diff --git a/js/ui/overviewControls.js b/js/ui/overviewControls.js
index 5a7f4aa24..673a596fb 100644
--- a/js/ui/overviewControls.js
+++ b/js/ui/overviewControls.js
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ class ControlsManagerLayout extends Clutter.BoxLayout {
         const workspaceBox = box.copy();
         const [width, height] = workspaceBox.get_size();
         const { spacing } = this;
+        const { expandFraction } = this._workspacesThumbnails;
 
         switch (state) {
         case ControlsState.HIDDEN:
@@ -54,12 +55,12 @@ class ControlsManagerLayout extends Clutter.BoxLayout {
         case ControlsState.WINDOW_PICKER:
             workspaceBox.set_origin(0,
                 searchHeight + spacing +
-                (thumbnailsHeight > 0 ? thumbnailsHeight + spacing : 0));
+                thumbnailsHeight + spacing * expandFraction);
             workspaceBox.set_size(width,
                 height -
                 dashHeight - spacing -
                 searchHeight - spacing -
-                (thumbnailsHeight > 0 ? thumbnailsHeight + spacing : 0));
+                thumbnailsHeight - spacing * expandFraction);
             break;
         case ControlsState.APP_GRID:
             workspaceBox.set_origin(0, searchHeight + spacing);
@@ -133,10 +134,11 @@ class ControlsManagerLayout extends Clutter.BoxLayout {
         // Workspace Thumbnails
         let thumbnailsHeight = 0;
         if (this._workspacesThumbnails.visible) {
+            const { expandFraction } = this._workspacesThumbnails;
             [thumbnailsHeight] =
                 this._workspacesThumbnails.get_preferred_height(width);
             thumbnailsHeight = Math.min(
-                thumbnailsHeight,
+                thumbnailsHeight * expandFraction,
                 height * WorkspaceThumbnail.MAX_THUMBNAIL_SCALE);
             childBox.set_origin(0, searchHeight + spacing);
             childBox.set_size(width, thumbnailsHeight);
@@ -303,8 +305,15 @@ class ControlsManager extends St.Widget {
 
         this._thumbnailsBox =
             new WorkspaceThumbnail.ThumbnailsBox(this._workspaceAdjustment);
-        this._thumbnailsBox.connect('notify::should-show',
-            () => this._updateThumbnailsBox());
+        this._thumbnailsBox.connect('notify::should-show', () => {
+            this._thumbnailsBox.show();
+            this._thumbnailsBox.ease_property('expand-fraction',
+                this._thumbnailsBox.should_show ? 1 : 0, {
+                    duration: SIDE_CONTROLS_ANIMATION_TIME,
+                    mode: Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE_OUT_QUAD,
+                    onComplete: () => this._updateThumbnailsBox(),
+                });
+        });
 
         this._workspacesDisplay = new WorkspacesView.WorkspacesDisplay(
             this,
diff --git a/js/ui/workspaceThumbnail.js b/js/ui/workspaceThumbnail.js
index 3c9b7ed0a..e84764842 100644
--- a/js/ui/workspaceThumbnail.js
+++ b/js/ui/workspaceThumbnail.js
@@ -603,6 +603,10 @@ var WorkspaceThumbnail = GObject.registerClass({
 
 var ThumbnailsBox = GObject.registerClass({
     Properties: {
+        'expand-fraction': GObject.ParamSpec.double(
+            'expand-fraction', 'expand-fraction', 'expand-fraction',
+            GObject.ParamFlags.READWRITE,
+            0, 1, 1),
         'scale': GObject.ParamSpec.double(
             'scale', 'scale', 'scale',
             GObject.ParamFlags.READWRITE,
@@ -643,6 +647,7 @@ var ThumbnailsBox = GObject.registerClass({
 
         this._targetScale = 0;
         this._scale = 0;
+        this._expandFraction = 1;
         this._pendingScaleUpdate = false;
         this._stateUpdateQueued = false;
         this._animatingIndicator = false;
@@ -1298,8 +1303,9 @@ var ThumbnailsBox = GObject.registerClass({
         }
 
         const ratio = portholeWidth / portholeHeight;
-        const thumbnailHeight = Math.round(portholeHeight * this._scale);
-        const thumbnailWidth = Math.round(thumbnailHeight * ratio);
+        const thumbnailFullHeight = Math.round(portholeHeight * this._scale);
+        const thumbnailWidth = Math.round(thumbnailFullHeight * ratio);
+        const thumbnailHeight = thumbnailFullHeight * this._expandFraction;
         const roundedVScale = thumbnailHeight / portholeHeight;
 
         // We always request size for MAX_THUMBNAIL_SCALE, distribute
@@ -1422,4 +1428,16 @@ var ThumbnailsBox = GObject.registerClass({
     get shouldShow() {
         return this._shouldShow;
     }
+
+    set expandFraction(expandFraction) {
+        if (this._expandFraction === expandFraction)
+            return;
+        this._expandFraction = expandFraction;
+        this.notify('expand-fraction');
+        this.queue_relayout();
+    }
+
+    get expandFraction() {
+        return this._expandFraction;
+    }
 });