diff --git a/src/st/st-box-layout.c b/src/st/st-box-layout.c
index 990fb9ed6..ad7f33c78 100644
--- a/src/st/st-box-layout.c
+++ b/src/st/st-box-layout.c
@@ -158,13 +158,9 @@ on_layout_manager_notify (GObject    *object,
   ClutterActor *actor = CLUTTER_ACTOR (object);
   ClutterLayoutManager *layout = clutter_actor_get_layout_manager (actor);
 
-  g_warn_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_BOX_LAYOUT (layout));
-
   if (layout == NULL)
     return;
 
-  g_signal_connect_swapped (layout, "layout-changed",
-                            G_CALLBACK (clutter_actor_queue_relayout), actor);
   g_signal_connect (layout, "notify", G_CALLBACK (layout_notify), object);
 }
 
@@ -172,6 +168,7 @@ static void
 st_box_layout_class_init (StBoxLayoutClass *klass)
 {
   GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
+  ClutterActorClass *actor_class = CLUTTER_ACTOR_CLASS (klass);
   StWidgetClass *widget_class = ST_WIDGET_CLASS (klass);
 
   object_class->get_property = st_box_layout_get_property;
@@ -207,6 +204,8 @@ st_box_layout_class_init (StBoxLayoutClass *klass)
                           ST_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_DEPRECATED);
 
   g_object_class_install_properties (object_class, N_PROPS, props);
+
+  clutter_actor_class_set_layout_manager_type (actor_class, CLUTTER_TYPE_BOX_LAYOUT);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -216,7 +215,6 @@ st_box_layout_init (StBoxLayout *self)
 
   g_signal_connect (self, "notify::layout-manager",
                     G_CALLBACK (on_layout_manager_notify), NULL);
-  clutter_actor_set_layout_manager (CLUTTER_ACTOR (self), clutter_box_layout_new ());
 }
 
 /**