diff --git a/packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/dismissable.dart b/packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/dismissable.dart
index 1b32cb98bc..619658b604 100644
--- a/packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/dismissable.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/dismissable.dart
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class Dismissable extends StatefulWidget {
   /// A widget that is stacked behind the child. If secondaryBackground is also
   /// specified then this widget only appears when the child has been dragged
   /// down or to the right.
-  final  Widget background;
+  final Widget background;
 
   /// A widget that is stacked behind the child and is exposed when the child
   /// has been dragged up or to the left. It may only be specified when background
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ class _DismissableState extends State<Dismissable> {
 
   double _dragExtent = 0.0;
   bool _dragUnderway = false;
+  Size _sizePriorToCollapse;
 
   @override
   void dispose() {
@@ -261,6 +262,7 @@ class _DismissableState extends State<Dismissable> {
     assert(_moveController != null);
     assert(_moveController.isCompleted);
     assert(_resizeController == null);
+    assert(_sizePriorToCollapse == null);
     if (config.resizeDuration == null) {
       if (config.onDismissed != null)
         config.onDismissed(_dismissDirection);
@@ -269,6 +271,8 @@ class _DismissableState extends State<Dismissable> {
         ..addListener(_handleResizeProgressChanged);
       _resizeController.forward();
       setState(() {
+        RenderBox box = context.findRenderObject();
+        _sizePriorToCollapse = box.size;
         _resizeAnimation = new Tween<double>(
           begin: 1.0,
           end: 0.0
@@ -315,8 +319,12 @@ class _DismissableState extends State<Dismissable> {
 
       return new SizeTransition(
         sizeFactor: _resizeAnimation,
-        axis: _directionIsXAxis ? Axis.horizontal : Axis.vertical,
-        child: background
+        axis: _directionIsXAxis ? Axis.vertical : Axis.horizontal,
+        child: new SizedBox(
+          width: _sizePriorToCollapse.width,
+          height: _sizePriorToCollapse.height,
+          child: background
+        )
       );
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/flutter/test/widget/dismissable_test.dart b/packages/flutter/test/widget/dismissable_test.dart
index 97a1e07366..5188775aff 100644
--- a/packages/flutter/test/widget/dismissable_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter/test/widget/dismissable_test.dart
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Axis scrollDirection = Axis.vertical;
 DismissDirection dismissDirection = DismissDirection.horizontal;
 DismissDirection reportedDismissDirection;
 List<int> dismissedItems = <int>[];
+Widget background;
 
 void handleOnResize(int item) {
   expect(dismissedItems.contains(item), isFalse);
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ Widget buildDismissableItem(int item) {
     direction: dismissDirection,
     onDismissed: (DismissDirection direction) { handleOnDismissed(direction, item); },
     onResize: () { handleOnResize(item); },
+    background: background,
     child: new Container(
       width: itemExtent,
       height: itemExtent,
@@ -123,11 +125,15 @@ class Test1215DismissableWidget extends StatelessWidget {
 }
 
 void main() {
+  setUp(() {
+    dismissedItems = <int>[];
+    background = null;
+  });
+
   test('Horizontal drag triggers dismiss scrollDirection=vertical', () {
     testWidgets((WidgetTester tester) {
       scrollDirection = Axis.vertical;
       dismissDirection = DismissDirection.horizontal;
-      dismissedItems = <int>[];
 
       tester.pumpWidget(widgetBuilder());
       expect(dismissedItems, isEmpty);
@@ -148,7 +154,6 @@ void main() {
     testWidgets((WidgetTester tester) {
       scrollDirection = Axis.horizontal;
       dismissDirection = DismissDirection.vertical;
-      dismissedItems = <int>[];
 
       tester.pumpWidget(widgetBuilder());
       expect(dismissedItems, isEmpty);
@@ -169,7 +174,6 @@ void main() {
     testWidgets((WidgetTester tester) {
       scrollDirection = Axis.vertical;
       dismissDirection = DismissDirection.endToStart;
-      dismissedItems = <int>[];
 
       tester.pumpWidget(widgetBuilder());
       expect(dismissedItems, isEmpty);
@@ -190,7 +194,6 @@ void main() {
     testWidgets((WidgetTester tester) {
       scrollDirection = Axis.vertical;
       dismissDirection = DismissDirection.startToEnd;
-      dismissedItems = <int>[];
 
       tester.pumpWidget(widgetBuilder());
       expect(dismissedItems, isEmpty);
@@ -209,7 +212,6 @@ void main() {
     testWidgets((WidgetTester tester) {
       scrollDirection = Axis.horizontal;
       dismissDirection = DismissDirection.up;
-      dismissedItems = <int>[];
 
       tester.pumpWidget(widgetBuilder());
       expect(dismissedItems, isEmpty);
@@ -228,7 +230,6 @@ void main() {
     testWidgets((WidgetTester tester) {
       scrollDirection = Axis.horizontal;
       dismissDirection = DismissDirection.down;
-      dismissedItems = <int>[];
 
       tester.pumpWidget(widgetBuilder());
       expect(dismissedItems, isEmpty);
@@ -253,7 +254,6 @@ void main() {
     testWidgets((WidgetTester tester) {
       scrollDirection = Axis.horizontal;
       dismissDirection = DismissDirection.down;
-      dismissedItems = <int>[];
 
       tester.pumpWidget(widgetBuilder());
       Element itemElement = tester.findText('0');
@@ -307,4 +307,24 @@ void main() {
       expect(tester.findText('2'), isNull);
     });
   });
+
+  test('Dismissable starts from the full size when collapsing', () {
+    testWidgets((WidgetTester tester) {
+      scrollDirection = Axis.vertical;
+      dismissDirection = DismissDirection.horizontal;
+      background = new Text('background');
+
+      tester.pumpWidget(widgetBuilder());
+      expect(dismissedItems, isEmpty);
+
+      Element itemElement = tester.findText(0.toString());
+      expect(itemElement, isNotNull);
+      dismissElement(tester, itemElement, gestureDirection: DismissDirection.startToEnd);
+      tester.pump();
+
+      Element backgroundElement = tester.findText('background');
+      RenderBox backgroundBox = backgroundElement.findRenderObject();
+      expect(backgroundBox.size.height, equals(100.0));
+    });
+  });
 }