def _cmd_run_acquisition(
         wellplate_format: str = Field(
             "96 well plate", description="Wellplate format (e.g., '6 well plate', '96 well plate', '384 well plate')"
         ),
-        overlap_percent: float = Field(10.0, description="Overlap between FOVs in percent", ge=0, le=50),
+        overlap_percent: float = Field(
+            10.0,
+            description="Overlap between FOVs in percent (negative values add spacing)",
+            ge=-1000,
+            le=99,
+        ),
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Run a multi-point acquisition across wells using the MultiPointController."""
         import os
diff --git a/software/control/widgets.py b/software/control/widgets.py
index 0d3f55d80..6a5eb087d 100644
--- a/software/control/widgets.py
+++ b/software/control/widgets.py
@@ -5428,7 +5428,8 @@ def add_components(self):
 
         self.entry_overlap = QDoubleSpinBox()
         self.entry_overlap.setKeyboardTracking(False)
-        self.entry_overlap.setRange(0, 99)
+        self.entry_overlap.setRange(-1000, 99)
+        self.entry_overlap.setToolTip("Overlap between adjacent FOVs (%). Negative values add spacing between tiles.")
         self.entry_overlap.setDecimals(1)
         self.entry_overlap.setSuffix(" %")
         self.entry_overlap.setValue(10)
@@ -6903,7 +6904,8 @@ def add_components(self):
 
         self.entry_overlap = QDoubleSpinBox()
         self.entry_overlap.setKeyboardTracking(False)
-        self.entry_overlap.setRange(0, 99)
+        self.entry_overlap.setRange(-1000, 99)
+        self.entry_overlap.setToolTip("Overlap between adjacent FOVs (%). Negative values add spacing between tiles.")
         self.entry_overlap.setValue(10)
         self.entry_overlap.setSuffix("%")
         self.entry_overlap.setFixedWidth(btn_width)