diff --git a/headers/os/interface/CardLayout.h b/headers/os/interface/CardLayout.h
index 422ed33c5a..7e2e70f828 100644
--- a/headers/os/interface/CardLayout.h
+++ b/headers/os/interface/CardLayout.h
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ public:
 	static	BArchivable*		Instantiate(BMessage* from);
 
 protected:
-	virtual	void				ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item);
-	virtual	void				ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item);
+	virtual	bool				ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex);
+	virtual	void				ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item, int32 fromIndex);
 
 private:
 			BSize				fMin;
diff --git a/headers/os/interface/GridLayout.h b/headers/os/interface/GridLayout.h
index 4c4a2880c5..96a38f9000 100644
--- a/headers/os/interface/GridLayout.h
+++ b/headers/os/interface/GridLayout.h
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ public:
 									BLayoutItem* item, int32 index);
 
 protected:	
-	virtual	void				ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item);
-	virtual	void				ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item);
+	virtual	bool				ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex);
+	virtual	void				ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item, int32 fromIndex);
 
 	virtual	bool				HasMultiColumnItems();
 	virtual	bool				HasMultiRowItems();
diff --git a/headers/os/interface/GroupLayout.h b/headers/os/interface/GroupLayout.h
index c89712f14e..96123b3240 100644
--- a/headers/os/interface/GroupLayout.h
+++ b/headers/os/interface/GroupLayout.h
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ public:
 									BLayoutItem* item, int32 index);
 
 protected:	
-	virtual	void				ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item);
-	virtual	void				ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item);
+	virtual	bool				ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex);
+	virtual	void				ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item, int32 fromIndex);
 
 	virtual	void				PrepareItems(enum orientation orientation);
 	
diff --git a/headers/os/interface/Layout.h b/headers/os/interface/Layout.h
index dc488cdfbe..5a4f799ce3 100644
--- a/headers/os/interface/Layout.h
+++ b/headers/os/interface/Layout.h
@@ -60,10 +60,8 @@ public:
 	virtual	status_t			ItemUnarchived(const BMessage* from,
 									BLayoutItem* item, int32 index);
 protected:
-// TODO: Since memory allocations can fail, we should return a bool and
-// undo the addition, if false.
-	virtual	void				ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item);
-	virtual	void				ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item);
+	virtual	bool				ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex);
+	virtual	void				ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item, int32 fromIndex);
 
 private:
 			friend class BView;
diff --git a/src/kits/interface/CardLayout.cpp b/src/kits/interface/CardLayout.cpp
index 46ed3386c8..e0eb5bcd21 100644
--- a/src/kits/interface/CardLayout.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/interface/CardLayout.cpp
@@ -234,15 +234,16 @@ BCardLayout::Instantiate(BMessage* from)
 }
 	
 
-void
-BCardLayout::ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item)
+bool
+BCardLayout::ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex)
 {
 	item->SetVisible(false);
+	return true;
 }
 
 
 void
-BCardLayout::ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item)
+BCardLayout::ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item, int32 fromIndex)
 {
 	if (fVisibleItem == item) {
 		BLayoutItem* newVisibleItem = NULL;
diff --git a/src/kits/interface/GridLayout.cpp b/src/kits/interface/GridLayout.cpp
index 0e2d1f5522..03d3bb8945 100644
--- a/src/kits/interface/GridLayout.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/interface/GridLayout.cpp
@@ -493,8 +493,6 @@ status_t
 BGridLayout::ItemArchived(BMessage* into, BLayoutItem* item, int32 index) const
 {
 	ItemLayoutData* data =	_LayoutDataForItem(item);
-	if (!data) // TODO: remove this check once AddItem() returns a bool
-		return B_ERROR;
 
 	status_t err = into->AddInt32(kItemDimensionsField, data->dimensions.x);
 	if (err == B_OK)
@@ -513,12 +511,8 @@ BGridLayout::ItemUnarchived(const BMessage* from,
 	BLayoutItem* item, int32 index)
 {
 	ItemLayoutData* data = _LayoutDataForItem(item);
-	if (!data) { // TODO: remove this check once AddItem() returns a bool
-		data = new ItemLayoutData();
-		item->SetLayoutData(data);
-	}
-
 	Dimensions& dimensions = data->dimensions;
+
 	index *= 4;
 		// each item stores 4 int32s into kItemDimensionsField
 	status_t err = from->FindInt32(kItemDimensionsField, index, &dimensions.x);
@@ -552,21 +546,18 @@ BGridLayout::ItemUnarchived(const BMessage* from,
 }
 
 
-void
-BGridLayout::ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item)
+bool
+BGridLayout::ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex)
 {
-	item->SetLayoutData(new ItemLayoutData);
+	item->SetLayoutData(new(nothrow) ItemLayoutData);
+	return item->LayoutData() != NULL;
 }
 
 
 void
-BGridLayout::ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item)
+BGridLayout::ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item, int32 fromIndex)
 {
 	ItemLayoutData* data = _LayoutDataForItem(item);
-// TODO: Once ItemAdded() returns a bool, we can remove this check.
-	if (!data)
-		return;
-
 	Dimensions itemDimensions = data->dimensions;
 	item->SetLayoutData(NULL);
 	delete data;
diff --git a/src/kits/interface/GroupLayout.cpp b/src/kits/interface/GroupLayout.cpp
index e7c725131e..a9e2d5705b 100644
--- a/src/kits/interface/GroupLayout.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/interface/GroupLayout.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 #include <new>
 
 
+using std::nothrow;
+
+
 namespace {
 	const char* const kItemWeightField = "BGroupLayout:item:weight";
 	const char* const kVerticalField = "BGroupLayout:vertical";
@@ -204,7 +207,7 @@ BArchivable*
 BGroupLayout::Instantiate(BMessage* from)
 {
 	if (validate_instantiation(from, "BGroupLayout"))
-		return new(std::nothrow) BGroupLayout(from);
+		return new(nothrow) BGroupLayout(from);
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -213,13 +216,7 @@ status_t
 BGroupLayout::ItemArchived(BMessage* into,
 	BLayoutItem* item, int32 index) const
 {
-	BGroupLayout::ItemLayoutData* data =
-		(BGroupLayout::ItemLayoutData*)item->LayoutData();
-
-	if (!data) // TODO: remove this once ItemAdded() returns a bool
-		return B_BAD_VALUE;
-
-	return into->AddFloat(kItemWeightField, data->weight);
+	return into->AddFloat(kItemWeightField, _LayoutDataForItem(item)->weight);
 }
 
 
@@ -237,15 +234,16 @@ BGroupLayout::ItemUnarchived(const BMessage* from,
 }
 
 
-void
-BGroupLayout::ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item)
+bool
+BGroupLayout::ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex)
 {
-	item->SetLayoutData(new(std::nothrow) ItemLayoutData);
+	item->SetLayoutData(new(nothrow) ItemLayoutData);
+	return item->LayoutData() != NULL;
 }
 
 
 void
-BGroupLayout::ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item)
+BGroupLayout::ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item, int32 fromIndex)
 {
 	if (ItemLayoutData* data = _LayoutDataForItem(item)) {
 		item->SetLayoutData(NULL);
diff --git a/src/kits/interface/Layout.cpp b/src/kits/interface/Layout.cpp
index 639dad9ecb..d846732035 100644
--- a/src/kits/interface/Layout.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/interface/Layout.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 using std::nothrow;
 
+
 namespace {
 	const char* const kLayoutItemField = "BLayout:items";
 }
@@ -93,20 +94,29 @@ BLayout::AddItem(int32 index, BLayoutItem* item)
 
 	// if the item refers to a BView, we make sure it is added to the parent
 	// view
+	bool addedView = false;
 	BView* view = item->View();
-	if (view && view->fParent != fView && !fView->_AddChild(view, NULL))
+	if (view && view->fParent != fView
+		&& !(addedView = fView->_AddChild(view, NULL)))
 		return false;
 
 	// validate the index
 	if (index < 0 || index > fItems.CountItems())
 		index = fItems.CountItems();
 
-	fItems.AddItem(item, index);
-	ItemAdded(item);
-	item->SetLayout(this);
-	InvalidateLayout();
-
-	return true;
+	if (fItems.AddItem(item, index) && ItemAdded(item, index)) {
+		item->SetLayout(this);
+		InvalidateLayout();
+		return true;
+	} else {
+		// this check is necessary so that if an addition somewhere other
+		// than the end of the list fails, we don't remove the wrong item
+		if (fItems.ItemAt(index) == item)
+			fItems.RemoveItem(index);
+		if (addedView)
+			view->_RemoveSelf();
+		return false;
+	}
 }
 
 
@@ -154,7 +164,7 @@ BLayout::RemoveItem(int32 index)
 		view->_RemoveSelf();
 
 	item->SetLayout(NULL);
-	ItemRemoved(item);
+	ItemRemoved(item, index);
 	InvalidateLayout();
 
 	return item;
@@ -233,7 +243,6 @@ BLayout::AllUnarchived(const BMessage* from)
 {
 	BUnarchiver unarchiver(from);
 	status_t err = BArchivable::AllUnarchived(from);
-
 	if (err != B_OK)
 		return err;
 
@@ -241,24 +250,34 @@ BLayout::AllUnarchived(const BMessage* from)
 	unarchiver.ArchiveMessage()->GetInfo(kLayoutItemField, NULL, &itemCount);
 	for (int32 i = 0; i < itemCount && err == B_OK; i++) {
 		BLayoutItem* item;
-		err = unarchiver.FindObject(kLayoutItemField, i, item);
+		err = unarchiver.FindObject(kLayoutItemField,
+			i, BUnarchiver::B_DONT_ASSUME_OWNERSHIP, item);
+		if (err != B_OK)
+			return err;
 
-		if (err == B_OK && item) {
-			if (fItems.AddItem(item)) {
-				ItemAdded(item);
-				item->SetLayout(this);
-				err = ItemUnarchived(from, item, i);
-			} else
-				err = B_NO_MEMORY;
+		if (!fItems.AddItem(item, i) || !ItemAdded(item, i)) {
+			fItems.RemoveItem(i);
+			return B_ERROR;
 		}
+
+		err = ItemUnarchived(from, item, i);
+		if (err != B_OK) {
+			fItems.RemoveItem(i);
+			ItemRemoved(item, i);	
+			return err;
+		}
+
+		item->SetLayout(this);
+		unarchiver.AssumeOwnership(item);
 	}
 
+	InvalidateLayout();
 	return err;
 }
 
 
 status_t
-BLayout::ItemArchived(BMessage* into, BLayoutItem* of, int32 index) const
+BLayout::ItemArchived(BMessage* into, BLayoutItem* item, int32 index) const
 {
 	return B_OK;
 }
@@ -271,14 +290,15 @@ BLayout::ItemUnarchived(const BMessage* from, BLayoutItem* item, int32 index)
 }
 
 
-void
-BLayout::ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item)
+bool
+BLayout::ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex)
 {
+	return true;
 }
 
 
 void
-BLayout::ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item)
+BLayout::ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item, int32 fromIndex)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kits/interface/SplitLayout.cpp b/src/kits/interface/SplitLayout.cpp
index 9279977c27..171aed8642 100644
--- a/src/kits/interface/SplitLayout.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/interface/SplitLayout.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@
 #include "SimpleLayouter.h"
 
 
+using std::nothrow;
+
+
 // archivng constants
 namespace {
 	const char* const kItemCollapsibleField = "BSplitLayout:item:collapsible";
@@ -741,10 +744,7 @@ BSplitLayout::Instantiate(BMessage* from)
 status_t
 BSplitLayout::ItemArchived(BMessage* into, BLayoutItem* item, int32 index) const
 {
-	ItemLayoutInfo* info = (ItemLayoutInfo*)item->LayoutData();
-
-	if (!info) // TODO: remove this check when AddItem() returns a bool
-		return B_ERROR;
+	ItemLayoutInfo* info = _ItemLayoutInfo(item);
 
 	status_t err = into->AddFloat(kItemWeightField, info->weight);
 	if (err == B_OK)
@@ -769,30 +769,43 @@ BSplitLayout::ItemUnarchived(const BMessage* from,
 }
 
 
-void
-BSplitLayout::ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item)
+bool
+BSplitLayout::ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex)
 {
+	ItemLayoutInfo* itemInfo = new(nothrow) ItemLayoutInfo();
+	if (!itemInfo)
+		return false;
+
 	if (CountItems() > 1) {
-		SplitterItem* splitterItem = new SplitterItem(this);
-		SetItemWeight(splitterItem, 0);
-		fSplitterItems.AddItem(splitterItem);
+		SplitterItem* splitter = new(nothrow) SplitterItem(this);
+		ItemLayoutInfo* splitterInfo = new(nothrow) ItemLayoutInfo();
+		if (!splitter || !splitterInfo || !fSplitterItems.AddItem(splitter)) {
+			delete itemInfo;
+			delete splitter;
+			delete splitterInfo;
+			return false;
+		}
+		splitter->SetLayoutData(splitterInfo);
+		SetItemWeight(splitter, 0);
 	}
 
+	item->SetLayoutData(itemInfo);
 	SetItemWeight(item, 1);
+	return true;
 }
 
 
 void
-BSplitLayout::ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item)
+BSplitLayout::ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex)
 {
 	if (fSplitterItems.CountItems() > 0) {
 		SplitterItem* splitterItem = (SplitterItem*)fSplitterItems.RemoveItem(
 			fSplitterItems.CountItems() - 1);
-		delete (ItemLayoutInfo*)splitterItem->LayoutData();
+		delete _ItemLayoutInfo(splitterItem);
 		delete splitterItem;
 	}
 
-	delete (ItemLayoutInfo*)item->LayoutData();
+	delete _ItemLayoutInfo(item);
 	item->SetLayoutData(NULL);
 }
 
@@ -1184,13 +1197,7 @@ BSplitLayout::_SetSplitterValue(int32 index, int32 value)
 BSplitLayout::ItemLayoutInfo*
 BSplitLayout::_ItemLayoutInfo(BLayoutItem* item) const
 {
-	ItemLayoutInfo* info = (ItemLayoutInfo*)item->LayoutData();
-	if (!info) {
-		info = new ItemLayoutInfo();
-		item->SetLayoutData(info);
-	}
-
-	return info;
+	return (ItemLayoutInfo*)item->LayoutData();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/kits/interface/SplitLayout.h b/src/kits/interface/SplitLayout.h
index 84a6dc5c24..b8b2a50380 100644
--- a/src/kits/interface/SplitLayout.h
+++ b/src/kits/interface/SplitLayout.h
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ public:
 									BLayoutItem* item, int32 index);
 
 protected:
-	virtual	void				ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item);
-	virtual	void				ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item);
+	virtual	bool				ItemAdded(BLayoutItem* item, int32 atIndex);
+	virtual	void				ItemRemoved(BLayoutItem* item, int32 fromIndex);
 
 private:
 			class ItemLayoutInfo;