diff --git a/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/AbstractBasicSorter.js b/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/AbstractBasicSorter.js
index c3395d31..e78d6af7 100644
--- a/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/AbstractBasicSorter.js
+++ b/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/AbstractBasicSorter.js
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ mindplot.layout.AbstractBasicSorter = new Class({
 
     _getRelativeDirection: function(reference, position) {
         var offset = position.x - reference.x;
-        return offset > 0 ? 1 : (offset < 0 ? -1 : 0);
+        return offset >= 0 ? 1 : -1;
     }
 
 });
diff --git a/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/BalancedSorter.js b/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/BalancedSorter.js
index 01fcd99d..40bf1ae0 100644
--- a/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/BalancedSorter.js
+++ b/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/BalancedSorter.js
@@ -26,14 +26,16 @@ mindplot.layout.BalancedSorter = new Class({
         // If its a free node...
         if (free) {
             $assert($defined(position), "position cannot be null for predict in free positioning");
+            $assert($defined(node), "node cannot be null for predict in free positioning");
 
-            //TODO(gb): check this. Should direction be obtained by the sorter?
             var rootNode = graph.getRootNode(parent);
-            var direction = parent.getPosition().x > rootNode.getPosition().x ? 1 : -1;
+            var direction = this._getRelativeDirection(rootNode.getPosition(), node.getPosition());
+
+            var limitXPos = parent.getPosition().x + direction * (parent.getSize().width/2 + node.getSize().width/2 + mindplot.layout.BalancedSorter.INTERNODE_HORIZONTAL_PADDING);
 
             var xPos = direction > 0 ?
-                (position.x >= parent.getPosition().x ? position.x : parent.getPosition().x) :
-                (position.x <= parent.getPosition().x ? position.x : parent.getPosition().x);
+                (position.x >= limitXPos ? position.x : limitXPos) :
+                (position.x <= limitXPos ? position.x : limitXPos) ;
 
             return [0, {x: xPos, y:position.y}];
         }
diff --git a/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/layout.html b/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/layout.html
index 8fb37404..f71c5484 100644
--- a/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/layout.html
+++ b/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/layout.html
@@ -175,6 +175,9 @@
     <div id="testRootNodeChildrenPositioning3" class="col"></div>
     <div id="testRootNodeChildrenPositioning4" class="col"></div>
     <div id="testRootNodeChildrenPositioning5" class="col"></div>
+    
+    <h3>testBalancedFreePredict:</h3>
+    <div id="testBalancedFreePredict1" class="col"></div>
 </div>
 
 </body>
diff --git a/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/test/FreeTestSuite.js b/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/test/FreeTestSuite.js
index 2d7bdca7..b4952f29 100644
--- a/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/test/FreeTestSuite.js
+++ b/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/test/FreeTestSuite.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ mindplot.layout.FreeTestSuite = new Class({
         this.testReconnectFreeNode();
         this.testSiblingOverlapping();
         this.testRootNodeChildrenPositioning();
+        this.testBalancedFreePredict();
     },
 
     testFreePosition: function() {
@@ -344,6 +345,23 @@ mindplot.layout.FreeTestSuite = new Class({
         console.log("OK!\n\n");
     },
 
+    testBalancedFreePredict: function() {
+        console.log("testBalancedFreePredict:");
+        var position = {x:0,y:0};
+        var manager = new mindplot.layout.LayoutManager(0, mindplot.layout.TestSuite.ROOT_NODE_SIZE);
+
+        // Prepare a sample graph ...
+        manager.addNode(1, mindplot.layout.TestSuite.NODE_SIZE, position).connectNode(0,1,0);
+        manager.layout();
+        var graph1 = manager.plot("testBalancedFreePredict1", {width:800, height:400});
+
+        var predict1 = manager.predict(0, 1, {x:70, y:0}, true);
+        this._plotPrediction(graph1, predict1);
+        $assert(predict1.position.x == manager.find(1).getPosition().x, "Prediction x pos should be the same as node 1");
+
+        console.log("OK!\n\n");
+    },
+
     _assertFreePosition: function(manager, id, position) {
         if (id != null && position.x != null && position.y != null) {
             var node = manager.find(id);