diff --git a/src/piechart/piechartitem.cpp b/src/piechart/piechartitem.cpp
index c061087..49fa8e8 100644
--- a/src/piechart/piechartitem.cpp
+++ b/src/piechart/piechartitem.cpp
@@ -43,10 +43,10 @@ PieChartItem::PieChartItem(QPieSeries *series, ChartPresenter* presenter)
     connect(d, SIGNAL(piePositionChanged()), this, SLOT(updateLayout()));
     connect(d, SIGNAL(pieSizeChanged()), this, SLOT(updateLayout()));
 
-    QTimer::singleShot(0, this, SLOT(initialize())); // TODO: get rid of this
-
     // Note: the following does not affect as long as the item does not have anything to paint
     setZValue(ChartPresenter::PieSeriesZValue);
+
+    // Note: will not create slice items until we have a proper rectangle to draw on.
 }
 
 PieChartItem::~PieChartItem()
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ void PieChartItem::handleGeometryChanged(const QRectF& rect)
     prepareGeometryChange();
     m_rect = rect;
     updateLayout();
+
+    // This is for delayed initialization of the slice items during startup.
+    // It ensures that startup animation originates from the correct position.
+    if (m_sliceItems.isEmpty())
+        handleSlicesAdded(m_series->slices());
 }
 
 void PieChartItem::handleDomainChanged(qreal minX, qreal maxX, qreal minY, qreal maxY)
@@ -86,11 +91,6 @@ void PieChartItem::rangeYChanged(qreal min, qreal max, int tickYCount)
     // does not apply to pie
 }
 
-void PieChartItem::initialize()
-{
-    handleSlicesAdded(m_series->slices());
-}
-
 void PieChartItem::updateLayout()
 {
     // find pie center coordinates
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ void PieChartItem::updateLayout()
 
 void PieChartItem::handleSlicesAdded(QList<QPieSlice*> slices)
 {
+    // delay creating slice items until there is a proper rectangle
+    if (!m_rect.isValid() && m_sliceItems.isEmpty())
+        return;
+
     presenter()->chartTheme()->decorate(m_series, presenter()->dataSet()->seriesIndex(m_series));
 
     bool startupAnimation = m_sliceItems.isEmpty();
diff --git a/src/piechart/piechartitem_p.h b/src/piechart/piechartitem_p.h
index d00b94a..1808d84 100644
--- a/src/piechart/piechartitem_p.h
+++ b/src/piechart/piechartitem_p.h
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ public Q_SLOTS:
     virtual void rangeXChanged(qreal min, qreal max, int tickXCount);
     virtual void rangeYChanged(qreal min, qreal max, int tickYCount);
 
-    void initialize();
     void updateLayout();
     void handleSlicesAdded(QList<QPieSlice*> slices);
     void handleSlicesRemoved(QList<QPieSlice*> slices);