diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_gengrid.c b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_gengrid.c
index c902e9a37d..7b256f9efd 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_gengrid.c
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_gengrid.c
@@ -757,12 +757,15 @@ _item_realize(Elm_Gen_Item *it)
                                elm_widget_style_get(WIDGET(it)));
    evas_object_stack_below(VIEW(it), sd->stack);
 
-   it->spacer =
-     evas_object_rectangle_add(evas_object_evas_get(WIDGET(it)));
-   evas_object_color_set(it->spacer, 0, 0, 0, 0);
-   elm_widget_sub_object_add(WIDGET(it), it->spacer);
-   evas_object_size_hint_min_set(it->spacer, 2 * elm_config_scale_get(), 1);
-   edje_object_part_swallow(VIEW(it), "elm.swallow.pad", it->spacer);
+   if (edje_object_part_exists(VIEW(it), "elm.swallow.pad"))
+     {
+        it->spacer =
+           evas_object_rectangle_add(evas_object_evas_get(WIDGET(it)));
+        evas_object_color_set(it->spacer, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+        elm_widget_sub_object_add(WIDGET(it), it->spacer);
+        evas_object_size_hint_min_set(it->spacer, 2 * elm_config_scale_get(), 1);
+        edje_object_part_swallow(VIEW(it), "elm.swallow.pad", it->spacer);
+     }
 
    /* access */
    if (_elm_config->access_mode) _access_widget_item_register(it);
diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_genlist.c b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_genlist.c
index 269c8af681..d672d114ef 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_genlist.c
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elm_genlist.c
@@ -1572,20 +1572,27 @@ _item_realize(Elm_Gen_Item *it,
     }
    treesize = edje_object_data_get(VIEW(it), "treesize");
    if (treesize) tsize = atoi(treesize);
-   if (!it->spacer && treesize)
-     {
-        it->spacer =
-          evas_object_rectangle_add(evas_object_evas_get(WIDGET(it)));
-        evas_object_color_set(it->spacer, 0, 0, 0, 0);
-        elm_widget_sub_object_add(WIDGET(it), it->spacer);
-     }
-   if (it->spacer)
+
+   if (edje_object_part_exists(VIEW(it), "elm.swallow.pad"))
      {
+        if (!it->spacer && treesize)
+          {
+             it->spacer =
+                evas_object_rectangle_add(evas_object_evas_get(WIDGET(it)));
+             evas_object_color_set(it->spacer, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+             elm_widget_sub_object_add(WIDGET(it), it->spacer);
+          }
+
         evas_object_size_hint_min_set
-          (it->spacer, (it->item->expanded_depth * tsize) *
-          elm_config_scale_get(), 1);
+           (it->spacer, (it->item->expanded_depth * tsize) *
+            elm_config_scale_get(), 1);
         edje_object_part_swallow(VIEW(it), "elm.swallow.pad", it->spacer);
      }
+   else
+     {
+        ELM_SAFE_FREE(it->spacer, evas_object_del);
+     }
+
    if (!calc)
      {
         edje_object_signal_callback_add