diff --git a/lib/features/modeling/ElementFactory.js b/lib/features/modeling/ElementFactory.js
index ee8abc1f..e45478cd 100644
--- a/lib/features/modeling/ElementFactory.js
+++ b/lib/features/modeling/ElementFactory.js
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ var _ = require('lodash');
 
 var BaseElementFactory = require('diagram-js/lib/core/ElementFactory');
 
+var LabelUtil = require('../../util/Label');
+
 
 /**
  * A bpmn-aware factory for diagram-js shapes
@@ -61,7 +63,9 @@ ElementFactory.prototype.createRoot = function(attrs) {
 };
 
 ElementFactory.prototype.createLabel = function(attrs) {
-  return this.create('label', _.extend({ type: 'label' }, attrs));
+  return this.create('label', _.extend({
+    type: 'label'
+  }, LabelUtil.DEFAULT_LABEL_SIZE, attrs));
 };
 
 ElementFactory.prototype.createShape = function(attrs) {
diff --git a/lib/util/Label.js b/lib/util/Label.js
index 2412a53f..c40c01ab 100644
--- a/lib/util/Label.js
+++ b/lib/util/Label.js
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
 var _ = require('lodash');
 
 
+var DEFAULT_LABEL_SIZE = module.exports.DEFAULT_LABEL_SIZE = {
+  width: 90,
+  height: 50
+};
+
+
 /**
  * Returns true if the given semantic has an external label
  *
@@ -47,7 +53,7 @@ var getExternalLabelMid = module.exports.getExternalLabelMid = function(element)
   } else {
     return {
       x: element.x + element.width / 2,
-      y: element.y + element.height - 5
+      y: element.y + element.height + DEFAULT_LABEL_SIZE.height / 2 - 5
     };
   }
 };
@@ -83,10 +89,7 @@ module.exports.getExternalLabelBounds = function(semantic, element) {
 
     mid = getExternalLabelMid(element);
 
-    size = {
-      width: 90,
-      height: 50
-    };
+    size = DEFAULT_LABEL_SIZE;
   }
 
   return _.extend({
diff --git a/test/spec/features/modeling/AppendShapeSpec.js b/test/spec/features/modeling/AppendShapeSpec.js
index 63d3d8fd..8afcf1f4 100644
--- a/test/spec/features/modeling/AppendShapeSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/features/modeling/AppendShapeSpec.js
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ var modelingModule = require('../../../../lib/features/modeling'),
     drawModule = require('../../../../lib/draw');
 
 
+var LabelUtil = require('../../../../lib/util/Label');
+
+
 describe('features/modeling - append shape', function() {
 
   beforeEach(Matchers.addDeepEquals);
@@ -84,30 +87,57 @@ describe('features/modeling - append shape', function() {
     }));
 
 
-    it('should add shape label', inject(function(elementRegistry, modeling, commandStack) {
+    describe('should add external label', function() {
 
-      // given
-      var startEventShape = elementRegistry.getById('StartEvent_1');
-      var subProcessShape = elementRegistry.getById('SubProcess_1');
+      it('correctly wired and positioned', inject(function(elementRegistry, modeling, commandStack) {
 
-      var startEvent = startEventShape.businessObject,
-          subProcess = subProcessShape.businessObject;
+        // given
+        var startEventShape = elementRegistry.getById('StartEvent_1');
+        var subProcessShape = elementRegistry.getById('SubProcess_1');
 
-      // when
-      var targetShape = modeling.appendFlowNode(startEventShape, 'bpmn:EndEvent'),
-          target = targetShape.businessObject;
+        var startEvent = startEventShape.businessObject,
+            subProcess = subProcessShape.businessObject;
 
-      // then
-      expect(targetShape.label).toBeDefined();
-      expect(elementRegistry.getById(targetShape.label.id)).toBeDefined();
+        // when
+        var targetShape = modeling.appendFlowNode(startEventShape, 'bpmn:EndEvent'),
+            target = targetShape.businessObject;
 
-      expect(target.di.label).toBeDefined();
+        var label = targetShape.label;
 
-      expect(target.di.label.bounds.x).toBe(targetShape.label.x);
-      expect(target.di.label.bounds.y).toBe(targetShape.label.y);
-      expect(target.di.label.bounds.width).toBe(targetShape.label.width);
-      expect(target.di.label.bounds.height).toBe(targetShape.label.height);
-    }));
+        // then
+        expect(label).toBeDefined();
+        expect(elementRegistry.getById(label.id)).toBeDefined();
+
+        expect(label.x).toBe(443);
+        expect(label.y).toBe(273);
+        expect(label.width).toBe(LabelUtil.DEFAULT_LABEL_SIZE.width);
+        expect(label.height).toBe(LabelUtil.DEFAULT_LABEL_SIZE.height);
+      }));
+
+
+      it('with di', inject(function(elementRegistry, modeling, commandStack) {
+
+        // given
+        var startEventShape = elementRegistry.getById('StartEvent_1');
+        var subProcessShape = elementRegistry.getById('SubProcess_1');
+
+        var startEvent = startEventShape.businessObject,
+            subProcess = subProcessShape.businessObject;
+
+        // when
+        var targetShape = modeling.appendFlowNode(startEventShape, 'bpmn:EndEvent'),
+            target = targetShape.businessObject;
+
+        // then
+        expect(target.di.label).toBeDefined();
+
+        expect(target.di.label.bounds.x).toBe(targetShape.label.x);
+        expect(target.di.label.bounds.y).toBe(targetShape.label.y);
+        expect(target.di.label.bounds.width).toBe(targetShape.label.width);
+        expect(target.di.label.bounds.height).toBe(targetShape.label.height);
+      }));
+
+    });
 
 
     it('should add connection', inject(function(elementRegistry, modeling) {