diff --git a/stitching/cropper.py b/stitching/cropper.py
index 4668f9a..f0a1916 100644
--- a/stitching/cropper.py
+++ b/stitching/cropper.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ class Cropper:
 
     def __init__(self, crop=DEFAULT_CROP):
         self.do_crop = crop
+        self.overlapping_indices = []
         self.overlapping_rectangles = []
         self.cropping_rectangles = []
 
@@ -56,14 +57,20 @@ def prepare(self, imgs, masks, corners, sizes):
             lir = self.estimate_largest_interior_rectangle(mask)
             corners = self.get_zero_center_corners(corners)
             rectangles = self.get_rectangles(corners, sizes)
+            self.overlapping_indices = self.get_overlapping_indices(rectangles, lir)
+            rectangles = [rectangles[idx] for idx in self.overlapping_indices]
             self.overlapping_rectangles = self.get_overlaps(rectangles, lir)
             self.intersection_rectangles = self.get_intersections(
                 rectangles, self.overlapping_rectangles
             )
 
     def crop_images(self, imgs, aspect=1):
+        crop_idx = 0
+        overlapping_indices = set(self.overlapping_indices)
         for idx, img in enumerate(imgs):
-            yield self.crop_img(img, idx, aspect)
+            if not self.do_crop or idx in overlapping_indices:
+                yield self.crop_img(img, crop_idx, aspect)
+                crop_idx += 1
 
     def crop_img(self, img, idx, aspect=1):
         if self.do_crop:
@@ -117,6 +124,20 @@ def get_rectangles(corners, sizes):
             rectangles.append(rectangle)
         return rectangles
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_overlapping_indices(rectangles, lir):
+        return [
+            idx
+            for idx, rectangle in enumerate(rectangles)
+            if Cropper.has_overlap(rectangle, lir)
+        ]
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def has_overlap(rectangle1, rectangle2):
+        overlap_x = rectangle1.x < rectangle2.x2 and rectangle2.x < rectangle1.x2
+        overlap_y = rectangle1.y < rectangle2.y2 and rectangle2.y < rectangle1.y2
+        return overlap_x and overlap_y
+
     @staticmethod
     def get_overlaps(rectangles, lir):
         return [Cropper.get_overlap(r, lir) for r in rectangles]
@@ -127,7 +148,7 @@ def get_overlap(rectangle1, rectangle2):
         y1 = max(rectangle1.y, rectangle2.y)
         x2 = min(rectangle1.x2, rectangle2.x2)
         y2 = min(rectangle1.y2, rectangle2.y2)
-        if x2 < x1 or y2 < y1:
+        if x2 <= x1 or y2 <= y1:
             raise StitchingError("Rectangles do not overlap!")
         return Rectangle(x1, y1, x2 - x1, y2 - y1)
 
diff --git a/tests/context.py b/tests/context.py
index 8fc567d..f340d24 100644
--- a/tests/context.py
+++ b/tests/context.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from stitching.camera_estimator import CameraEstimator  # noqa: F401, E402
 from stitching.camera_wave_corrector import WaveCorrector  # noqa: F401, E402
 from stitching.cli.stitch import create_parser, main  # noqa: F401, E402
-from stitching.cropper import Cropper  # noqa: F401, E402
+from stitching.cropper import Cropper, Rectangle  # noqa: F401, E402
 from stitching.exposure_error_compensator import (  # noqa: F401, E402
     ExposureErrorCompensator,
 )
diff --git a/tests/test_cropper.py b/tests/test_cropper.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..90c565d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_cropper.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import unittest
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from .context import Cropper, Rectangle
+
+
+class TestCropper(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_prepare_ignores_rectangles_outside_lir(self):
+        cropper = Cropper()
+        imgs = [np.full((10, 10), idx, dtype=np.uint8) for idx in range(3)]
+        masks = [np.ones((10, 10), dtype=np.uint8) for _ in imgs]
+        corners = [(0, 0), (20, 20), (5, 5)]
+        sizes = [(10, 10)] * len(imgs)
+        lir = Rectangle(2, 2, 12, 12)
+
+        with patch.object(cropper, "estimate_panorama_mask"), patch.object(
+            cropper, "estimate_largest_interior_rectangle", return_value=lir
+        ):
+            cropper.prepare(imgs, masks, corners, sizes)
+
+        cropped_imgs = list(cropper.crop_images(iter(imgs)))
+        cropped_corners, cropped_sizes = cropper.crop_rois(corners, sizes)
+
+        self.assertEqual(cropper.overlapping_indices, [0, 2])
+        self.assertEqual(len(cropped_imgs), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(cropped_imgs[0].shape, (8, 8))
+        self.assertEqual(cropped_imgs[1].shape, (9, 9))
+        self.assertTrue(np.all(cropped_imgs[0] == 0))
+        self.assertTrue(np.all(cropped_imgs[1] == 2))
+        self.assertEqual(cropped_corners, [(0, 0), (3, 3)])
+        self.assertEqual(cropped_sizes, [(8, 8), (9, 9)])
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()