diff --git a/shell/view/BuddyIcon.py b/shell/view/BuddyIcon.py
index 6fbcc4ec..ab1d4fbd 100644
--- a/shell/view/BuddyIcon.py
+++ b/shell/view/BuddyIcon.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class BuddyIcon(MenuIcon):
 		return menu
 
 	def _popup_action_cb(self, popup, action):
-		self._popdown()
+		self.popdown()
 
 		model = self._shell.get_model()
 		if action == BuddyPopup.ACTION_REMOVE_FRIEND:
diff --git a/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py b/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py
index d4be1e53..c71e79be 100644
--- a/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py
+++ b/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py
@@ -195,7 +195,6 @@ class IconItem(goocanvas.ItemSimple, goocanvas.Item):
 		self.size = 24
 		self.color = None
 		self.icon_name = None
-		self._popdown_sid = 0
 
 		goocanvas.ItemSimple.__init__(self, **kwargs)
 
@@ -233,43 +232,7 @@ class IconItem(goocanvas.ItemSimple, goocanvas.Item):
 	def do_create_view(self, canvas, parent_view):
 		view = IconView(canvas, parent_view, self)
 		view.connect('button-press-event', self._button_press_cb)
-		view.connect('enter-notify-event', self._enter_notify_event_cb, canvas)
-		view.connect('leave-notify-event', self._leave_notify_event_cb)
 		return view
 
 	def _button_press_cb(self, view, target, event):
 		self.emit('clicked')
-
-	def _start_popdown_timeout(self):
-		self._stop_popdown_timeout()
-		self._popdown_sid = gobject.timeout_add(1000, self._popdown_timeout_cb)
-
-	def _stop_popdown_timeout(self):
-		if self._popdown_sid > 0:
-			gobject.source_remove(self._popdown_sid)
-			self._popdown_sid = 0
-
-	def _enter_notify_event_cb(self, view, target, event, canvas):
-		self._stop_popdown_timeout()
-
-		[x1, y1] = canvas.convert_to_pixels(view.get_bounds().x1,
-								 		    view.get_bounds().y1)
-		[x2, y2] = canvas.convert_to_pixels(view.get_bounds().x2,
-								 		    view.get_bounds().y2)
-
-		[window_x, window_y] = canvas.window.get_origin()
-
-		x1 += window_x
-		y1 += window_y
-		x2 += window_x
-		y2 += window_y
-
-		self.emit('popup', int(x1), int(y1), int(x2), int(y2))
-
-	def _popdown_timeout_cb(self):
-		self._popdown_sid = 0
-		self.emit('popdown')
-		return False
-
-	def _leave_notify_event_cb(self, view, target, event):
-		self._start_popdown_timeout()
diff --git a/sugar/canvas/MenuIcon.py b/sugar/canvas/MenuIcon.py
index f7c6ddc2..bd5772ae 100644
--- a/sugar/canvas/MenuIcon.py
+++ b/sugar/canvas/MenuIcon.py
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+import goocanvas
+import gobject
+
 from sugar.canvas.IconItem import IconItem
 from sugar.canvas.Grid import Grid
 
@@ -10,7 +13,7 @@ class _MenuShell:
 			self._menu_controller.popdown()
 		self._menu_controller = controller
 
-class MenuIcon(IconItem):
+class MenuIcon(IconItem, goocanvas.Item):
 	_menu_shell = _MenuShell()
 
 	def __init__(self, grid, **kwargs):
@@ -21,9 +24,7 @@ class MenuIcon(IconItem):
 		self._menu_distance = 0
 		self._hover_menu = False
 		self._popdown_on_leave = False
-
-		self.connect('popup', self._popup_cb)
-		self.connect('popdown', self._popdown_cb)
+		self._popdown_sid = 0
 
 	def set_menu_distance(self, distance):
 		self._menu_distance = distance
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ class MenuIcon(IconItem):
 			self._menu.destroy()
 			self._menu = None
 
-	def _popup_cb(self, icon, x1, y1, x2, y2):
+	def _popup(self, x1, y1, x2, y2):
 		self.popdown()
 
 		MenuIcon._menu_shell.set_active(None)
@@ -68,12 +69,6 @@ class MenuIcon(IconItem):
 
 		MenuIcon._menu_shell.set_active(self)
 
-	def _popdown_cb(self, friend):
-		if not self._hover_menu:
-			self.popdown()
-		else:
-			self._popdown_on_leave = True
-
 	def _menu_enter_notify_event_cb(self, widget, event):
 		self._hover_menu = True
 
@@ -81,3 +76,48 @@ class MenuIcon(IconItem):
 		self._hover_menu = False
 		if self._popdown_on_leave:
 			self.popdown()
+
+	def do_create_view(self, canvas, parent_view):
+		view = IconItem.do_create_view(self, canvas, parent_view)
+		view.connect('enter-notify-event', self._enter_notify_event_cb, canvas)
+		view.connect('leave-notify-event', self._leave_notify_event_cb)
+		return view
+
+	def _start_popdown_timeout(self):
+		self._stop_popdown_timeout()
+		self._popdown_sid = gobject.timeout_add(1000, self._popdown_timeout_cb)
+
+	def _stop_popdown_timeout(self):
+		if self._popdown_sid > 0:
+			gobject.source_remove(self._popdown_sid)
+			self._popdown_sid = 0
+
+	def _enter_notify_event_cb(self, view, target, event, canvas):
+		self._stop_popdown_timeout()
+
+		[x1, y1] = canvas.convert_to_pixels(view.get_bounds().x1,
+								 		    view.get_bounds().y1)
+		[x2, y2] = canvas.convert_to_pixels(view.get_bounds().x2,
+								 		    view.get_bounds().y2)
+
+		[window_x, window_y] = canvas.window.get_origin()
+
+		x1 += window_x
+		y1 += window_y
+		x2 += window_x
+		y2 += window_y
+
+		self._popup(int(x1), int(y1), int(x2), int(y2))
+
+	def _popdown_timeout_cb(self):
+		self._popdown_sid = 0
+
+		if not self._hover_menu:
+			self.popdown()
+		else:
+			self._popdown_on_leave = True
+
+		return False
+
+	def _leave_notify_event_cb(self, view, target, event):
+		self._start_popdown_timeout()