diff --git a/src/fx.js b/src/fx.js
index ae472efd..626227db 100644
--- a/src/fx.js
+++ b/src/fx.js
@@ -288,12 +288,9 @@ jQuery.fx.prototype = {
 		this.options.show = true;
 
 		// Begin the animation
-		this.custom(0, this.cur());
-
 		// Make sure that we start at a small width/height to avoid any
 		// flash of content
-		if ( this.prop == "width" || this.prop == "height" )
-			this.elem.style[this.prop] = "1px";
+		this.custom(this.prop == "width" || this.prop == "height" ? 1 : 0, this.cur());
 
 		// Start by showing the element
 		jQuery(this.elem).show();
@@ -338,7 +335,7 @@ jQuery.fx.prototype = {
 
 				// Hide the element if the "hide" operation was done
 				if ( this.options.hide )
-					this.elem.style.display = "none";
+					jQuery(this.elem).hide();
 
 				// Reset the properties, if the item has been hidden or shown
 				if ( this.options.hide || this.options.show )
@@ -382,10 +379,10 @@ jQuery.extend( jQuery.fx, {
 		},
 
 		_default: function(fx){
-			if( fx.prop in fx.elem ) 
-				fx.elem[ fx.prop ] = fx.now;
-			else if( fx.elem.style )
+			if ( fx.elem.style && fx.elem.style[ fx.prop ] != null )
 				fx.elem.style[ fx.prop ] = fx.now + fx.unit;
+			else
+				fx.elem[ fx.prop ] = fx.now;
 		}
 	}
 });
diff --git a/test/unit/fx.js b/test/unit/fx.js
index 2ee3d30d..28fb92d2 100644
--- a/test/unit/fx.js
+++ b/test/unit/fx.js
@@ -34,6 +34,18 @@ test("animate option (queue === false)", function () {
 	});
 });
 
+test("animate non-element", function(){
+	expect(1);
+	stop();
+
+	var obj = { test: 0 };
+
+	jQuery(obj).animate({test: 200}, 200, function(){
+		equals( obj.test, 200, "The custom property should be modified." );
+		start();
+	});
+});
+
 test("stop()", function() {
 	expect(3);
 	stop();