diff --git a/headers/private/interface/BMCPrivate.h b/headers/private/interface/BMCPrivate.h
index 3fe04cdaf3..f3fea82fc2 100644
--- a/headers/private/interface/BMCPrivate.h
+++ b/headers/private/interface/BMCPrivate.h
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ private:
 
 			void				_Init(bool setMaxContentWidth);
 
+			void				_DrawItems(BRect updateRect);
+
 			BMenuField*			fMenuField;
 			bool				fFixedSize;	
 			BMessageRunner*		fRunner;
diff --git a/src/kits/interface/BMCPrivate.cpp b/src/kits/interface/BMCPrivate.cpp
index 54240fe715..09d99b5139 100644
--- a/src/kits/interface/BMCPrivate.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/interface/BMCPrivate.cpp
@@ -12,16 +12,21 @@
 #include <BMCPrivate.h>
 
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 #include <ControlLook.h>
+#include <Font.h>
 #include <LayoutUtils.h>
 #include <MenuField.h>
 #include <MenuItem.h>
 #include <Message.h>
 #include <MessageRunner.h>
 #include <Region.h>
+#include <String.h>
 #include <Window.h>
 
+#include <MenuPrivate.h>
+
 
 static const float kPopUpIndicatorWidth = 10.0f;
 static const float kMarginWidth = 3.0f;
@@ -59,6 +64,7 @@ _BMCFilter_::Filter(BMessage* message, BHandler** handler)
 
 // #pragma mark -
 
+using BPrivate::MenuPrivate;
 
 _BMCMenuBar_::_BMCMenuBar_(BRect frame, bool fixedSize, BMenuField* menuField)
 	:
@@ -331,3 +337,56 @@ _BMCMenuBar_::_Init(bool setMaxContentWidth)
 		SetMaxContentWidth(fPreviousWidth - (left + right));
 }
 
+
+void
+_BMCMenuBar_::_DrawItems(BRect updateRect)
+{
+	MenuPrivate menuPrivate(this);
+	menuPrivate.CacheFontInfo();
+	const BRect& padding = menuPrivate.Padding();
+	float frameWidth = fMenuField->_MenuBarWidth()
+		- (padding.left + padding.right);
+	int32 itemCount = CountItems();
+
+	for (int32 i = 0; i < itemCount; i++) {
+		BMenuItem* item = ItemAt(i);
+		if (item == NULL)
+			continue;
+
+		if (!item->Frame().Intersects(updateRect))
+			continue;
+
+		const char* label = item->Label();
+		if (label == NULL)
+			continue;
+
+		BPoint contentLocation(item->Frame().left + padding.left,
+			item->Frame().top + padding.top);
+		MovePenTo(contentLocation);
+		MovePenBy(0, menuPrivate.Ascent());
+
+		if (item->IsEnabled())
+			SetHighColor(ui_color(B_MENU_ITEM_TEXT_COLOR));
+		else
+			SetHighColor(tint_color(LowColor(), B_DISABLED_LABEL_TINT));
+
+		SetDrawingMode(B_OP_OVER);
+
+		if (frameWidth >= StringWidth(label))
+			DrawString(label);
+		else {
+			// truncate label to fit
+			char* truncatedLabel = new char[strlen(label) + 4];
+			BFont font;
+			GetFont(&font);
+			BString labelString(label);
+			font.TruncateString(&labelString, B_TRUNCATE_MIDDLE, frameWidth);
+			labelString.CopyInto(truncatedLabel, 0, labelString.Length());
+			truncatedLabel[labelString.Length()] = '\0';
+			DrawString(truncatedLabel);
+			delete[] truncatedLabel;
+		}
+
+		SetDrawingMode(B_OP_COPY);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/kits/interface/MenuItem.cpp b/src/kits/interface/MenuItem.cpp
index 1ab24907e4..fb79e1bc8f 100644
--- a/src/kits/interface/MenuItem.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/interface/MenuItem.cpp
@@ -399,28 +399,9 @@ BMenuItem::DrawContent()
 	fSuper->MovePenBy(0, menuPrivate.Ascent());
 	BPoint lineStart = fSuper->PenLocation();
 
-	float labelWidth, labelHeight;
-	GetContentSize(&labelWidth, &labelHeight);
-
 	fSuper->SetDrawingMode(B_OP_OVER);
 
-	float frameWidth = fBounds.Width();
-	if (menuPrivate.State() == MENU_STATE_CLOSED) {
-		float leftMargin;
-		float rightMargin;
-		menuPrivate.GetItemMargins(&leftMargin, NULL, &rightMargin, NULL);
-		frameWidth = fSuper->Frame().Width() - rightMargin + leftMargin;
-	}
-
-	if (frameWidth >= labelWidth)
-		fSuper->DrawString(fLabel);
-	else {
-		// truncate the label to fit
-		char* truncatedLabel = new char[strlen(fLabel) + 4];
-		TruncateLabel(frameWidth, truncatedLabel);
-		fSuper->DrawString(truncatedLabel);
-		delete[] truncatedLabel;
-	}
+	fSuper->DrawString(fLabel);
 
 	if (fSuper->AreTriggersEnabled() && fTriggerIndex != -1) {
 		float escapements[fTriggerIndex + 1];