diff --git a/src/nvim/version.c b/src/nvim/version.c
index 0c441facb6..016db17dbf 100644
--- a/src/nvim/version.c
+++ b/src/nvim/version.c
@@ -4251,7 +4251,7 @@ void intro_message(bool colon)
         }
       }
 
-      if (*mesg != NUL) {
+      if (*mesg != NUL && row < Rows - 1) {
         do_intro_line(row, mesg, colon, i < 3);
       }
       row++;
diff --git a/test/functional/ui/messages_spec.lua b/test/functional/ui/messages_spec.lua
index 4e6dc2eff1..ce8f7b71e3 100644
--- a/test/functional/ui/messages_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/ui/messages_spec.lua
@@ -1768,11 +1768,12 @@ describe('ui/builtin messages', function()
     -- ignore final whitespace inside string
     -- luacheck: push ignore
     eq(
-      [[--- Syntax items ---
-vimComment     xxx match /\s"[^\-:.%#=*].*$/ms=s+1,lc=1  excludenl contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString 
-                   match /\<endif\s\+".*$/ms=s+5,lc=5  contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString 
-                   match /\<else\s\+".*$/ms=s+4,lc=4  contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString 
-                   links to Comment]],
+      t.dedent [[
+        --- Syntax items ---
+        vimComment     xxx match /\s"[^\-:.%#=*].*$/ms=s+1,lc=1  excludenl contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString 
+                           match /\<endif\s\+".*$/ms=s+5,lc=5  contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString 
+                           match /\<else\s\+".*$/ms=s+4,lc=4  contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString 
+                           links to Comment]],
       exec_capture('syntax list vimComment')
     )
     -- luacheck: pop
@@ -2176,6 +2177,14 @@ vimComment     xxx match /\s"[^\-:.%#=*].*$/ms=s+1,lc=1  excludenl contains=@vim
     assert_alive()
   end)
 
+  it(':intro with small screen #38396', function()
+    screen:try_resize(80, 6)
+    feed(':intro<CR>')
+    screen:expect({ any = 'NVIM' })
+    feed('<CR>')
+    assert_alive()
+  end)
+
   it('no wait return before delayed exception error message', function()
     screen:try_resize(70, 7)
     feed('ia<esc>:lua vim.cmd.quit()<CR>')