diff --git a/gtk/gtktreeprivate.h b/gtk/gtktreeprivate.h
index dd0cf8d2a9..c44d61813d 100644
--- a/gtk/gtktreeprivate.h
+++ b/gtk/gtktreeprivate.h
@@ -175,6 +175,8 @@ struct _GtkTreeViewPrivate
   GList *column_drag_info;
   GtkTreeViewColumnReorder *cur_reorder;
 
+  gint prev_width_before_expander;
+
   /* Interactive Header reordering */
   GdkWindow *drag_window;
   GdkWindow *drag_highlight_window;
diff --git a/gtk/gtktreeview.c b/gtk/gtktreeview.c
index 560f35c963..1a606772f8 100644
--- a/gtk/gtktreeview.c
+++ b/gtk/gtktreeview.c
@@ -1378,6 +1378,9 @@ gtk_tree_view_init (GtkTreeView *tree_view)
 
   tree_view->priv->last_button_x = -1;
   tree_view->priv->last_button_y = -1;
+
+  tree_view->priv->event_last_x = -10000;
+  tree_view->priv->event_last_y = -10000;
 }
 
 
@@ -2052,6 +2055,25 @@ gtk_tree_view_size_request (GtkWidget      *widget,
     }
 }
 
+static int
+gtk_tree_view_calculate_width_before_expander (GtkTreeView *tree_view)
+{
+  int width = 0;
+  GList *list;
+  gboolean rtl;
+
+  rtl = (gtk_widget_get_direction (GTK_WIDGET (tree_view)) == GTK_TEXT_DIR_RTL);
+  for (list = (rtl ? g_list_last (tree_view->priv->columns) : g_list_first (tree_view->priv->columns));
+       list->data != tree_view->priv->expander_column;
+       list = (rtl ? list->prev : list->next))
+    {
+      GtkTreeViewColumn *column = list->data;
+
+      width += column->width;
+    }
+
+  return width;
+}
 
 static void
 invalidate_column (GtkTreeView       *tree_view,
@@ -2438,14 +2460,30 @@ gtk_tree_view_size_allocate (GtkWidget     *widget,
 	    }
 	}
 
+      if (width_changed && tree_view->priv->expander_column)
+        {
+          /* Might seem awkward, but is the best heuristic I could come up
+           * with.  Only if the width of the columns before the expander
+           * changes, we will update the prelight status.  It is this
+           * width that makes the expander move vertically.  Always updating
+           * prelight status causes trouble with hover selections.
+           */
+          gint width_before_expander;
+
+          width_before_expander = gtk_tree_view_calculate_width_before_expander (tree_view);
+
+          if (tree_view->priv->prev_width_before_expander
+              != width_before_expander)
+              update_prelight (tree_view,
+                               -tree_view->priv->event_last_x,
+                               -tree_view->priv->event_last_y);
+
+          tree_view->priv->prev_width_before_expander = width_before_expander;
+        }
+
       /* This little hack only works if we have an LTR locale, and no column has the  */
       if (width_changed)
 	{
-          if (tree_view->priv->tree)
-            update_prelight (tree_view,
-                             tree_view->priv->event_last_x,
-                             tree_view->priv->event_last_y);
-
 	  if (gtk_widget_get_direction (GTK_WIDGET (tree_view)) == GTK_TEXT_DIR_LTR &&
 	      ! has_expand_column)
 	    invalidate_last_column (tree_view);
@@ -3264,6 +3302,16 @@ prelight_or_select (GtkTreeView *tree_view,
     do_prelight (tree_view, tree, node, x, y);
 }
 
+static void
+ensure_unprelighted (GtkTreeView *tree_view)
+{
+  do_prelight (tree_view,
+	       NULL, NULL,
+	       -1000, -1000); /* coords not possibly over an arrow */
+
+  g_assert (tree_view->priv->prelight_node == NULL);
+}
+
 static void
 update_prelight (GtkTreeView *tree_view,
                  gint         x,
@@ -3273,6 +3321,12 @@ update_prelight (GtkTreeView *tree_view,
   GtkRBTree *tree;
   GtkRBNode *node;
 
+  if (x == -10000)
+    {
+      ensure_unprelighted (tree_view);
+      return;
+    }
+
   new_y = TREE_WINDOW_Y_TO_RBTREE_Y (tree_view, y);
   if (new_y < 0)
     new_y = 0;
@@ -3284,16 +3338,6 @@ update_prelight (GtkTreeView *tree_view,
     prelight_or_select (tree_view, tree, node, x, y);
 }
 
-static void
-ensure_unprelighted (GtkTreeView *tree_view)
-{
-  do_prelight (tree_view,
-	       NULL, NULL,
-	       -1000, -1000); /* coords not possibly over an arrow */
-
-  g_assert (tree_view->priv->prelight_node == NULL);
-}
-
 
 
 
@@ -5507,6 +5551,9 @@ gtk_tree_view_enter_notify (GtkWidget        *widget,
     new_y = 0;
   _gtk_rbtree_find_offset (tree_view->priv->tree, new_y, &tree, &node);
 
+  tree_view->priv->event_last_x = event->x;
+  tree_view->priv->event_last_y = event->y;
+
   if ((tree_view->priv->button_pressed_node == NULL) ||
       (tree_view->priv->button_pressed_node == node))
     prelight_or_select (tree_view, tree, node, event->x, event->y);
@@ -5531,6 +5578,9 @@ gtk_tree_view_leave_notify (GtkWidget        *widget,
                                    tree_view->priv->prelight_node,
                                    NULL);
 
+  tree_view->priv->event_last_x = -10000;
+  tree_view->priv->event_last_y = -10000;
+
   prelight_or_select (tree_view,
 		      NULL, NULL,
 		      -1000, -1000); /* coords not possibly over an arrow */