diff --git a/src/gridstack.css b/src/gridstack.css
index f250f78..d451887 100644
--- a/src/gridstack.css
+++ b/src/gridstack.css
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@
     content: "\f065";
 }
 
+.grid-stack-item { min-width: 8.33333333% }
+
 .grid-stack-item[data-gs-width="12"] { width: 100% }
 .grid-stack-item[data-gs-width="11"] { width: 91.66666667% }
 .grid-stack-item[data-gs-width="10"] { width: 83.33333333% }
diff --git a/src/gridstack.js b/src/gridstack.js
index 3f293f2..1335299 100644
--- a/src/gridstack.js
+++ b/src/gridstack.js
@@ -434,6 +434,8 @@
     };
 
     GridStack.prototype._update_styles = function (max_height) {
+        var prefix = '.' + this.opts._class + ' .' + this.opts.item_class;
+
         if (typeof max_height == 'undefined') {
             max_height = this._styles._max;
             this._styles._max = 0;
@@ -448,9 +450,12 @@
             this._update_container_height();
         }
 
+        if (this._styles._max == 0) {
+            Utils.insert_css_rule(this._styles, prefix, 'min-height: ' + (this.opts.cell_height) + 'px;', 0);
+        }
+
         if (max_height > this._styles._max) {
             for (var i = this._styles._max; i < max_height; ++i) {
-                var prefix = '.' + this.opts._class + ' .' + this.opts.item_class;
                 Utils.insert_css_rule(this._styles,
                     prefix + '[data-gs-height="' + (i + 1) + '"]',
                     'height: ' + (this.opts.cell_height * (i + 1) + this.opts.vertical_margin * i) + 'px;',