diff --git a/lib/features/modeling/ElementFactory.js b/lib/features/modeling/ElementFactory.js
index 31ae257f..17abb051 100644
--- a/lib/features/modeling/ElementFactory.js
+++ b/lib/features/modeling/ElementFactory.js
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ import {
 
 import inherits from 'inherits';
 
-import { is } from '../../util/ModelUtil';
+import {
+  getBusinessObject,
+  getDi,
+  is
+} from '../../util/ModelUtil';
 
 import {
   isExpanded
@@ -127,7 +131,7 @@ ElementFactory.prototype.createBpmnElement = function(elementType, attrs) {
     delete attrs.eventDefinitionType;
   }
 
-  size = this._getDefaultSize(businessObject);
+  size = this.getDefaultSize(businessObject, di);
 
   attrs = assign({
     businessObject: businessObject,
@@ -139,54 +143,56 @@ ElementFactory.prototype.createBpmnElement = function(elementType, attrs) {
 };
 
 
-ElementFactory.prototype._getDefaultSize = function(semantic) {
+ElementFactory.prototype.getDefaultSize = function(element, di) {
 
-  if (is(semantic, 'bpmn:SubProcess')) {
+  var bo = getBusinessObject(element);
+  di = di || getDi(element);
 
-    if (isExpanded(semantic)) {
+  if (is(bo, 'bpmn:SubProcess')) {
+    if (isExpanded(bo, di)) {
       return { width: 350, height: 200 };
     } else {
       return { width: 100, height: 80 };
     }
   }
 
-  if (is(semantic, 'bpmn:Task')) {
+  if (is(bo, 'bpmn:Task')) {
     return { width: 100, height: 80 };
   }
 
-  if (is(semantic, 'bpmn:Gateway')) {
+  if (is(bo, 'bpmn:Gateway')) {
     return { width: 50, height: 50 };
   }
 
-  if (is(semantic, 'bpmn:Event')) {
+  if (is(bo, 'bpmn:Event')) {
     return { width: 36, height: 36 };
   }
 
-  if (is(semantic, 'bpmn:Participant')) {
-    if (isExpanded(semantic)) {
+  if (is(bo, 'bpmn:Participant')) {
+    if (isExpanded(bo, di)) {
       return { width: 600, height: 250 };
     } else {
       return { width: 400, height: 60 };
     }
   }
 
-  if (is(semantic, 'bpmn:Lane')) {
+  if (is(bo, 'bpmn:Lane')) {
     return { width: 400, height: 100 };
   }
 
-  if (is(semantic, 'bpmn:DataObjectReference')) {
+  if (is(bo, 'bpmn:DataObjectReference')) {
     return { width: 36, height: 50 };
   }
 
-  if (is(semantic, 'bpmn:DataStoreReference')) {
+  if (is(bo, 'bpmn:DataStoreReference')) {
     return { width: 50, height: 50 };
   }
 
-  if (is(semantic, 'bpmn:TextAnnotation')) {
+  if (is(bo, 'bpmn:TextAnnotation')) {
     return { width: 100, height: 30 };
   }
 
-  if (is(semantic, 'bpmn:Group')) {
+  if (is(bo, 'bpmn:Group')) {
     return { width: 300, height: 300 };
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/features/modeling/behavior/ToggleElementCollapseBehaviour.js b/lib/features/modeling/behavior/ToggleElementCollapseBehaviour.js
index afcb405f..c0393ad6 100644
--- a/lib/features/modeling/behavior/ToggleElementCollapseBehaviour.js
+++ b/lib/features/modeling/behavior/ToggleElementCollapseBehaviour.js
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ export default function ToggleElementCollapseBehaviour(
 
   this.postExecuted([ 'shape.toggleCollapse' ], LOW_PRIORITY, function(e) {
     var shape = e.context.shape,
-        defaultSize = elementFactory._getDefaultSize(shape),
+        defaultSize = elementFactory.getDefaultSize(shape),
         newBounds;
 
     if (shape.collapsed) {
diff --git a/lib/features/replace/BpmnReplace.js b/lib/features/replace/BpmnReplace.js
index cc1a28e6..7a1dc3ba 100644
--- a/lib/features/replace/BpmnReplace.js
+++ b/lib/features/replace/BpmnReplace.js
@@ -207,12 +207,12 @@ export default function BpmnReplace(
 
       // apply same width and default height
       newElement.width = element.width;
-      newElement.height = elementFactory._getDefaultSize(newBusinessObject).height;
+      newElement.height = elementFactory.getDefaultSize(newElement).height;
     }
 
     if (!rules.allowed('shape.resize', { shape: newBusinessObject })) {
-      newElement.height = elementFactory._getDefaultSize(newBusinessObject).height;
-      newElement.width = elementFactory._getDefaultSize(newBusinessObject).width;
+      newElement.height = elementFactory.getDefaultSize(newElement).height;
+      newElement.width = elementFactory.getDefaultSize(newElement).width;
     }
 
     newBusinessObject.name = oldBusinessObject.name;
diff --git a/test/spec/features/modeling/behavior/CreateParticipantBehaviorSpec.js b/test/spec/features/modeling/behavior/CreateParticipantBehaviorSpec.js
index 3e8f4a98..01bcfa57 100644
--- a/test/spec/features/modeling/behavior/CreateParticipantBehaviorSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/features/modeling/behavior/CreateParticipantBehaviorSpec.js
@@ -335,7 +335,6 @@ describe('features/modeling - create participant', function() {
       beforeEach(bootstrapModeler(processDiagramXML, { modules: testModules }));
 
       var participant,
-          participantBo,
           process,
           processGfx;
 
@@ -346,7 +345,6 @@ describe('features/modeling - create participant', function() {
         processGfx = canvas.getGraphics(process);
 
         participant = elementFactory.createParticipantShape();
-        participantBo = participant.businessObject;
 
         create.start(canvasEvent({ x: 100, y: 100 }), participant);
 
@@ -357,7 +355,7 @@ describe('features/modeling - create participant', function() {
       it('should fit participant', inject(function(elementFactory) {
 
         // then
-        var defaultSize = elementFactory._getDefaultSize(participantBo);
+        var defaultSize = elementFactory.getDefaultSize(participant);
 
         expect(participant.width).to.equal(defaultSize.width);
         expect(participant.height).to.equal(defaultSize.height);
@@ -423,7 +421,6 @@ describe('features/modeling - create participant', function() {
           var process = canvas.getRootElement(),
               processGfx = canvas.getGraphics(process),
               participant = elementFactory.createParticipantShape(),
-              participantBo = participant.businessObject,
               groupElement = elementFactory.createShape({ type: 'bpmn:Group' });
 
           modeling.createShape(groupElement, { x: 100, y: 100 }, process);
@@ -433,7 +430,7 @@ describe('features/modeling - create participant', function() {
           dragging.hover({ element: process, gfx: processGfx });
 
           // then
-          var defaultSize = elementFactory._getDefaultSize(participantBo);
+          var defaultSize = elementFactory.getDefaultSize(participant);
 
           expect(participant.width).to.equal(defaultSize.width);
           expect(participant.height).to.equal(defaultSize.height);