diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/ContactListTreeCellRenderer.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/ContactListTreeCellRenderer.java
index 17974c762..ea663cf02 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/ContactListTreeCellRenderer.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/ContactListTreeCellRenderer.java
@@ -116,6 +116,21 @@ public class ContactListTreeCellRenderer
      */
     private static final int V_GAP = 3;
 
+    /**
+     * The calculated preferred height of a selected contact node.
+     */
+    private Integer preferredSelectedContactNodeHeight = null;
+
+    /**
+     * The calculated preferred height of a non selected contact node.
+     */
+    private Integer preferredNotSelectedContactNodeHeight = null;
+
+    /**
+     * The calculated preferred height of a group node.
+     */
+    private Integer preferredGroupNodeHeight = null;
+
     /**
      * The separator image for the button toolbar.
      */
@@ -579,6 +594,23 @@ && isMobile((MetaContact)contact.getDescriptor()))
             }
 
             setToolTipText(contact.getDescriptor().toString());
+
+            // lets calculate the height of contact node, if not done already
+            if(preferredNotSelectedContactNodeHeight == null)
+            {
+                preferredNotSelectedContactNodeHeight
+                    = ComponentUtils.getStringHeight(nameLabel)
+                    + V_GAP
+                    + ComponentUtils.getStringHeight(displayDetailsLabel);
+            }
+
+            if(preferredSelectedContactNodeHeight == null && isSelected)
+            {
+                preferredSelectedContactNodeHeight =
+                    preferredNotSelectedContactNodeHeight
+                        + V_GAP
+                        + chatButton.getHeight();
+            }
         }
         else if (value instanceof GroupNode)
         {
@@ -659,6 +691,13 @@ else if (value instanceof GroupNode)
                     (groupItemDescriptor != null)
                         ? groupItemDescriptor.toString()
                         : groupItem.getDisplayName());
+
+            // lets calculate group node height, if not done already
+            if(preferredGroupNodeHeight == null)
+            {
+                preferredGroupNodeHeight =
+                    ComponentUtils.getStringHeight(nameLabel);
+            }
         }
 
         return this;
@@ -794,11 +833,29 @@ public Dimension getPreferredSize()
             if (preferredHeight > 0)
                 preferredSize.height = preferredHeight;
             else if (contact instanceof ShowMoreContact)
-                preferredSize.height = 20;
+            {
+                // will reuse preferredGroupNodeHeight if available
+                // as it is the same height (one line text)
+                if(preferredGroupNodeHeight != null)
+                    preferredSize.height = preferredGroupNodeHeight;
+                else
+                    preferredSize.height = 20;
+            }
             else if (isSelected && treeContactList.isContactButtonsVisible())
-                preferredSize.height = 70;
+            {
+                if(preferredSelectedContactNodeHeight != null)
+                    preferredSize.height = preferredSelectedContactNodeHeight;
+                else
+                    preferredSize.height = 70;
+            }
             else
-                preferredSize.height = 35;
+            {
+                if(preferredNotSelectedContactNodeHeight != null)
+                    preferredSize.height
+                        = preferredNotSelectedContactNodeHeight;
+                else
+                    preferredSize.height = 35;
+            }
         }
         else if (treeNode instanceof GroupNode)
         {
@@ -810,11 +867,24 @@ else if (treeNode instanceof GroupNode)
             if (isSelected
                     && customActionButtonsUIGroup != null
                     && !customActionButtonsUIGroup.isEmpty())
-                preferredSize.height = 70;
+            {
+                if(preferredGroupNodeHeight != null)
+                    preferredSize.height = preferredGroupNodeHeight
+                        + customActionButtonsUIGroup.size()
+                        * customActionButtonsUIGroup.get(0).getHeight()
+                        + V_GAP;
+                else
+                    preferredSize.height = 70;
+            }
             else if (preferredHeight > 0)
                 preferredSize.height = preferredHeight;
             else
-                preferredSize.height = 20;
+            {
+                if(preferredGroupNodeHeight != null)
+                    preferredSize.height = preferredGroupNodeHeight;
+                else
+                    preferredSize.height = 20;
+            }
         }
 
         return preferredSize;
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/plugin/desktoputil/ComponentUtils.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/plugin/desktoputil/ComponentUtils.java
index 8cb945d1b..bea6d68fd 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/plugin/desktoputil/ComponentUtils.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/plugin/desktoputil/ComponentUtils.java
@@ -54,6 +54,22 @@ public static Dimension getStringSize(Component c, String text)
         return new Dimension(adv+2, hgt+2);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the height of the given component.
+     *
+     * @param c the component where the text is contained
+     * @return the height of the text
+     */
+    public static int getStringHeight(Component c)
+    {
+        // get metrics from the graphics
+        FontMetrics metrics = c.getFontMetrics(c.getFont());
+        // get the height of a line of text in this font and render context
+        int hgt = metrics.getHeight();
+        // calculate the height of a box to hold the text with some padding.
+        return hgt+2;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns the bounds of the given string.
      *