diff --git a/libgnome-control-center/cc-panel.c b/libgnome-control-center/cc-panel.c
index dd9b8cd78..9cb5da500 100644
--- a/libgnome-control-center/cc-panel.c
+++ b/libgnome-control-center/cc-panel.c
@@ -124,26 +124,31 @@ cc_panel_finalize (GObject *object)
 }
 
 static void
-cc_panel_size_request (GtkWidget      *widget,
-                       GtkRequisition *requisition)
+cc_panel_get_preferred_width (GtkWidget *widget,
+                              gint      *minimum,
+                              gint      *natural)
 {
   GtkBin *bin = GTK_BIN (widget);
   GtkWidget *child;
-  guint border_width;
+
+  *minimum = *natural = 0;
 
   if ((child = gtk_bin_get_child (bin)))
-    {
-      GtkRequisition child_requisition;
+    gtk_widget_get_preferred_width (child, minimum, natural);
+}
 
-      gtk_widget_size_request (child, &child_requisition);
+static void
+cc_panel_get_preferred_height (GtkWidget *widget,
+                               gint      *minimum,
+                               gint      *natural)
+{
+  GtkBin *bin = GTK_BIN (widget);
+  GtkWidget *child;
 
-      requisition->width = child_requisition.width;
-      requisition->height = child_requisition.height;
-    }
+  *minimum = *natural = 0;
 
-  border_width = gtk_container_get_border_width (GTK_CONTAINER (widget));
-  requisition->width += 2 * border_width;
-  requisition->height += 2 * border_width;
+  if ((child = gtk_bin_get_child (bin)))
+    gtk_widget_get_preferred_height (child, minimum, natural);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -151,18 +156,11 @@ cc_panel_size_allocate (GtkWidget     *widget,
                              GtkAllocation *allocation)
 {
   GtkAllocation child_allocation;
-  guint border_width;
 
   gtk_widget_set_allocation (widget, allocation);
 
-
   child_allocation = *allocation;
 
-  border_width = gtk_container_get_border_width (GTK_CONTAINER (widget));
-
-  child_allocation.width -= 2 * border_width;
-  child_allocation.height -= 2 * border_width;
-
   gtk_widget_size_allocate (gtk_bin_get_child (GTK_BIN (widget)),
                             &child_allocation);
 }
@@ -178,9 +176,12 @@ cc_panel_class_init (CcPanelClass *klass)
   object_class->set_property = cc_panel_set_property;
   object_class->finalize = cc_panel_finalize;
 
-  widget_class->size_request = cc_panel_size_request;
+  widget_class->get_preferred_width = cc_panel_get_preferred_width;
+  widget_class->get_preferred_height = cc_panel_get_preferred_height;
   widget_class->size_allocate = cc_panel_size_allocate;
 
+  gtk_container_class_handle_border_width (GTK_CONTAINER_CLASS (klass));
+
   g_type_class_add_private (klass, sizeof (CcPanelPrivate));
 
   pspec = g_param_spec_object ("shell",
diff --git a/panels/datetime/cc-timezone-map.c b/panels/datetime/cc-timezone-map.c
index 487d09cef..342f7c747 100644
--- a/panels/datetime/cc-timezone-map.c
+++ b/panels/datetime/cc-timezone-map.c
@@ -189,17 +189,26 @@ cc_timezone_map_finalize (GObject *object)
 
 /* GtkWidget functions */
 static void
-cc_timezone_map_size_request (GtkWidget      *widget,
-                              GtkRequisition *req)
+cc_timezone_map_get_preferred_width (GtkWidget *widget,
+                                     gint      *minimum,
+                                     gint      *natural)
 {
   CcTimezoneMapPrivate *priv = CC_TIMEZONE_MAP (widget)->priv;
 
-  GTK_WIDGET_CLASS (cc_timezone_map_parent_class)->size_request (widget, req);
-
-  req->width = gdk_pixbuf_get_width (priv->orig_background) * 0.6;
-  req->height = gdk_pixbuf_get_height (priv->orig_background) * 0.6;
+  /* FIXME: should natural == full pixmap size ? */
+  *minimum = *natural = gdk_pixbuf_get_width (priv->orig_background) * 0.6;
 }
 
+static void
+cc_timezone_map_get_preferred_height (GtkWidget *widget,
+                                      gint      *minimum,
+                                      gint      *natural)
+{
+  CcTimezoneMapPrivate *priv = CC_TIMEZONE_MAP (widget)->priv;
+
+  /* FIXME: should natural == full pixmap size ? */
+  *minimum = *natural = gdk_pixbuf_get_height (priv->orig_background) * 0.6;
+}
 static void
 cc_timezone_map_size_allocate (GtkWidget     *widget,
                                GtkAllocation *allocation)
@@ -392,7 +401,8 @@ cc_timezone_map_class_init (CcTimezoneMapClass *klass)
   object_class->dispose = cc_timezone_map_dispose;
   object_class->finalize = cc_timezone_map_finalize;
 
-  widget_class->size_request = cc_timezone_map_size_request;
+  widget_class->get_preferred_width = cc_timezone_map_get_preferred_width;
+  widget_class->get_preferred_height = cc_timezone_map_get_preferred_height;
   widget_class->size_allocate = cc_timezone_map_size_allocate;
   widget_class->realize = cc_timezone_map_realize;
   widget_class->draw = cc_timezone_map_draw;
diff --git a/panels/display/scrollarea.c b/panels/display/scrollarea.c
index 9844dd4ac..5123511b2 100644
--- a/panels/display/scrollarea.c
+++ b/panels/display/scrollarea.c
@@ -117,10 +117,14 @@ enum {
 
 static guint signals [LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
 
-static void foo_scroll_area_size_request (GtkWidget *widget,
-					  GtkRequisition *requisition);
 static gboolean foo_scroll_area_draw (GtkWidget *widget,
                                       cairo_t *cr);
+static void foo_scroll_area_get_preferred_width (GtkWidget *widget,
+                                                 gint      *minimum,
+                                                 gint      *natural);
+static void foo_scroll_area_get_preferred_height (GtkWidget *widget,
+                                                  gint      *minimum,
+                                                  gint      *natural);
 static void foo_scroll_area_size_allocate (GtkWidget *widget,
 					   GtkAllocation *allocation);
 static void foo_scroll_area_set_hadjustment (FooScrollArea *scroll_area,
@@ -224,7 +228,8 @@ foo_scroll_area_class_init (FooScrollAreaClass *class)
     object_class->set_property = foo_scroll_area_set_property;
     object_class->get_property = foo_scroll_area_get_property;
 
-    widget_class->size_request = foo_scroll_area_size_request;
+    widget_class->get_preferred_width = foo_scroll_area_get_preferred_width;
+    widget_class->get_preferred_height = foo_scroll_area_get_preferred_height;
     widget_class->draw = foo_scroll_area_draw;
     widget_class->size_allocate = foo_scroll_area_size_allocate;
     widget_class->realize = foo_scroll_area_realize;
@@ -944,17 +949,23 @@ foo_scroll_area_set_size (FooScrollArea	       *scroll_area,
 }
 
 static void
-foo_scroll_area_size_request (GtkWidget      *widget,
-			      GtkRequisition *requisition)
+foo_scroll_area_get_preferred_width (GtkWidget *widget,
+                                     gint      *minimum,
+                                     gint      *natural)
 {
     FooScrollArea *scroll_area = FOO_SCROLL_AREA (widget);
-    
-    requisition->width = scroll_area->priv->min_width;
-    requisition->height = scroll_area->priv->min_height;
-    
-#if 0
-    g_print ("request %d %d\n", requisition->width, requisition->height);
-#endif
+
+    *minimum = *natural = scroll_area->priv->min_width;
+}
+
+static void
+foo_scroll_area_get_preferred_height (GtkWidget *widget,
+                                      gint      *minimum,
+                                      gint      *natural)
+{
+    FooScrollArea *scroll_area = FOO_SCROLL_AREA (widget);
+
+    *minimum = *natural = scroll_area->priv->min_height;
 }
 
 static void