         super();
         tabChildren = true;
         
-        _layout = new BasicLayout();
-        _layout.target = this;  
+        if(_layout == null)
+        {
+	        _layout = new BasicLayout();
+    	    _layout.target = this;
+    	}  
     }
         
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------

import mx.graphics.MaskType;
import mx.graphics.graphicsClasses.GraphicElement;
import mx.layout.BasicLayout;
import mx.layout.ILayoutElement;
import mx.layout.LayoutBase;
import mx.utils.MatrixUtil;



        // TODO EGeorgie: can we directly call setActualSize instead?
        invalidateParentSizeAndDisplayList();
    }

    override protected function nonDeltaLayoutMatrix():Matrix
    {
        if(hasDeltaIdentityTransform)
        	return null; 

        if (resizeMode == ResizeMode.SCALE)
        {
            // Lose scale and skew:
            return MatrixUtil.composeMatrix(x, y, 1, 1, rotation,
                        transformX, transformY);
        } 
        
        return super.nonDeltaLayoutMatrix();

    }
    
    /**
