diff --git a/lib/sugar-menu.c b/lib/sugar-menu.c
index 822b4a73..a7e66352 100644
--- a/lib/sugar-menu.c
+++ b/lib/sugar-menu.c
@@ -27,16 +27,6 @@ static void sugar_menu_init       (SugarMenu *menu);
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE(SugarMenu, sugar_menu, GTK_TYPE_MENU)
 
-static void
-sugar_menu_class_init(SugarMenuClass *menu_class)
-{
-}
-
-static void
-sugar_menu_init(SugarMenu *menu)
-{
-}
-
 void
 sugar_menu_popup(SugarMenu *menu,
                  int         x,
@@ -69,3 +59,33 @@ sugar_menu_popdown(SugarMenu *menu)
     gtk_widget_hide(window);
 }
 
+void
+sugar_menu_set_min_width (SugarMenu *menu,
+                          int        min_width)
+{
+    menu->min_width = min_width;
+}
+
+static void
+sugar_menu_size_request (GtkWidget      *widget,
+                         GtkRequisition *requisition)
+{
+    SugarMenu *menu = SUGAR_MENU(widget);
+
+    (* GTK_WIDGET_CLASS (sugar_menu_parent_class)->size_request) (widget, requisition);
+
+    requisition->width = MAX(requisition->width, menu->min_width);
+}
+
+static void
+sugar_menu_class_init(SugarMenuClass *menu_class)
+{
+    GtkWidgetClass *widget_class = GTK_WIDGET_CLASS(menu_class);
+
+    widget_class->size_request = sugar_menu_size_request;    
+}
+
+static void
+sugar_menu_init(SugarMenu *menu)
+{
+}
diff --git a/lib/sugar-menu.h b/lib/sugar-menu.h
index a9c3f676..24e2865b 100644
--- a/lib/sugar-menu.h
+++ b/lib/sugar-menu.h
@@ -36,17 +36,21 @@ typedef struct _SugarMenuClass SugarMenuClass;
 
 struct _SugarMenu {
 	GtkMenu base_instance;
+
+    int min_width;
 };
 
 struct _SugarMenuClass {
 	GtkMenuClass base_class;
 };
 
-GType	 sugar_menu_get_type (void);
-void     sugar_menu_popup    (SugarMenu *menu,
-                              int        x,
-                              int        y);
-void     sugar_menu_popdown  (SugarMenu *menu);
+GType	 sugar_menu_get_type      (void);
+void     sugar_menu_popup         (SugarMenu *menu,
+                                   int        x,
+                                   int        y);
+void     sugar_menu_set_min_width (SugarMenu *menu,
+                                   int        min_width);
+void     sugar_menu_popdown       (SugarMenu *menu);
 
 G_END_DECLS
 
diff --git a/sugar/_sugarext.defs b/sugar/_sugarext.defs
index 93c85c94..7bc3cda4 100644
--- a/sugar/_sugarext.defs
+++ b/sugar/_sugarext.defs
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@
 
 ;; From sugar-menu.h
 
+(define-method set_min_width
+  (of-object "SugarMenu")
+  (c-name "sugar_menu_set_min_width")
+  (return-type "none")
+  (parameters
+    '("gint" "width")
+  )
+)
+
 (define-method popup
   (of-object "SugarMenu")
   (c-name "sugar_menu_popup")
diff --git a/sugar/graphics/palette.py b/sugar/graphics/palette.py
index a22df744..dc51fe59 100644
--- a/sugar/graphics/palette.py
+++ b/sugar/graphics/palette.py
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ class Palette(gobject.GObject):
         self._popdown_anim.add(_PopdownAnimation(self))
 
         self._menu = _sugarext.Menu()
+        self._menu.set_min_width(units.grid_to_pixels(1))
 
         self._primary = _PrimaryMenuItem(label, accel_path)
         self._menu.append(self._primary)
@@ -275,6 +276,7 @@ class Palette(gobject.GObject):
 class _PrimaryMenuItem(gtk.MenuItem):
     def __init__(self, label, accel_path):
         gtk.MenuItem.__init__(self)
+        self.set_border_width(units.points_to_pixels(1))
         self._set_label(label, accel_path)
 
     def set_label(self, label, accel_path):