diff --git a/containments/panel/contents/config/main.xml b/containments/panel/contents/config/main.xml
--- a/containments/panel/contents/config/main.xml
+++ b/containments/panel/contents/config/main.xml
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
     <entry name="AppletOrder" type="String">
       <label>encoded order of items</label>
     </entry>
+    <entry name="fixedSizeOverride" type="IntList">
+      <label>list of applet ids that should not have an expanding size policy to save space</label>
+    </entry>
   </group>
 
 </kcfg>
diff --git a/containments/panel/contents/ui/ConfigOverlay.qml b/containments/panel/contents/ui/ConfigOverlay.qml
--- a/containments/panel/contents/ui/ConfigOverlay.qml
+++ b/containments/panel/contents/ui/ConfigOverlay.qml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 import QtQuick 2.1
 import QtQuick.Layouts 1.0
+import QtQuick.Controls 1.3
 
 import org.kde.plasma.core 2.0 as PlasmaCore
 import org.kde.plasma.components 2.0 as PlasmaComponents
@@ -378,6 +379,37 @@
                         currentApplet.applet.action("configure").trigger()
                     }
                 }
+                PlasmaComponents.ToolButton {
+                    id: fixedSizeButton
+                    anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+                    iconSource: "distribute-horizontal-x"
+                    visible: currentApplet.expandingApplet
+                    tooltip: i18n("Make applet non-expanding size")
+
+                    checkable: true
+                    checked: currentApplet && currentApplet.fixedSize
+                    Connections {
+                        target: configurationArea
+                        onCurrentAppletChanged: {
+                            fixedSizeButton.checked = currentApplet && currentApplet.fixedSize
+                        }
+                    }
+
+                    onClicked: {
+                        if (currentApplet.applet.pluginName == "org.kde.plasma.panelspacer") {
+                            currentApplet.applet.configuration.expanding = !currentApplet.applet.configuration.expanding
+                            return
+                        }
+                        var tmp = plasmoid.configuration.fixedSizeOverride
+                        var index = tmp.indexOf(currentApplet.applet.id)
+                        if (index != -1) {
+                            tmp.splice(index, 1)
+                        } else {
+                            tmp.push(currentApplet.applet.id)
+                        }
+                        plasmoid.configuration.fixedSizeOverride = tmp
+                    }
+                }
                 PlasmaComponents.Label {
                     id: label
                     anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
diff --git a/containments/panel/contents/ui/main.qml b/containments/panel/contents/ui/main.qml
--- a/containments/panel/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/containments/panel/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -251,19 +251,27 @@
         Loader {
             id: container
             visible: false
+            property bool expandingApplet: applet &&
+                (applet.pluginName == "org.kde.plasma.panelspacer" ||
+                (plasmoid.formFactor != PlasmaCore.Types.Vertical ? applet.Layout.fillWidth : applet.Layout.fillHeight))
+            property bool fixedSize: applet &&
+                (applet.pluginName == "org.kde.plasma.panelspacer" ?
+                !applet.configuration.expanding :
+                (plasmoid.configuration.fixedSizeOverride.indexOf(applet.id) != -1))
+
             property bool animationsEnabled: true
 
             //when the applet moves caused by its resize, don't animate.
             //this is completely heuristic, but looks way less "jumpy"
             property bool movingForResize: false
 
-            Layout.fillWidth: applet && applet.Layout.fillWidth
+            Layout.fillWidth: applet && applet.Layout.fillWidth && !fixedSize
             Layout.onFillWidthChanged: {
                 if (plasmoid.formFactor != PlasmaCore.Types.Vertical) {
                     checkLastSpacer();
                 }
             }
-            Layout.fillHeight: applet && applet.Layout.fillHeight
+            Layout.fillHeight: applet && applet.Layout.fillHeight && !fixedSize
             Layout.onFillHeightChanged: {
                 if (plasmoid.formFactor == PlasmaCore.Types.Vertical) {
                     checkLastSpacer();