diff --git a/src/FillSpace.jsx b/src/FillSpace.jsx
index 65e17a3..6665151 100644
--- a/src/FillSpace.jsx
+++ b/src/FillSpace.jsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import { alpha } from '@mui/material/styles';
  * @prop {Array} items - Wheel flips pages.
  * @prop {React.ComponentType|Function} renderItem - Row renderer (component or callback).
  * @prop {React.ReactNode} [header] - Rendered below pagination controls and above the list items.
+ * @prop {any} [headerItem] - Optional dummy/sample item passed to probe element for layout measurement.
  * @prop {number} [minPageSize=10] - Rows per page.
  * @prop {number} [maxPageSize] - Maximum rows per page.
  * @prop {number} [totalCount] - Total items in current dataset (or filtered dataset when paginating).
@@ -45,18 +46,16 @@ function renderRowElement(renderItem, item, index) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Data-free probe of the row height, rendered hidden. Class components
+ * Probe of the row height, rendered hidden. Class components
  * (e.g. `renderItem={ArtikelMarke}`) tolerate empty props
  * (`brand`/`item` undefined) and keep a fixed height (40px thumb /
- * text field), so the probe measures the row without depending on the
- * first data element. Plain callbacks are NOT probed — calling arbitrary
- * user code with `undefined` could throw — they fall back to the first
- * rendered data row.
+ * text field). When `headerItem` is supplied, it is passed to the row
+ * for precise measurement of data-driven layouts.
  */
-function renderProbeElement(renderItem) {
+function renderProbeElement(renderItem, headerItem) {
   if (!isRowComponent(renderItem)) return null;
   const Row = renderItem;
-  return <Row brand={undefined} item={undefined} index={0} disabled />;
+  return <Row brand={headerItem} item={headerItem} index={0} disabled />;
 }
 
 const MIN_THUMB_HEIGHT = 48;
@@ -104,7 +103,10 @@ class FillSpace extends Component {
   }
 
   componentDidUpdate(prevProps) {
-    if (prevProps.renderItem !== this.props.renderItem) {
+    if (
+      prevProps.renderItem !== this.props.renderItem ||
+      prevProps.headerItem !== this.props.headerItem
+    ) {
       this._probeMeasure();
     }
     if (
@@ -487,8 +489,8 @@ class FillSpace extends Component {
         : (pageCount > 1 && maxThumbTravel > 0 ? ((safePage - 1) / (pageCount - 1)) * maxThumbTravel : 0);
     }
 
-    // Hidden data-free probe: measures `renderItem` itself (no data).
-    const probe = renderProbeElement(renderItem);
+    // Hidden probe: measures `renderItem` (passes headerItem when provided).
+    const probe = renderProbeElement(renderItem, this.props.headerItem);
 
     return (
       <>