diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/cloudformation-diff/lib/format-table.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/cloudformation-diff/lib/format-table.ts
index cd9a05c4b478f..ada2614910857 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/cloudformation-diff/lib/format-table.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/cloudformation-diff/lib/format-table.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ function buildColumnConfig(widths: number[] | undefined): { [index: number]: tab
  * fair share.
  */
 function calculcateColumnWidths(rows: string[][], terminalWidth: number): number[] {
+  // The terminal is sometimes reported to be 0. Also if the terminal is VERY narrow,
+  // just assume a reasonable minimum size.
+  terminalWidth = Math.max(terminalWidth, 40);
+
   // use 'string-width' to not count ANSI chars as actual character width
   const columns = rows[0].map((_, i) => Math.max(...rows.map(row => stringWidth(row[i]))));
 
@@ -108,4 +112,4 @@ const TABLE_BORDER_CHARACTERS =  {
   joinLeft: tableColor('├'),
   joinRight: tableColor('┤'),
   joinJoin: tableColor('┼')
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};