diff --git a/runtime/doc/news.txt b/runtime/doc/news.txt
index 9a2cdbbba5..96c20ea290 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/news.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/news.txt
@@ -44,7 +44,11 @@ DIAGNOSTICS
 
 OPTIONS
 
-• todo
+• When |ui2| is enabled, since the ruler is no longer a left-aligned box of
+  fixed width, there is no longer an inconsistent special handling of item
+  groups in 'rulerformat' to configure that fixed width. An old-style left-
+  aligned fixed-width ruler can now be achieved by using item groups exactly
+  as they are documented, e.g. `%-20.20(...%)`.
 
 TREESITTER
 
diff --git a/runtime/doc/options.txt b/runtime/doc/options.txt
index d3a1923d6f..6612af2fbb 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/options.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/options.txt
@@ -5169,6 +5169,13 @@ A jump table for the options with a short description can be found at |Q_op|.
 	Example: >vim
 		set rulerformat=%15(%c%V\ %p%%%)
 <
+	This looks like an item group, but there are some differences in this
+	particular case.  Most notably, the width is fixed and not a minimum,
+	and the ruler is left-aligned, whereas the alignment of item groups is
+	configurable and right-aligned by default.
+
+	When |ui2| is enabled, the ruler no longer has a fixed width and the
+	item group syntax has no special meaning for 'rulerformat'.
 
 					*'runtimepath'* *'rtp'* *vimfiles*
 'runtimepath' 'rtp'	string	(default "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/nvim,
diff --git a/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/options.gen.lua b/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/options.gen.lua
index e7296cea5d..7b76ddbdc4 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/options.gen.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/options.gen.lua
@@ -5380,6 +5380,13 @@ vim.go.ru = vim.go.ruler
 --- 	set rulerformat=%15(%c%V\ %p%%%)
 --- ```
 ---
+--- This looks like an item group, but there are some differences in this
+--- particular case.  Most notably, the width is fixed and not a minimum,
+--- and the ruler is left-aligned, whereas the alignment of item groups is
+--- configurable and right-aligned by default.
+---
+--- When `ui2` is enabled, the ruler no longer has a fixed width and the
+--- item group syntax has no special meaning for 'rulerformat'.
 ---
 --- @type string
 vim.o.rulerformat = ""
diff --git a/src/nvim/options.lua b/src/nvim/options.lua
index ebd1e3048d..cd40fa02cc 100644
--- a/src/nvim/options.lua
+++ b/src/nvim/options.lua
@@ -7073,6 +7073,13 @@ local options = {
         Example: >vim
         	set rulerformat=%15(%c%V\ %p%%%)
         <
+        This looks like an item group, but there are some differences in this
+        particular case.  Most notably, the width is fixed and not a minimum,
+        and the ruler is left-aligned, whereas the alignment of item groups is
+        configurable and right-aligned by default.
+
+        When |ui2| is enabled, the ruler no longer has a fixed width and the
+        item group syntax has no special meaning for 'rulerformat'.
       ]=],
       full_name = 'rulerformat',
       modelineexpr = true,
diff --git a/src/nvim/optionstr.c b/src/nvim/optionstr.c
index 3826f3a5b0..aef2f16eef 100644
--- a/src/nvim/optionstr.c
+++ b/src/nvim/optionstr.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 #include "nvim/tag.h"
 #include "nvim/terminal.h"
 #include "nvim/types_defs.h"
+#include "nvim/ui.h"
 #include "nvim/vim_defs.h"
 #include "nvim/window.h"
 #include "nvim/winfloat.h"
@@ -1917,7 +1918,7 @@ static const char *did_set_statustabline_rulerformat(optset_T *args, bool rulerf
     win_config_float(win, win->w_config);
   }
 
-  if (rulerformat && *s == '%') {
+  if (rulerformat && !ui_has(kUIMessages) && *s == '%') {
     // set ru_wid if 'ruf' starts with "%99("
     if (*++s == '-') {        // ignore a '-'
       s++;
@@ -1932,8 +1933,8 @@ static const char *did_set_statustabline_rulerformat(optset_T *args, bool rulerf
         errmsg = check_stl_option(p_ruf);
       }
     }
-  } else if (rulerformat || s[0] != '%' || s[1] != '!') {
-    // check 'statusline', 'winbar', 'tabline' or 'statuscolumn'
+  } else if (s[0] != '%' || s[1] != '!') {
+    // check 'statusline', 'rulerformat', 'winbar', 'tabline' or 'statuscolumn'
     // only if it doesn't start with "%!"
     errmsg = check_stl_option(s);
   }
diff --git a/src/nvim/statusline.c b/src/nvim/statusline.c
index 4913dc9a02..cc2a66cdca 100644
--- a/src/nvim/statusline.c
+++ b/src/nvim/statusline.c
@@ -308,7 +308,15 @@ static void win_redr_stl_expr(win_T *wp, bool draw_winbar, bool draw_ruler, bool
     wp->w_status_click_defs = stl_alloc_click_defs(wp->w_status_click_defs, maxwidth,
                                                    &wp->w_status_click_defs_size);
 
-    if (draw_ruler) {
+    if (draw_ruler && ui_event) {
+      stl = p_ruf;
+      opt_idx = kOptRulerformat;
+      maxwidth = Columns / 2;
+      if (!in_status_line) {
+        fillchar = schar_from_ascii(' ');
+        group = HLF_MSG;
+      }
+    } else if (draw_ruler) {
       stl = p_ruf;
       opt_idx = kOptRulerformat;
       // advance past any leading group spec - implicit in ru_col