diff --git a/Libraries/Lists/VirtualizedList.js b/Libraries/Lists/VirtualizedList.js
index 58fe055a3..8ee3da2ea 100644
--- a/Libraries/Lists/VirtualizedList.js
+++ b/Libraries/Lists/VirtualizedList.js
@@ -850,23 +850,25 @@ class VirtualizedList extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
         );
       }
     } else if (ListEmptyComponent) {
-      const element = React.isValidElement(ListEmptyComponent) ? (
+      const element: React.Element<any> = (React.isValidElement(
+        ListEmptyComponent,
+      ) ? (
         ListEmptyComponent
       ) : (
         // $FlowFixMe
         <ListEmptyComponent />
-      );
+      ): any);
       cells.push(
-        <View
-          key="$empty"
-          onLayout={this._onLayoutEmpty}
-          style={inversionStyle}>
-          {/*
-            Flow doesn't know this is a React.Element and not a React.Component
-            $FlowFixMe https://fburl.com/b9xmtm09
-          */}
-          {element}
-        </View>,
+        React.cloneElement(element, {
+          key: '$empty',
+          onLayout: event => {
+            this._onLayoutEmpty(event);
+            if (element.props.onLayout) {
+              element.props.onLayout(event);
+            }
+          },
+          style: [element.props.style, inversionStyle],
+        }),
       );
     }
     if (ListFooterComponent) {
diff --git a/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap b/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap
index 7ebe23df2..9cf5c2d9e 100644
--- a/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap
+++ b/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap
@@ -683,12 +683,7 @@ exports[`VirtualizedList renders empty list with empty component 1`] = `
     >
       <header />
     </View>
-    <View
-      onLayout={[Function]}
-      style={null}
-    >
-      <empty />
-    </View>
+    <empty />
     <View
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
diff --git a/RNTester/js/FlatListExample.js b/RNTester/js/FlatListExample.js
index 9effcf939..9ec623fc8 100644
--- a/RNTester/js/FlatListExample.js
+++ b/RNTester/js/FlatListExample.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ const {
   FooterComponent,
   HeaderComponent,
   ItemComponent,
+  ListEmptyComponent,
   ItemSeparatorComponent,
   PlainInput,
   SeparatorComponent,
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ class FlatListExample extends React.PureComponent<{}, $FlowFixMeState> {
     fixedHeight: true,
     logViewable: false,
     virtualized: true,
+    empty: false,
   };
 
   _onChangeFilterText = (filterText) => {
@@ -109,8 +111,9 @@ class FlatListExample extends React.PureComponent<{}, $FlowFixMeState> {
               {renderSmallSwitchOption(this, 'virtualized')}
               {renderSmallSwitchOption(this, 'horizontal')}
               {renderSmallSwitchOption(this, 'fixedHeight')}
-              {renderSmallSwitchOption(this, 'logViewable')}
+              {renderSmallSwitchOption(this, 'log')}
               {renderSmallSwitchOption(this, 'inverted')}
+              {renderSmallSwitchOption(this, 'empty')}
               {renderSmallSwitchOption(this, 'debug')}
               <Spindicator value={this._scrollPos} />
             </View>
@@ -120,7 +123,8 @@ class FlatListExample extends React.PureComponent<{}, $FlowFixMeState> {
             ItemSeparatorComponent={ItemSeparatorComponent}
             ListHeaderComponent={<HeaderComponent />}
             ListFooterComponent={FooterComponent}
-            data={filteredData}
+            ListEmptyComponent={ListEmptyComponent}
+            data={this.state.empty ? [] : filteredData}
             debug={this.state.debug}
             disableVirtualization={!this.state.virtualized}
             getItemLayout={this.state.fixedHeight ?
@@ -210,6 +214,7 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
   },
   list: {
     backgroundColor: 'white',
+    flexGrow: 1,
   },
   options: {
     flexDirection: 'row',
diff --git a/RNTester/js/ListExampleShared.js b/RNTester/js/ListExampleShared.js
index c5eef14db..75ef6bb4b 100644
--- a/RNTester/js/ListExampleShared.js
+++ b/RNTester/js/ListExampleShared.js
@@ -117,6 +117,16 @@ class HeaderComponent extends React.PureComponent<{}> {
   }
 }
 
+class ListEmptyComponent extends React.PureComponent<{}> {
+  render() {
+    return (
+      <View style={styles.listEmpty}>
+        <Text>The list is empty :o</Text>
+      </View>
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 class SeparatorComponent extends React.PureComponent<{}> {
   render() {
     return <View style={styles.separator} />;
@@ -240,6 +250,11 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
   headerFooterContainer: {
     backgroundColor: 'rgb(239, 239, 244)',
   },
+  listEmpty: {
+    alignItems: 'center',
+    justifyContent: 'center',
+    flexGrow: 1,
+  },
   horizItem: {
     alignSelf: 'flex-start', // Necessary for touch highlight
   },
@@ -317,6 +332,7 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
 module.exports = {
   FooterComponent,
   HeaderComponent,
+  ListEmptyComponent,
   ItemComponent,
   ItemSeparatorComponent,
   PlainInput,