diff --git a/d2graph/d2graph.go b/d2graph/d2graph.go
index 1bab9c2739..0eaabcf3ef 100644
--- a/d2graph/d2graph.go
+++ b/d2graph/d2graph.go
@@ -1052,6 +1052,35 @@ func (obj *Object) GetDefaultSize(mtexts []*d2target.MText, ruler *textmeasure.R
 	return &dims, nil
 }
 
+func (obj *Object) SizeToContent(contentBox *geo.Box, paddingX, paddingY, desiredWidth, desiredHeight float64, labelDims d2target.TextDimensions) shape.Shape {
+	dslShape := strings.ToLower(obj.Shape.Value)
+	shapeType := d2target.DSL_SHAPE_TO_SHAPE_TYPE[dslShape]
+	s := shape.NewShape(shapeType, contentBox)
+
+	var fitWidth, fitHeight float64
+	if shapeType == shape.PERSON_TYPE {
+		fitWidth = contentBox.Width + paddingX
+		fitHeight = contentBox.Height + paddingY
+	} else {
+		fitWidth, fitHeight = s.GetDimensionsToFit(contentBox.Width, contentBox.Height, paddingX, paddingY)
+	}
+	obj.Width = math.Max(float64(desiredWidth), fitWidth)
+	obj.Height = math.Max(float64(desiredHeight), fitHeight)
+	if s.AspectRatio1() {
+		sideLength := math.Max(obj.Width, obj.Height)
+		obj.Width = sideLength
+		obj.Height = sideLength
+	} else if desiredHeight == 0 || desiredWidth == 0 {
+		switch s.GetType() {
+		case shape.PERSON_TYPE:
+			obj.Width, obj.Height = shape.LimitAR(obj.Width, obj.Height, shape.PERSON_AR_LIMIT)
+		case shape.OVAL_TYPE:
+			obj.Width, obj.Height = shape.LimitAR(obj.Width, obj.Height, shape.OVAL_AR_LIMIT)
+		}
+	}
+	return s
+}
+
 func (obj *Object) OuterNearContainer() *Object {
 	for obj != nil {
 		if obj.NearKey != nil {
@@ -1435,7 +1464,6 @@ func (g *Graph) SetDimensions(mtexts []*d2target.MText, ruler *textmeasure.Ruler
 		contentBox := geo.NewBox(geo.NewPoint(0, 0), float64(defaultDims.Width), float64(defaultDims.Height))
 		shapeType := d2target.DSL_SHAPE_TO_SHAPE_TYPE[dslShape]
 		s := shape.NewShape(shapeType, contentBox)
-
 		paddingX, paddingY := s.GetDefaultPadding()
 		if desiredWidth != 0 {
 			paddingX = 0.
@@ -1468,27 +1496,7 @@ func (g *Graph) SetDimensions(mtexts []*d2target.MText, ruler *textmeasure.Ruler
 			}
 		}
 
-		var fitWidth, fitHeight float64
-		if shapeType == shape.PERSON_TYPE {
-			fitWidth = contentBox.Width + paddingX
-			fitHeight = contentBox.Height + paddingY
-		} else {
-			fitWidth, fitHeight = s.GetDimensionsToFit(contentBox.Width, contentBox.Height, paddingX, paddingY)
-		}
-		obj.Width = math.Max(float64(desiredWidth), fitWidth)
-		obj.Height = math.Max(float64(desiredHeight), fitHeight)
-		if s.AspectRatio1() {
-			sideLength := math.Max(obj.Width, obj.Height)
-			obj.Width = sideLength
-			obj.Height = sideLength
-		} else if desiredHeight == 0 || desiredWidth == 0 {
-			switch s.GetType() {
-			case shape.PERSON_TYPE:
-				obj.Width, obj.Height = shape.LimitAR(obj.Width, obj.Height, shape.PERSON_AR_LIMIT)
-			case shape.OVAL_TYPE:
-				obj.Width, obj.Height = shape.LimitAR(obj.Width, obj.Height, shape.OVAL_AR_LIMIT)
-			}
-		}
+		obj.SizeToContent(contentBox, paddingX, paddingY, float64(desiredWidth), float64(desiredHeight), *labelDims)
 	}
 	for _, edge := range g.Edges {
 		usedFont := fontFamily
diff --git a/d2layouts/d2grid/layout.go b/d2layouts/d2grid/layout.go
index dd87f4cb6a..85566a9161 100644
--- a/d2layouts/d2grid/layout.go
+++ b/d2layouts/d2grid/layout.go
@@ -70,26 +70,32 @@ func withoutGridDiagrams(ctx context.Context, g *d2graph.Graph) (gridDiagrams ma
 			obj.Children = make(map[string]*d2graph.Object)
 			obj.ChildrenArray = nil
 
-			var dx, dy float64
-			width := gd.width + 2*CONTAINER_PADDING
-			labelWidth := float64(obj.LabelDimensions.Width) + 2*label.PADDING
-			if labelWidth > width {
-				dx = (labelWidth - width) / 2
-				width = labelWidth
-			}
-			height := gd.height + 2*CONTAINER_PADDING
-			labelHeight := float64(obj.LabelDimensions.Height) + 2*label.PADDING
-			if labelHeight > CONTAINER_PADDING {
-				// if the label doesn't fit within the padding, we need to add more
-				grow := labelHeight - CONTAINER_PADDING
-				dy = grow / 2
-				height += grow
-			}
-			// we need to center children if we have to expand to fit the container label
-			if dx != 0 || dy != 0 {
-				gd.shift(dx, dy)
+			if obj.Box != nil {
+				contentBox := geo.NewBox(geo.NewPoint(0, 0), float64(gd.width), float64(gd.height))
+				s := obj.SizeToContent(contentBox, 2*CONTAINER_PADDING, 2*CONTAINER_PADDING, 0, 0, obj.LabelDimensions)
+				innerBox := s.GetInnerBox()
+				if innerBox.TopLeft.X != 0 || innerBox.TopLeft.Y != 0 {
+					gd.shift(innerBox.TopLeft.X, innerBox.TopLeft.Y)
+				}
+
+				var dx, dy float64
+				labelWidth := float64(obj.LabelDimensions.Width) + 2*label.PADDING
+				if labelWidth > obj.Width {
+					dx = (labelWidth - obj.Width) / 2
+					obj.Width = labelWidth
+				}
+				labelHeight := float64(obj.LabelDimensions.Height) + 2*label.PADDING
+				if labelHeight > CONTAINER_PADDING {
+					// if the label doesn't fit within the padding, we need to add more
+					grow := labelHeight - CONTAINER_PADDING
+					dy = grow / 2
+					obj.Height += grow
+				}
+				// we need to center children if we have to expand to fit the container label
+				if dx != 0 || dy != 0 {
+					gd.shift(dx, dy)
+				}
 			}
-			obj.Box = geo.NewBox(nil, width, height)
 
 			obj.LabelPosition = go2.Pointer(string(label.InsideTopCenter))
 			gridDiagrams[obj.AbsID()] = gd