diff --git a/lib/ace/layer/text.js b/lib/ace/layer/text.js
index 7e81b584..54f0ef46 100644
--- a/lib/ace/layer/text.js
+++ b/lib/ace/layer/text.js
@@ -63,11 +63,11 @@ var Text = function(parentEl) {
     };
 
     this.getLineHeight = function() {
-        return this.$characterSize.height || 1;
+        return this.$characterSize.height || 0;
     };
 
     this.getCharacterWidth = function() {
-        return this.$characterSize.width || 1;
+        return this.$characterSize.width || 0;
     };
 
     this.checkForSizeChanges = function() {
diff --git a/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js b/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js
index 5a42513c..c2631c2f 100644
--- a/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js
+++ b/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js
@@ -143,8 +143,8 @@ var VirtualRenderer = function(container, theme) {
         firstRow : 0,
         firstRowScreen: 0,
         lastRow : 0,
-        lineHeight : 1,
-        characterWidth : 1,
+        lineHeight : 0,
+        characterWidth : 0,
         minHeight : 1,
         maxHeight : 1,
         offset : 0,
@@ -748,6 +748,9 @@ var VirtualRenderer = function(container, theme) {
             this.$changes |= changes;
             return this.onResize(true);
         }
+        if (!this.lineHeight) {
+            this.$textLayer.checkForSizeChanges();
+        }
         // this.$logChanges(changes);
         
         this._signal("beforeRender");
@@ -770,7 +773,6 @@ var VirtualRenderer = function(container, theme) {
 
         // full
         if (changes & this.CHANGE_FULL) {
-            this.$textLayer.checkForSizeChanges();
             // update scrollbar first to not lose scroll position when gutter calls resize
             this.$updateScrollBarV();
             this.$updateScrollBarH();