diff --git a/platform/features/layout/src/FixedController.js b/platform/features/layout/src/FixedController.js
index 928dd770e8..07f0f99731 100644
--- a/platform/features/layout/src/FixedController.js
+++ b/platform/features/layout/src/FixedController.js
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@ define(
 
             // Position a panel after a drop event
             function handleDrop(e, id, position) {
+                // Ensure that configuration field is populated
+                $scope.configuration = $scope.configuration || {};
                 // Make sure there is a "elements" field in the
                 // view configuration.
                 $scope.configuration.elements =
@@ -173,6 +175,8 @@ define(
                 if ($scope.commit) {
                     $scope.commit("Dropped a frame.");
                 }
+                // Populate template-facing position for this id
+                populatePosition(id);
             }
 
             // Position panes when the model field changes
diff --git a/platform/features/layout/src/LayoutController.js b/platform/features/layout/src/LayoutController.js
index 6eaefbfe88..c8e057d0f8 100644
--- a/platform/features/layout/src/LayoutController.js
+++ b/platform/features/layout/src/LayoutController.js
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ define(
 
             // Position a panel after a drop event
             function handleDrop(e, id, position) {
+                // Ensure that configuration field is populated
+                $scope.configuration = $scope.configuration || {};
                 // Make sure there is a "panels" field in the
                 // view configuration.
                 $scope.configuration.panels =
@@ -100,6 +102,8 @@ define(
                 if ($scope.commit) {
                     $scope.commit("Dropped a frame.");
                 }
+                // Populate template-facing position for this id
+                populatePosition(id);
             }
 
             // Position panes when the model field changes
diff --git a/platform/features/layout/test/FixedControllerSpec.js b/platform/features/layout/test/FixedControllerSpec.js
index 8b5990069c..61c8773907 100644
--- a/platform/features/layout/test/FixedControllerSpec.js
+++ b/platform/features/layout/test/FixedControllerSpec.js
@@ -27,6 +27,17 @@ define(
                 return watch;
             }
 
+            // As above, but for $on calls
+            function findOn(expr) {
+                var on;
+                mockScope.$on.calls.forEach(function (call) {
+                    if (call.args[0] === expr) {
+                        on = call.args[1];
+                    }
+                });
+                return on;
+            }
+
             function makeMockDomainObject(id) {
                 var mockObject = jasmine.createSpyObj(
                     'domainObject-' + id,
@@ -39,7 +50,7 @@ define(
             beforeEach(function () {
                 mockScope = jasmine.createSpyObj(
                     '$scope',
-                    [ "$on", "$watch" ]
+                    [ "$on", "$watch", "commit" ]
                 );
                 mockSubscriber = jasmine.createSpyObj(
                     'telemetrySubscriber',
@@ -157,6 +168,33 @@ define(
                 controller.setBounds(s2);
                 expect(controller.getCellStyles().length).toEqual(60); // 10 * 6
             });
+
+            it("listens for drop events", function () {
+                // Layout should position panels according to
+                // where the user dropped them, so it needs to
+                // listen for drop events.
+                expect(mockScope.$on).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                    'mctDrop',
+                    jasmine.any(Function)
+                );
+
+                // Verify precondition
+                expect(controller.getStyle('d')).not.toBeDefined();
+
+                // Notify that a drop occurred
+                testModel.composition.push('d');
+                findOn('mctDrop')(
+                    {},
+                    'd',
+                    { x: 300, y: 100 }
+                );
+                expect(controller.getStyle('d')).toBeDefined();
+
+                // Should have triggered commit (provided by
+                // EditRepresenter) with some message.
+                expect(mockScope.commit)
+                    .toHaveBeenCalledWith(jasmine.any(String));
+            });
         });
     }
 );
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/platform/features/layout/test/LayoutControllerSpec.js b/platform/features/layout/test/LayoutControllerSpec.js
index f80b356d74..3096cac1a2 100644
--- a/platform/features/layout/test/LayoutControllerSpec.js
+++ b/platform/features/layout/test/LayoutControllerSpec.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ define(
             beforeEach(function () {
                 mockScope = jasmine.createSpyObj(
                     "$scope",
-                    [ "$watch" ]
+                    [ "$watch", "$on", "commit" ]
                 );
 
                 testModel = {
@@ -97,9 +97,6 @@ define(
                 // Populate scope
                 mockScope.$watch.mostRecentCall.args[1](testModel.composition);
 
-                // Add a commit method to scope
-                mockScope.commit = jasmine.createSpy("commit");
-
                 // Do a drag
                 controller.startDrag("b", [1, 1], [0, 0]);
                 controller.continueDrag([100, 100]);
@@ -110,6 +107,33 @@ define(
                 expect(mockScope.commit)
                     .toHaveBeenCalledWith(jasmine.any(String));
             });
+
+            it("listens for drop events", function () {
+                // Layout should position panels according to
+                // where the user dropped them, so it needs to
+                // listen for drop events.
+                expect(mockScope.$on).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                    'mctDrop',
+                    jasmine.any(Function)
+                );
+
+                // Verify precondition
+                expect(testConfiguration.panels.d).not.toBeDefined();
+
+                // Notify that a drop occurred
+                testModel.composition.push('d');
+                mockScope.$on.mostRecentCall.args[1](
+                    {},
+                    'd',
+                    { x: 300, y: 100 }
+                );
+                expect(testConfiguration.panels.d).toBeDefined();
+
+                // Should have triggered commit (provided by
+                // EditRepresenter) with some message.
+                expect(mockScope.commit)
+                    .toHaveBeenCalledWith(jasmine.any(String));
+            });
         });
     }
 );
\ No newline at end of file