diff --git a/src/panel.js b/src/panel.js
index a0558b0..1d62d69 100644
--- a/src/panel.js
+++ b/src/panel.js
@@ -1146,7 +1146,7 @@ export const Panel = GObject.registerClass(
         }
 
         if (actor instanceof St.BoxLayout) {
-          actor.vertical = isVertical
+          Utils.setBoxLayoutVertical(actor, isVertical)
         } else if (
           actor != this.statusArea.appMenu &&
           ((actor._delegate || actor) instanceof PanelMenu.ButtonBox ||
diff --git a/src/taskbar.js b/src/taskbar.js
index 8107945..ed86bdc 100644
--- a/src/taskbar.js
+++ b/src/taskbar.js
@@ -535,6 +535,7 @@ export const Taskbar = class extends EventEmitter {
   _updateIconAnimations(pointerX, pointerY) {
     this._iconAnimationTimestamp = Date.now()
     let type = iconAnimationSettings.type
+    let vertical = this.dtpPanel.checkIfVertical()
 
     if (!pointerX || !pointerY) [pointerX, pointerY] = global.get_pointer()
 
@@ -542,10 +543,8 @@ export const Taskbar = class extends EventEmitter {
       let [x, y] = item.get_transformed_position()
       let [width, height] = item.get_transformed_size()
       let [centerX, centerY] = [x + width / 2, y + height / 2]
-      let size = this._box.vertical ? height : width
-      let difference = this._box.vertical
-        ? pointerY - centerY
-        : pointerX - centerX
+      let size = vertical ? height : width
+      let difference = vertical ? pointerY - centerY : pointerX - centerX
       let distance = Math.abs(difference)
       let maxDistance = (iconAnimationSettings.extent / 2) * size
 
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index 53e4c76..6ee92a2 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -182,15 +182,23 @@ export const TimeoutsHandler = class extends BasicHandler {
 }
 
 export function createBoxLayout(options) {
-  if (options && Config.PACKAGE_VERSION >= '48') {
-    // https://mutter.gnome.org/clutter/enum.Orientation.html
-    options.orientation = options.vertical ? 1 : 0
+  if (options && 'vertical' in options) {
+    let vertical = options.vertical
+
     delete options.vertical
+    setBoxLayoutVertical(options, vertical)
   }
 
   return new St.BoxLayout(options)
 }
 
+export function setBoxLayoutVertical(box, vertical) {
+  if (Config.PACKAGE_VERSION >= '48')
+    // https://mutter.gnome.org/clutter/enum.Orientation.html
+    box.orientation = vertical ? 1 : 0
+  else box.vertical = vertical
+}
+
 // This is wrapper to maintain compatibility with GNOME-Shell 3.30+ as well as
 // previous versions.
 export const DisplayWrapper = {