diff --git a/libs/canvas/canvas/item.h b/libs/canvas/canvas/item.h
index 7d3f957350..dadb38733a 100644
--- a/libs/canvas/canvas/item.h
+++ b/libs/canvas/canvas/item.h
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ public:
 
 	/* layout-related methods */
 
+	virtual void size_request (double& w, double& h) const;
+	void set_size_request (double w, double h);
+
 	virtual void preferred_size (Duple& minimum, Duple& natural) const;
 	virtual void size_allocate (Rect const&);
 	Rect allocation() const { return _allocation; }
@@ -217,6 +220,7 @@ public:
 	virtual void add (Item *);
 	virtual void add_front (Item *);
 	virtual void remove (Item *);
+	/* XXX this should become virtual also */
 	void clear (bool with_delete = false);
 
 	std::list<Item*> const & items () const {
diff --git a/libs/canvas/item.cc b/libs/canvas/item.cc
index 4e7f6d06fc..4610d546ae 100644
--- a/libs/canvas/item.cc
+++ b/libs/canvas/item.cc
@@ -630,7 +630,6 @@ Item::set_size_request (double w, double h)
 	end_change ();
 }
 
-
 /** @return Bounding box in this item's coordinates */
 ArdourCanvas::Rect
 Item::bounding_box () const