diff --git a/data/gui/preferences_window.ui b/data/gui/preferences_window.ui
index c6929e1ea..52cdbf33e 100644
--- a/data/gui/preferences_window.ui
+++ b/data/gui/preferences_window.ui
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@
     <child>
       <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox13">
         <property name="visible">True</property>
+        <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
         <property name="spacing">6</property>
         <child>
           <object class="GtkNotebook" id="preferences_notebook">
@@ -169,6 +170,7 @@
               <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox41">
                 <property name="visible">True</property>
                 <property name="border_width">12</property>
+                <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                 <property name="spacing">12</property>
                 <child>
                   <object class="GtkFrame" id="frame1">
@@ -186,6 +188,7 @@
                           <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox1">
                             <property name="visible">True</property>
                             <property name="events">GDK_POINTER_MOTION_MASK | GDK_POINTER_MOTION_HINT_MASK | GDK_BUTTON_PRESS_MASK | GDK_BUTTON_RELEASE_MASK</property>
+                            <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                             <property name="spacing">6</property>
                             <child>
                               <object class="GtkCheckButton" id="show_avatars_in_roster_checkbutton">
@@ -559,6 +562,7 @@
               <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox42">
                 <property name="visible">True</property>
                 <property name="border_width">12</property>
+                <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                 <property name="spacing">6</property>
                 <child>
                   <object class="GtkFrame" id="frame29">
@@ -573,6 +577,7 @@
                         <child>
                           <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox67">
                             <property name="visible">True</property>
+                            <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                             <property name="spacing">6</property>
                             <child>
                               <object class="GtkHBox" id="hbox1">
@@ -675,6 +680,7 @@
                                     <child>
                                       <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox_gmail">
                                         <property name="visible">True</property>
+                                        <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                                         <property name="spacing">6</property>
                                         <child>
                                           <object class="GtkCheckButton" id="notify_gmail_checkbutton">
@@ -755,7 +761,6 @@
                                     </child>
                                   </object>
                                   <packing>
-                                    <property name="expand">False</property>
                                     <property name="position">1</property>
                                   </packing>
                                 </child>
@@ -797,6 +802,7 @@
                         <child>
                           <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox3">
                             <property name="visible">True</property>
+                            <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                             <property name="spacing">6</property>
                             <child>
                               <object class="GtkHBox" id="hbox4">
@@ -888,6 +894,7 @@
               <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox11">
                 <property name="visible">True</property>
                 <property name="border_width">12</property>
+                <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                 <property name="spacing">12</property>
                 <child>
                   <object class="GtkFrame" id="frame13">
@@ -1019,6 +1026,7 @@
               <object class="GtkVBox" id="status_vbox">
                 <property name="visible">True</property>
                 <property name="border_width">12</property>
+                <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                 <property name="spacing">12</property>
                 <child>
                   <object class="GtkFrame" id="frame81">
@@ -1212,6 +1220,7 @@ $T will be replaced by auto-not-available timeout</property>
                           <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox2">
                             <property name="visible">True</property>
                             <property name="events">GDK_POINTER_MOTION_MASK | GDK_POINTER_MOTION_HINT_MASK | GDK_BUTTON_PRESS_MASK | GDK_BUTTON_RELEASE_MASK</property>
+                            <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                             <property name="spacing">6</property>
                             <child>
                               <object class="GtkHBox" id="hbox2934">
@@ -1450,6 +1459,7 @@ $T will be replaced by auto-not-available timeout</property>
               <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox58">
                 <property name="visible">True</property>
                 <property name="border_width">12</property>
+                <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                 <property name="spacing">12</property>
                 <child>
                   <object class="GtkFrame" id="frame9">
@@ -2072,6 +2082,7 @@ $T will be replaced by auto-not-available timeout</property>
               <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox4">
                 <property name="visible">True</property>
                 <property name="border_width">12</property>
+                <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                 <property name="spacing">12</property>
                 <child>
                   <object class="GtkFrame" id="audio_frame">
@@ -2219,6 +2230,7 @@ $T will be replaced by auto-not-available timeout</property>
                               <packing>
                                 <property name="top_attach">2</property>
                                 <property name="bottom_attach">3</property>
+                                <property name="x_options">GTK_FILL</property>
                               </packing>
                             </child>
                             <child>
@@ -2230,6 +2242,7 @@ $T will be replaced by auto-not-available timeout</property>
                               <packing>
                                 <property name="top_attach">3</property>
                                 <property name="bottom_attach">4</property>
+                                <property name="x_options">GTK_FILL</property>
                               </packing>
                             </child>
                             <child>
@@ -2374,6 +2387,7 @@ to discover one from server.</property>
               <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox45">
                 <property name="visible">True</property>
                 <property name="border_width">12</property>
+                <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                 <property name="spacing">12</property>
                 <child>
                   <object class="GtkFrame" id="applications_frame">
@@ -2388,6 +2402,7 @@ to discover one from server.</property>
                         <child>
                           <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox50">
                             <property name="visible">True</property>
+                            <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                             <property name="spacing">6</property>
                             <child>
                               <object class="GtkComboBox" id="applications_combobox">
@@ -2716,6 +2731,7 @@ to discover one from server.</property>
                         <child>
                           <object class="GtkVBox" id="vbox66">
                             <property name="visible">True</property>
+                            <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
                             <property name="spacing">6</property>
                             <child>
                               <object class="GtkCheckButton" id="log_show_changes_checkbutton">
diff --git a/src/config.py b/src/config.py
index 3a6382a56..0b7db5463 100644
--- a/src/config.py
+++ b/src/config.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 ##
 
 import gtk
+import pango
 import gobject
 import os, sys
 import common.config
@@ -443,6 +444,8 @@ class PreferencesWindow:
         key=None):
             combobox = self.xml.get_object(opt_name + '_combobox')
             cell = gtk.CellRendererText()
+            cell.set_property('ellipsize', pango.ELLIPSIZE_END)
+            cell.set_property('ellipsize-set', True)
             combobox.pack_start(cell, True)
             combobox.add_attribute(cell, 'text', 0)
             model = gtk.ListStore(str, str)