diff --git a/src/Layout-test-utils.js b/src/Layout-test-utils.js
index b2e7ca2a..9742009c 100644
--- a/src/Layout-test-utils.js
+++ b/src/Layout-test-utils.js
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ var layoutTestUtils = (function() {
   })();
   var body = iframe.contentDocument.body;
 
+  var iframeText = document.createElement('iframe');
+  document.body.appendChild(iframeText);
+
   var realComputeLayout = computeLayout;
 
   function computeCSSLayout(rootNode) {
@@ -222,16 +225,27 @@ var layoutTestUtils = (function() {
     computeDOMLayout: computeDOMLayout,
     reduceTest: reduceTest,
     text: function(text) {
+      var body = iframeText.contentDocument.body;
       var fn = function(width) {
+        var div = document.createElement('div');
         var span = document.createElement('span');
-        span.style.position = 'absolute';
-        if (width !== undefined) {
+        span.style.display = 'flex';
+        body.style.display = 'block';
+        if (width === 'grow') {
+          span.style.position = 'absolute';
+        } else if (width === 'shrink') {
+          div.style.display = 'flex';
+          div.style.position = 'relative';
+          body.style.display = 'flex';
+          span.style.position = 'absolute';
+        } else {
           span.style.width = width + 'px';
         }
         span.innerText = text;
-        body.appendChild(span);
+        div.appendChild(span);
+        body.appendChild(div);
         var rect = span.getBoundingClientRect();
-        body.removeChild(span);
+        body.removeChild(div);
         return {
           width: rect.width,
           height: rect.height
diff --git a/src/Layout.js b/src/Layout.js
index 0b7a199c..567de0f7 100755
--- a/src/Layout.js
+++ b/src/Layout.js
@@ -216,7 +216,15 @@ var computeLayout = (function() {
       getRelativePosition(node, crossAxis);
 
     if ('measure' in node.style) {
-      var dimensions = node.style.measure(node.style.width);
+      var width;
+      if (isDimDefined(node, 'row')) {
+        width = node.style.width;
+      } else if (node.style.position === 'absolute') {
+        width = 'shrink';
+      } else {
+        width = 'grow';
+      }
+      var dimensions = node.style.measure(width);
       if (!isDimDefined(node, 'row')) {
         node.layout.width = dimensions.width + getPaddingAndBorderAxis(node, 'row');
       }
diff --git a/src/__tests__/Layout-test.js b/src/__tests__/Layout-test.js
index 5941a502..e3d49c1f 100755
--- a/src/__tests__/Layout-test.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/Layout-test.js
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ describe('Layout', function() {
     )
   });
 
-  it('should layout node with text', function() {
+  it('should layout node with just text', function() {
     testLayout(
       {style: {measure: text('kikoo')}},
       {width: 36, height: 18, top: 0, left: 0}
@@ -759,13 +759,24 @@ describe('Layout', function() {
     )
   });
 
-  it('should layout node with padding and margin', function() {
+  it('should layout node with text, padding and margin', function() {
     testLayout(
       {style: {measure: text('kikoo loool'), padding: 5, margin: 5}},
       {width: 82, height: 28, top: 5, left: 5}
     )
   });
 
+  it('should layout node with text and position absolute', function() {
+    testLayout(
+      {style: {}, children: [
+        {style: {measure: text('kikoo loool'), position: 'absolute'}}
+      ]},
+      {width: 0, height: 0, top: 0, left: 0, children: [
+        {width: 36, height: 36, top: 0, left: 0}
+      ]}
+    )
+  });
+
 
 
   it('should layout randomly', function() {