diff --git a/agaric/templates/layout/page.html.twig b/agaric/templates/layout/page.html.twig
index 968138e..fd55d2b 100644
--- a/agaric/templates/layout/page.html.twig
+++ b/agaric/templates/layout/page.html.twig
@@ -80,7 +80,11 @@
 {# Main section #}
 {# Only group the main content into one wrapping element if it needs to be
    separated from a sidebar or two. #}
+{% set has_columns=false %}
 {% if page.sidebar_first or page.sidebar_second %}
+  {% set has_columns=true %}
+{% endif %}
+{% if has_columns %}
 <section class="section">
   <main role="main" class="container">
 {% endif %}
@@ -96,13 +100,17 @@
       set page = page|merge({
         'content_attributes': create_attribute().addClass([
           'main-content',
-          'column',
         ]),
       })
     %}
     {% endif %}
+    {% if not has_columns %}
+      {# TODO figure out how to move the removeClass here
+        without a Twig parse error:
+        set page.content_attributes = page.content_attributes|removeClass('column') #}
+    {% endif %}
     {# Main content #}
-    <div{{page.content_attributes}}>
+    <div{{page.content_attributes.removeClass('column')}}>
       {{ page.content }}
     </div>
     {% endblock main_content %}