diff --git a/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/BalancedSorter.js b/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/BalancedSorter.js
index 684a0351..01fcd99d 100644
--- a/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/BalancedSorter.js
+++ b/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/BalancedSorter.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ mindplot.layout.BalancedSorter = new Class({
                 (position.x >= parent.getPosition().x ? position.x : parent.getPosition().x) :
                 (position.x <= parent.getPosition().x ? position.x : parent.getPosition().x);
 
-            return {order:0, position:{x: xPos, y:position.y}};
+            return [0, {x: xPos, y:position.y}];
         }
 
         var rootNode = graph.getRootNode(parent);
diff --git a/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/LayoutManager.js b/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/LayoutManager.js
index 8d65981e..63ec1e9e 100644
--- a/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/LayoutManager.js
+++ b/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/LayoutManager.js
@@ -110,9 +110,6 @@ mindplot.layout.LayoutManager = new Class({
         var sorter = parent.getSorter();
 
         var result = sorter.predict(this._treeSet, parent, node, position, free);
-        $assert(result[0] != null, "Prediction order cannot be null");
-        $assert(result[1] != null, "Prediction position cannot be null");
-        $assert(result[1].x != null && result[1].y != null, "Prediction position is not valid");
         return {order:result[0],position:result[1]};
     },
 
diff --git a/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/SymmetricSorter.js b/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/SymmetricSorter.js
index bd86866c..56ae4cc3 100644
--- a/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/SymmetricSorter.js
+++ b/mindplot/src/main/javascript/layout/SymmetricSorter.js
@@ -25,14 +25,15 @@ mindplot.layout.SymmetricSorter = 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(), parent.getPosition());
+            var limitXPos = parent.getPosition().x + direction * (parent.getSize().width/2 + node.getSize().width/2 + mindplot.layout.SymmetricSorter.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/test/FreeTestSuite.js b/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/test/FreeTestSuite.js
index bfd6f8dc..2d7bdca7 100644
--- a/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/test/FreeTestSuite.js
+++ b/mindplot/src/test/javascript/static/test/FreeTestSuite.js
@@ -160,27 +160,26 @@ mindplot.layout.FreeTestSuite = new Class({
         var graph = manager.plot("testFreePredict1", {width:1000, height:400});
 
         var pos1 = {x: 370, y:80};
-        var predict1 = manager.predict(11, null, pos1, true);
+        var predict1 = manager.predict(5, 11, pos1, true);
+        this._plotPrediction(graph, predict1);
         $assert(predict1.position.x == pos1.x && predict1.position.y == pos1.y, "free predict should return the same position");
 
         var pos2 = {x: -200, y:80};
-        var predict2 = manager.predict(2, null, pos2, true);
+        var predict2 = manager.predict(0, 2, pos2, true);
+        this._plotPrediction(graph, predict2);
         $assert(predict2.position.x == pos2.x && predict2.position.y == pos2.y, "free predict should return the same position");
 
         var pos3 = {x: 200, y:30};
         var node5 = manager.find(5);
-        var predict3 = manager.predict(5, null, pos3, true);
+        var predict3 = manager.predict(3, 5, pos3, true);
+        this._plotPrediction(graph, predict3);
         $assert(predict3.position.x == node5.getPosition().x && predict3.position.y == pos3.y, "free predict should return the x-coordinate of the node");
 
         var pos4 = {x: -100, y:45};
         var node10 = manager.find(10);
-        var predict4 = manager.predict(10, null, pos4, true);
-        $assert(predict4.position.x == node10.getPosition().x && predict4.position.y == pos4.y, "free predict should return the x-coordinate of the node");
-
-        this._plotPrediction(graph, predict1);
-        this._plotPrediction(graph, predict2);
-        this._plotPrediction(graph, predict3);
+        var predict4 = manager.predict(2, 10, pos4, true);
         this._plotPrediction(graph, predict4);
+        $assert(predict4.position.x == node10.getPosition().x && predict4.position.y == pos4.y, "free predict should return the x-coordinate of the node");
 
         console.log("OK!\n\n");
     },