diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/status_bar_expanded.xml b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/status_bar_expanded.xml
index cb32d63a4a13d..8eff1f4557049 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/status_bar_expanded.xml
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/status_bar_expanded.xml
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
     android:background="@drawable/notification_panel_bg"
     android:paddingTop="@dimen/notification_panel_padding_top"
     android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/notification_panel_margin_left"
-    android:animateLayoutChanges="true"
     >
 
     <TextView
@@ -80,18 +79,10 @@
         </ScrollView>
     </LinearLayout>
 
-    <LinearLayout android:id="@+id/handle"
+    <View android:id="@+id/handle"
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="@dimen/close_handle_height"
         android:layout_gravity="bottom"
-        android:orientation="vertical"
-        >
-        <ImageView
-            android:layout_width="match_parent"
-            android:layout_height="@dimen/close_handle_height"
-            android:layout_gravity="bottom"
-            android:scaleType="fitXY"
-            android:src="@drawable/status_bar_close"
-            />
-    </LinearLayout>
+        />
+
 </com.android.systemui.statusbar.phone.NotificationPanelView><!-- end of sliding panel -->
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NotificationPanelView.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NotificationPanelView.java
index 13a34ad3b542a..9c978d5029841 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NotificationPanelView.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NotificationPanelView.java
@@ -17,11 +17,23 @@
 package com.android.systemui.statusbar.phone;
 
 import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.res.Resources;
+import android.graphics.Canvas;
+import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
+import com.android.systemui.R;
 
 public class NotificationPanelView extends PanelView {
+
+    Drawable mHandleBar;
+    float mHandleBarHeight;
+
     public NotificationPanelView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
         super(context, attrs);
+
+        Resources resources = context.getResources();
+        mHandleBar = resources.getDrawable(R.drawable.status_bar_close);
+        mHandleBarHeight = resources.getDimension(R.dimen.close_handle_height);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -31,4 +43,20 @@ public class NotificationPanelView extends PanelView {
             "notifications,v=" + vel);
         super.fling(vel, always);
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void onLayout(boolean changed, int left, int top, int right, int bottom) {
+        super.onLayout(changed, left, top, right, bottom);
+        if (changed) {
+            mHandleBar.setBounds(0, 0, getWidth(), (int) mHandleBarHeight);
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void draw(Canvas canvas) {
+        super.draw(canvas);
+        canvas.translate(0, getHeight() - mHandleBarHeight);
+        mHandleBar.draw(canvas);
+        canvas.translate(0, -getHeight() + mHandleBarHeight);
+    }
 }