diff --git a/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/animated_geometry.h b/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/animated_geometry.h
index 471044dfe2..2e4b626042 100644
--- a/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/animated_geometry.h
+++ b/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/animated_geometry.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class Menu_view::Animated_rect : public Rect, Animator::Item, Noncopyable
 			                                  Point(_p2.x(), _p2.y()));
 
 			/* schedule / de-schedule animation */
-			animated(_p1.animated() || _p2.animated());
+			Animator::Item::animated(_p1.animated() || _p2.animated());
 		}
 
 		/**
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ class Menu_view::Animated_rect : public Rect, Animator::Item, Noncopyable
 			_p2.move_to(rect.p2(), steps);
 			animate();
 		}
+
+		bool animated() const { return Animator::Item::animated(); }
 };
 
 #endif /* _ANIMATED_GEOMETRY_H_ */
diff --git a/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/box_layout_widget.h b/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/box_layout_widget.h
index cf22f26ed9..dd04d37ab1 100644
--- a/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/box_layout_widget.h
+++ b/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/box_layout_widget.h
@@ -55,20 +55,22 @@ struct Menu_view::Box_layout_widget : Widget
 
 			Area const child_min_size = w.min_size();
 
+			w.position(position);
+
 			if (_direction == VERTICAL) {
-				w.geometry(Rect(position, Area(largest_size, child_min_size.h())));
 				unsigned const next_top_margin = w.next() ? w.next()->margin.top : 0;
 				unsigned const dy = child_min_size.h() - min(w.margin.bottom, next_top_margin);
 				position = position + Point(0, dy);
 			} else {
-				w.geometry(Rect(position, Area(child_min_size.w(), largest_size)));
 				unsigned const next_left_margin = w.next() ? w.next()->margin.left : 0;
 				unsigned const dx = child_min_size.w() - min(w.margin.right, next_left_margin);
 				position = position + Point(dx, 0);
 			}
-
-			_min_size = Area(w.geometry().x2() + 1, w.geometry().y2() + 1);
 		});
+
+		_min_size = (_direction == VERTICAL)
+		          ? Area(largest_size, position.y())
+		          : Area(position.x(), largest_size);
 	}
 
 	Area min_size() const override
diff --git a/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/root_widget.h b/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/root_widget.h
index 458fa125f8..030477f810 100644
--- a/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/root_widget.h
+++ b/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/root_widget.h
@@ -52,9 +52,6 @@ struct Menu_view::Root_widget : Widget
 		}
 
 		_update_children(node);
-
-		_children.for_each([&] (Widget &child) {
-			child.geometry(Rect(Point(0, 0), child.min_size())); });
 	}
 
 	Area min_size() const override
diff --git a/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/widget.h b/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/widget.h
index ceb86e3caf..c0bd818348 100644
--- a/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/widget.h
+++ b/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/widget.h
@@ -160,6 +160,16 @@ class Menu_view::Widget : public List_model<Widget>::Element
 
 		Animated_rect _animated_geometry { _factory.animator };
 
+		void _trigger_geometry_animation()
+		{
+			if (_animated_geometry.animated())
+				return;
+
+			if (_geometry.p1() != _animated_geometry.p1()
+			 || _geometry.p2() != _animated_geometry.p2())
+				_animated_geometry.move_to(_geometry, Animated_rect::Steps{60});
+		}
+
 	public:
 
 		Margin margin { 0, 0, 0, 0 };
@@ -167,7 +177,7 @@ class Menu_view::Widget : public List_model<Widget>::Element
 		void geometry(Rect geometry)
 		{
 			_geometry = geometry;
-			_animated_geometry.move_to(_geometry, Animated_rect::Steps{60});
+			_trigger_geometry_animation();
 		}
 
 		Rect geometry() const { return _geometry; }
@@ -213,6 +223,8 @@ class Menu_view::Widget : public List_model<Widget>::Element
 			_geometry = Rect(_geometry.p1(), size);
 
 			_layout();
+
+			_trigger_geometry_animation();
 		}
 
 		void position(Point position)