diff --git a/flexbox/src/androidTest/java/com/google/android/flexbox/test/FlexboxLayoutManagerTest.java b/flexbox/src/androidTest/java/com/google/android/flexbox/test/FlexboxLayoutManagerTest.java
index 49bc0ea0e3cbb559ad8297481e7e08c243ecded6..1194c39b176869a59d446ea731b1a941890897f1 100644
--- a/flexbox/src/androidTest/java/com/google/android/flexbox/test/FlexboxLayoutManagerTest.java
+++ b/flexbox/src/androidTest/java/com/google/android/flexbox/test/FlexboxLayoutManagerTest.java
@@ -1709,6 +1709,7 @@ public class FlexboxLayoutManagerTest {
                 activity.setContentView(R.layout.recyclerview);
                 RecyclerView recyclerView = (RecyclerView) activity.findViewById(R.id.recyclerview);
                 layoutManager.setFlexDirection(FlexDirection.ROW);
+                layoutManager.setAlignItems(AlignItems.FLEX_START);
                 recyclerView.setLayoutManager(layoutManager);
                 recyclerView.setAdapter(adapter);
                 for (int i = 0; i < 50; i++) {
@@ -1767,6 +1768,7 @@ public class FlexboxLayoutManagerTest {
                 activity.setContentView(R.layout.recyclerview);
                 RecyclerView recyclerView = (RecyclerView) activity.findViewById(R.id.recyclerview);
                 layoutManager.setFlexDirection(FlexDirection.COLUMN);
+                layoutManager.setAlignItems(AlignItems.FLEX_START);
                 recyclerView.setLayoutManager(layoutManager);
                 recyclerView.setAdapter(adapter);
                 for (int i = 0; i < 50; i++) {
diff --git a/flexbox/src/main/java/com/google/android/flexbox/FlexboxLayoutManager.java b/flexbox/src/main/java/com/google/android/flexbox/FlexboxLayoutManager.java
index 624725c71d852c71df12f99ae3f9a788126eae90..92fdd48ae6a305ca65d34ebd92d8fda5496a2522 100644
--- a/flexbox/src/main/java/com/google/android/flexbox/FlexboxLayoutManager.java
+++ b/flexbox/src/main/java/com/google/android/flexbox/FlexboxLayoutManager.java
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ public class FlexboxLayoutManager extends RecyclerView.LayoutManager implements
             @FlexWrap int flexWrap) {
         setFlexDirection(flexDirection);
         setFlexWrap(flexWrap);
+        setAlignItems(AlignItems.STRETCH);
         setAutoMeasureEnabled(true);
     }
 
@@ -204,8 +205,8 @@ public class FlexboxLayoutManager extends RecyclerView.LayoutManager implements
                 }
                 break;
         }
-
         setFlexWrap(FlexWrap.WRAP);
+        setAlignItems(AlignItems.STRETCH);
         setAutoMeasureEnabled(true);
     }