diff --git a/consolemenu/console_menu.py b/consolemenu/console_menu.py
index 519536b..9e0cf77 100644
--- a/consolemenu/console_menu.py
+++ b/consolemenu/console_menu.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def __init__(self, title=None, subtitle=None, screen=None, formatter=None,
         self.clear_screen_before_render = clear_screen
 
         if formatter is None:
-            formatter = MenuFormatBuilder()
+            formatter = MenuFormatBuilder(max_dimension=(screen.screen_width, screen.screen_width))
         self.formatter = formatter
 
         self.title = title
diff --git a/consolemenu/menu_component.py b/consolemenu/menu_component.py
index 8b77d8d..fbd46b7 100644
--- a/consolemenu/menu_component.py
+++ b/consolemenu/menu_component.py
@@ -382,7 +382,11 @@ class MenuFooter(MenuComponent):
     The menu footer contains the menu bottom, bottom padding verticals, and bottom margin.
     """
 
+    def SetHeight(self, height):
+        self.height = height
+
     def generate(self):
+        self.padding.top += self.height
         for x in range(0, self.padding.top):
             yield self.row()
         yield self.outer_horizontal_border_bottom()
diff --git a/consolemenu/menu_formatter.py b/consolemenu/menu_formatter.py
index 807c9a5..73fbce8 100644
--- a/consolemenu/menu_formatter.py
+++ b/consolemenu/menu_formatter.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from consolemenu.format.menu_borders import MenuBorderStyle, MenuBorderStyleFactory
 from consolemenu.format.menu_style import MenuStyle
+import os
 from consolemenu.menu_component import Dimension, MenuHeader, MenuTextSection, MenuItemsSection, MenuFooter, MenuPrompt
 
 
@@ -11,6 +12,11 @@ class MenuFormatBuilder(object):
     def __init__(self, max_dimension=None):
         if max_dimension is None:
             max_dimension = Dimension(width=80, height=40)
+            self.__height = 40
+        else:
+            size = os.get_terminal_size()
+            self.__height = size.lines
+            max_dimension = Dimension(width=max_dimension[0], height=max_dimension[1])
         self.__max_dimension = max_dimension
         self.__border_style_factory = MenuBorderStyleFactory()
         self.__header = MenuHeader(menu_style=MenuStyle(), max_dimension=max_dimension)
@@ -281,7 +287,13 @@ def format(self, title=None, subtitle=None, prologue_text=None, epilogue_text=No
         sections.append(self.__footer)
         sections.append(self.__prompt)
         for sect in sections:
-            content += "\n".join(sect.generate())
+            if isinstance(sect, MenuFooter):
+                rows = content.count('\n') + 3
+                empty = self.__height - rows
+                sect.SetHeight(empty)
+                content += "\n".join(sect.generate())
+            else:
+                content += "\n".join(sect.generate())
             # Don't add newline to prompt so input is on same line as prompt
             if not isinstance(sect, MenuPrompt):
                 content += "\n"
diff --git a/consolemenu/screen.py b/consolemenu/screen.py
index d9d804d..6cfbdde 100644
--- a/consolemenu/screen.py
+++ b/consolemenu/screen.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import platform
 import subprocess
 import sys
-
+import os
 
 class Screen(object):
     """
@@ -11,9 +11,17 @@ class Screen(object):
     """
 
     def __init__(self):
-        # TODO get actual screen size
-        self.__height = 40
-        self.__width = 80
+        self.refresh()
+
+    def refresh(self):
+        try:
+            size = os.get_terminal_size()
+            self.__height = size.lines
+            self.__width = size.columns
+
+        except Exception:
+            self.__height = 40
+            self.__width = 80
 
     @property
     def screen_height(self):