diff --git a/src/components/virtualRepeat/virtual-repeater.js b/src/components/virtualRepeat/virtual-repeater.js
index 073a1587021..ed5eb401dbe 100644
--- a/src/components/virtualRepeat/virtual-repeater.js
+++ b/src/components/virtualRepeat/virtual-repeater.js
@@ -132,19 +132,26 @@ function VirtualRepeatContainerController(
   // make a best effort at re-measuring as it changes.
   var boundUpdateSize = angular.bind(this, this.updateSize);
 
-  $$rAF(function() {
+  $$rAF(angular.bind(this, function() {
     boundUpdateSize();
 
     var debouncedUpdateSize = $mdUtil.debounce(boundUpdateSize, 10, null, false);
     var jWindow = angular.element($window);
 
+    // Make one more attempt to get the size if it is 0.
+    // This is not by any means a perfect approach, but there's really no
+    // silver bullet here.
+    if (!this.size) {
+      debouncedUpdateSize();
+    }
+
     jWindow.on('resize', debouncedUpdateSize);
     $scope.$on('$destroy', function() {
       jWindow.off('resize', debouncedUpdateSize);
     });
 
     $scope.$on('$md-resize', boundUpdateSize);
-  });
+  }));
 }
 
 
@@ -187,6 +194,7 @@ VirtualRepeatContainerController.prototype.updateSize = function() {
   this.size = this.isHorizontal()
       ? this.$element[0].clientWidth
       : this.$element[0].clientHeight;
+
   this.repeater && this.repeater.containerUpdated();
 };
 
diff --git a/src/components/virtualRepeat/virtual-repeater.spec.js b/src/components/virtualRepeat/virtual-repeater.spec.js
index 69902d03a83..833acad5db5 100644
--- a/src/components/virtualRepeat/virtual-repeater.spec.js
+++ b/src/components/virtualRepeat/virtual-repeater.spec.js
@@ -582,6 +582,30 @@ describe('<md-virtual-repeat>', function() {
     expect(offsetter.children().length).toBe(43);
   });
 
+  it('makes a second attempt to measure the size if it starts out at 0',
+      function() {
+    var debounced;
+    spyOn($mdUtil, 'debounce').and.callFake(function(fn) {
+      debounced = fn;
+    });
+
+    // Create the repeater before appending it to the body.
+    scope.items = createItems(100);
+    component = $compile(container)(scope);
+    $material.flushOutstandingAnimations();
+    angular.element($document[0].body).append(container);
+    offsetter = angular.element(component[0].querySelector('.md-virtual-repeat-offsetter'));
+
+    // Expect 3 children (0 + 3 extra).
+    expect(offsetter.children().length).toBe(3);
+
+    // Expect it to remeasure using debounce.
+    debounced();
+
+    // Expect 13 children (10 + 3 extra).
+    expect(offsetter.children().length).toBe(13);
+  });
+
   /**
    * Facade to access transform properly even when jQuery is used;
    * since jQuery's css function is obtaining the computed style (not wanted)
@@ -589,6 +613,4 @@ describe('<md-virtual-repeat>', function() {
   function getTransform(target) {
     return target[0].style.webkitTransform || target.css('transform');
   }
-
-
 });