diff --git a/plugins/layouts/flexible/flexible.inc b/plugins/layouts/flexible/flexible.inc
index f49886b..415acbe 100644
--- a/plugins/layouts/flexible/flexible.inc
+++ b/plugins/layouts/flexible/flexible.inc
@@ -471,15 +471,26 @@ function panels_flexible_render_items($renderer, $list, $owner_id) {
     switch ($item['type']) {
       case 'column':
         $content = panels_flexible_render_items($renderer, $item['children'], $renderer->base['column'] . '-' . $id);
-        $groups[$location] .= panels_flexible_render_item($renderer, $item, $content, $id, $position, $max);
+        if (empty($renderer->settings['items'][$id]['hide_empty']) || trim($content)) {
+          $groups[$location] .= panels_flexible_render_item($renderer, $item, $content, $id, $position, $max);
+        }
         break;
       case 'row':
         $content = panels_flexible_render_items($renderer, $item['children'], $renderer->base['row'] . '-' . $id);
-        $groups[$location] .= panels_flexible_render_item($renderer, $item, $content, $id, $position, $max, TRUE);
+        if (empty($renderer->settings['items'][$id]['hide_empty']) || trim($content)) {
+          $groups[$location] .= panels_flexible_render_item($renderer, $item, $content, $id, $position, $max, TRUE);
+        }
         break;
       case 'region':
-        $content = isset($renderer->content[$id]) ? $renderer->content[$id] : " ";
-        $groups[$location] .= panels_flexible_render_item($renderer, $item, $content, $id, $position, $max);
+        if (empty($renderer->settings['items'][$id]['hide_empty'])) {
+          $content = isset($renderer->content[$id]) ? $renderer->content[$id] : " ";
+        }
+        else {
+          $content = isset($renderer->content[$id]) ? trim($renderer->content[$id]) : "";
+        }
+        if (empty($renderer->settings['items'][$id]['hide_empty']) || $content) {
+          $groups[$location] .= panels_flexible_render_item($renderer, $item, $content, $id, $position, $max);
+        }
         break;
     }
 
@@ -1186,6 +1197,12 @@ function panels_flexible_config_item_form($form, &$form_state) {
     }
   }
 
+  $form['hide_empty'] = array(
+    '#title' => t('Hide element if empty'),
+    '#type' => 'checkbox',
+    '#default_value' => !empty($item['hide_empty']) ? 1 : 0,
+  );
+
   $form['save'] = array(
     '#type' => 'submit',
     '#value' => t('Save'),
@@ -1223,6 +1240,7 @@ function panels_flexible_config_item_form_submit(&$form, &$form_state) {
   else {
     $item['contains'] = $form_state['values']['contains'];
   }
+  $item['hide_empty'] = $form_state['values']['hide_empty'];
 
 }