diff --git a/src/st/st-box-layout-child.c b/src/st/st-box-layout-child.c
index 4a022b3a5..71a30d817 100644
--- a/src/st/st-box-layout-child.c
+++ b/src/st/st-box-layout-child.c
@@ -45,6 +45,16 @@ enum
   PROP_Y_ALIGN
 };
 
+static ClutterLayoutMeta *
+get_layout_meta (StBoxLayoutChild *self)
+{
+  ClutterChildMeta *meta = CLUTTER_CHILD_META (self);
+  ClutterActor *actor = clutter_child_meta_get_actor (meta);
+  ClutterContainer *container = clutter_child_meta_get_container (meta);
+  ClutterLayoutManager *layout = clutter_actor_get_layout_manager (CLUTTER_ACTOR (container));
+  return clutter_layout_manager_get_child_meta (layout, container, actor);
+}
+
 static void
 st_box_layout_child_get_property (GObject    *object,
                                   guint       property_id,
@@ -52,23 +62,40 @@ st_box_layout_child_get_property (GObject    *object,
                                   GParamSpec *pspec)
 {
   StBoxLayoutChild *child = ST_BOX_LAYOUT_CHILD (object);
+  GObject *meta = G_OBJECT (get_layout_meta (child));
+  gboolean expand, fill;
+  ClutterBoxAlignment layout_align;
+  StAlign align;
 
   switch (property_id)
     {
     case PROP_EXPAND:
-      g_value_set_boolean (value, child->expand);
+      g_object_get (meta, "expand", &expand, NULL);
+      g_value_set_boolean (value, expand);
       break;
     case PROP_X_FILL:
-      g_value_set_boolean (value, child->x_fill);
+      g_object_get (meta, "x-fill", &fill, NULL);
+      g_value_set_boolean (value, fill);
       break;
     case PROP_Y_FILL:
-      g_value_set_boolean (value, child->y_fill);
+      g_object_get (meta, "y-fill", &fill, NULL);
+      g_value_set_boolean (value, fill);
       break;
     case PROP_X_ALIGN:
-      g_value_set_enum (value, child->x_align);
-      break;
     case PROP_Y_ALIGN:
-      g_value_set_enum (value, child->y_align);
+      g_object_get (meta, g_param_spec_get_name (pspec), &layout_align, NULL);
+      switch (layout_align)
+        {
+        case CLUTTER_BOX_ALIGNMENT_START:
+          align = ST_ALIGN_START;
+          break;
+        case CLUTTER_BOX_ALIGNMENT_CENTER:
+          align = ST_ALIGN_MIDDLE;
+          break;
+        case CLUTTER_BOX_ALIGNMENT_END:
+          align = ST_ALIGN_END;
+        }
+      g_value_set_enum (value, align);
       break;
 
     default:
@@ -83,31 +110,56 @@ st_box_layout_child_set_property (GObject      *object,
                                   GParamSpec   *pspec)
 {
   StBoxLayoutChild *child = ST_BOX_LAYOUT_CHILD (object);
-  StBoxLayout *box = ST_BOX_LAYOUT (CLUTTER_CHILD_META (object)->container);
+  GObject *meta = G_OBJECT (get_layout_meta (child));
+  ClutterBoxAlignment align;
 
   switch (property_id)
     {
     case PROP_EXPAND:
-      child->expand = g_value_get_boolean (value);
+      g_object_set (meta, "expand", g_value_get_boolean (value), NULL);
       break;
     case PROP_X_FILL:
-      child->x_fill = g_value_get_boolean (value);
+      child->x_fill_set = TRUE;
+      g_object_set (meta, "x-fill", g_value_get_boolean (value), NULL);
       break;
     case PROP_Y_FILL:
-      child->y_fill = g_value_get_boolean (value);
+      child->y_fill_set = TRUE;
+      g_object_set (meta, "y-fill", g_value_get_boolean (value), NULL);
       break;
     case PROP_X_ALIGN:
-      child->x_align = g_value_get_enum (value);
-      break;
     case PROP_Y_ALIGN:
-      child->y_align = g_value_get_enum (value);
+      switch (g_value_get_enum (value))
+        {
+        case ST_ALIGN_START:
+          align = CLUTTER_BOX_ALIGNMENT_START;
+          break;
+        case ST_ALIGN_MIDDLE:
+          align = CLUTTER_BOX_ALIGNMENT_CENTER;
+          break;
+        case ST_ALIGN_END:
+          align = CLUTTER_BOX_ALIGNMENT_END;
+        }
+      g_object_set (meta, g_param_spec_get_name (pspec), align, NULL);
       break;
 
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, property_id, pspec);
     }
+}
 
-  clutter_actor_queue_relayout ((ClutterActor*) box);
+static void
+st_box_layout_child_constructed (GObject *object)
+{
+  StBoxLayoutChild *child = ST_BOX_LAYOUT_CHILD (object);
+  GObject *meta = G_OBJECT (get_layout_meta (child));
+
+  if (!child->x_fill_set)
+    g_object_set (meta, "x-fill", TRUE, NULL);
+
+  if (!child->y_fill_set)
+    g_object_set (meta, "y-fill", TRUE, NULL);
+
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS (st_box_layout_child_parent_class)->constructed (object);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -118,6 +170,7 @@ st_box_layout_child_class_init (StBoxLayoutChildClass *klass)
 
   object_class->get_property = st_box_layout_child_get_property;
   object_class->set_property = st_box_layout_child_set_property;
+  object_class->constructed = st_box_layout_child_constructed;
 
 
   pspec = g_param_spec_boolean ("expand", "Expand",
@@ -162,12 +215,4 @@ st_box_layout_child_class_init (StBoxLayoutChildClass *klass)
 static void
 st_box_layout_child_init (StBoxLayoutChild *self)
 {
-  self->expand = FALSE;
-
-  self->x_fill = TRUE;
-  self->y_fill = TRUE;
-
-  self->x_align = ST_ALIGN_MIDDLE;
-  self->y_align = ST_ALIGN_MIDDLE;
 }
-
diff --git a/src/st/st-box-layout-child.h b/src/st/st-box-layout-child.h
index 097da0e22..6ff463a5b 100644
--- a/src/st/st-box-layout-child.h
+++ b/src/st/st-box-layout-child.h
@@ -63,11 +63,8 @@ struct _StBoxLayoutChild
   /*< private >*/
   ClutterChildMeta parent;
 
-  gboolean expand;
-  gboolean x_fill : 1;
-  gboolean y_fill : 1;
-  StAlign x_align;
-  StAlign y_align;
+  gboolean x_fill_set;
+  gboolean y_fill_set;
 };
 
 struct _StBoxLayoutChildClass