diff --git a/data/theme/gnome-shell.css b/data/theme/gnome-shell.css
index 22e5e628c..13f01148a 100644
--- a/data/theme/gnome-shell.css
+++ b/data/theme/gnome-shell.css
@@ -2201,12 +2201,12 @@ StButton.popup-menu-item:insensitive {
 
 /* Screen shield */
 
-#screenShieldGroup {
+#lockDialogGroup {
     background: #2e3436 url(noise-texture.png);
     background-repeat: repeat;
 }
 
-#screenShieldGroup .arrow {
+#lockScreenGroup .arrow {
     color: #333333;
     width: 100px;
     height: 50px;
diff --git a/js/ui/screenShield.js b/js/ui/screenShield.js
index d31094516..1b53276b2 100644
--- a/js/ui/screenShield.js
+++ b/js/ui/screenShield.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const Tweener = imports.ui.tweener;
 const SCREENSAVER_SCHEMA = 'org.gnome.desktop.screensaver';
 const LOCK_ENABLED_KEY = 'lock-enabled';
 
-const CURTAIN_SLIDE_TIME = 1.2;
+const CURTAIN_SLIDE_TIME = 0.8;
 // fraction of screen height the arrow must reach before completing
 // the slide up automatically
 const ARROW_DRAG_TRESHOLD = 0.1;
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const SUMMARY_ICON_SIZE = 48;
 // STANDARD_FADE_TIME is used when the session goes idle, while
 // SHORT_FADE_TIME is used when requesting lock explicitly from the user menu
 const STANDARD_FADE_TIME = 10;
-const SHORT_FADE_TIME = 2;
+const SHORT_FADE_TIME = 0.8;
 
 const Clock = new Lang.Class({
     Name: 'ScreenShieldClock',
@@ -257,6 +257,23 @@ const NotificationsBox = new Lang.Class({
     },
 });
 
+const LockDialogGroup = new Lang.Class({
+    Name: 'LockDialogGroup',
+    Extends: St.Widget,
+
+    _init: function(params) {
+        this.parent(params);
+    },
+
+    vfunc_get_preferred_height: function(forWidth) {
+        return [global.screen_height, global.screen_height];
+    },
+
+    vfunc_get_preferred_width: function(forHeight) {
+        return [global.screen_width, global.screen_width];
+    }
+});
+
 /**
  * To test screen shield, make sure to kill gnome-screensaver.
  *
@@ -277,7 +294,8 @@ const ScreenShield = new Lang.Class({
                                                 y_expand: true,
                                                 reactive: true,
                                                 can_focus: true,
-                                                layout_manager: new Clutter.BinLayout()
+                                                layout_manager: new Clutter.BinLayout(),
+                                                name: 'lockScreenGroup',
                                               });
         this._lockScreenGroup.connect('key-release-event',
                                       Lang.bind(this, this._onLockScreenKeyRelease));
@@ -304,9 +322,7 @@ const ScreenShield = new Lang.Class({
         action.connect('drag-end', Lang.bind(this, this._onDragEnd));
         this._lockScreenGroup.add_action(action);
 
-        this._lockDialogGroup = new St.Widget({ x_expand: true,
-                                                y_expand: true });
-
+        this._lockDialogGroup = new LockDialogGroup({ name: 'lockDialogGroup' });
         this.actor.add_actor(this._lockDialogGroup);
         this.actor.add_actor(this._lockScreenGroup);
 
@@ -478,26 +494,35 @@ const ScreenShield = new Lang.Class({
     },
 
     _resetLockScreen: function(animate) {
+        this._lockScreenGroup.show();
+        this._arrow.show();
+
         if (animate) {
-            this.actor.opacity = 0;
-            Tweener.removeTweens(this.actor);
-            Tweener.addTween(this.actor,
-                             { opacity: 255,
+            this._lockScreenGroup.y = -global.screen_height;
+            Tweener.removeTweens(this._lockScreenGroup);
+            Tweener.addTween(this._lockScreenGroup,
+                             { y: 0,
                                time: SHORT_FADE_TIME,
-                               transition: 'easeOutQuad',
+                               transition: 'linear',
                                onComplete: function() {
+                                   this._lockScreenGroup.fixed_position_set = false;
                                    this.emit('lock-screen-shown');
                                },
                                onCompleteScope: this
                              });
+
+            this._lockDialogGroup.opacity = 0;
+            Tweener.removeTweens(this._lockDialogGroup);
+            Tweener.addTween(this._lockDialogGroup,
+                             { opacity: 255,
+                               time: SHORT_FADE_TIME,
+                               transition: 'easeOutQuad' });
         } else {
+            this._lockScreenGroup.fixed_position_set = false;
+            this._lockDialogGroup.opacity = 255;
             this.emit('lock-screen-shown');
         }
 
-        this._lockScreenGroup.fixed_position_set = false;
-        this._lockScreenGroup.show();
-        this._arrow.show();
-
         this._lockScreenGroup.grab_key_focus();
     },