diff --git a/shell/cc-shell-category-view.c b/shell/cc-shell-category-view.c
index 09d016d14..b2a5ee4b1 100644
--- a/shell/cc-shell-category-view.c
+++ b/shell/cc-shell-category-view.c
@@ -141,7 +141,6 @@ cc_shell_category_view_constructed (GObject *object)
 {
   CcShellCategoryViewPrivate *priv = CC_SHELL_CATEGORY_VIEW (object)->priv;
   GtkWidget *iconview, *vbox;
-  GtkWidget *alignment;
 
   iconview = cc_shell_item_view_new ();
   gtk_icon_view_set_model (GTK_ICON_VIEW (iconview), priv->model);
@@ -174,11 +173,8 @@ cc_shell_category_view_constructed (GObject *object)
   gtk_box_pack_start (GTK_BOX (vbox), iconview, FALSE, TRUE, 0);
 
   /* add the main vbox to the view */
-  alignment = gtk_alignment_new (0, 0, 1, 1);
-  gtk_alignment_set_padding (GTK_ALIGNMENT (alignment), 0, 0, 12, 0);
-  gtk_container_add (GTK_CONTAINER (alignment), vbox);
-  gtk_container_add (GTK_CONTAINER (object), alignment);
-  gtk_widget_show_all (alignment);
+  gtk_container_add (GTK_CONTAINER (object), vbox);
+  gtk_widget_show_all (vbox);
 
   priv->iconview = iconview;
 }
diff --git a/shell/cc-shell-item-view.c b/shell/cc-shell-item-view.c
index 7b0b37ae3..ea4c9cdca 100644
--- a/shell/cc-shell-item-view.c
+++ b/shell/cc-shell-item-view.c
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ cc_shell_item_view_init (CcShellItemView *self)
 {
   self->priv = SHELL_ITEM_VIEW_PRIVATE (self);
 
+  g_object_set (self, "margin", 0, NULL);
   g_signal_connect (self, "item-activated",
                     G_CALLBACK (iconview_item_activated_cb), self);
   g_signal_connect (self, "button-press-event",