             var width:Number = isNaN(fixedColumnWidth) ? elt.getPreferredBoundsWidth() : fixedColumnWidth;
             preferredHeight = Math.max(preferredHeight, height);
             preferredWidth += width;
-            minHeight = Math.max(minHeight, (isNaN(elt.percentHeight)) ? height : elt.getMinBoundsHeight());
+            var flexibleHeight:Boolean = !isNaN(elt.percentHeight) || verticalAlign == VerticalAlign.JUSTIFY;
+            minHeight = Math.max(minHeight, flexibleHeight ? elt.getMinBoundsHeight() : height);
             minWidth += (isNaN(elt.percentWidth)) ? width : elt.getMinBoundsWidth();
 
             eltInLayoutCount += 1;

        layoutTarget.measuredHeight = llv.minorSize + vPadding;

        layoutTarget.measuredMinWidth = layoutTarget.measuredWidth;
        layoutTarget.measuredMinHeight = layoutTarget.measuredHeight;
    }

    /**

            }
        }

        distributeWidth(targetWidth, targetHeight, containerHeight);    
        
        // default to top (0)
        var vAlign:Number = 0;
