diff --git a/spec/bubble-chart-spec.js b/spec/bubble-chart-spec.js
index 5030ea225..54a66a11e 100644
--- a/spec/bubble-chart-spec.js
+++ b/spec/bubble-chart-spec.js
@@ -232,10 +232,10 @@ describe('dc.bubbleChart', function () {
         it('creates correct label for each bubble', function () {
             chart.selectAll('g.node title').each(function (d, i) {
                 if (i === 0) {
-                    expect(d3.select(this).text()).toBe('F: {count:0,value:0}');
+                    expect(d3.select(this).text()).toBe('T: {count:2,value:77}');
                 }
                 if (i === 1) {
-                    expect(d3.select(this).text()).toBe('T: {count:2,value:77}');
+                    expect(d3.select(this).text()).toBe('F: {count:0,value:0}');
                 }
             });
         });
@@ -243,10 +243,10 @@ describe('dc.bubbleChart', function () {
         it('fills bubbles with correct colors', function () {
             chart.selectAll('circle.bubble').each(function (d, i) {
                 if (i === 0) {
-                    expect(d3.select(this).attr('fill')).toBe('#a60000');
+                    expect(d3.select(this).attr('fill')).toBe('#ff4040');
                 }
                 if (i === 1) {
-                    expect(d3.select(this).attr('fill')).toBe('#ff4040');
+                    expect(d3.select(this).attr('fill')).toBe('#a60000');
                 }
             });
         });
diff --git a/src/bubble-chart.js b/src/bubble-chart.js
index 1a01c853b..ae2e3e83b 100644
--- a/src/bubble-chart.js
+++ b/src/bubble-chart.js
@@ -60,8 +60,14 @@ dc.bubbleChart = function (parent, chartGroup) {
 
         _chart.r().range([_chart.MIN_RADIUS, _chart.xAxisLength() * _chart.maxBubbleRelativeSize()]);
 
+        // sort descending so smaller bubbles are on top
+        var data = _chart.data(),
+            radiusAccessor = _chart.radiusValueAccessor();
+        data.sort(function (a, b) { return d3.descending(radiusAccessor(a), radiusAccessor(b)); });
         var bubbleG = _chart.chartBodyG().selectAll('g.' + _chart.BUBBLE_NODE_CLASS)
-            .data(_chart.data(), function (d) { return d.key; });
+            .data(data, function (d) { return d.key; });
+        // Call order here to update dom order based on sort
+        bubbleG.order();
 
         renderNodes(bubbleG);
 
diff --git a/src/bubble-mixin.js b/src/bubble-mixin.js
index f18f280d4..861bc4d4a 100644
--- a/src/bubble-mixin.js
+++ b/src/bubble-mixin.js
@@ -95,8 +95,16 @@ dc.bubbleMixin = function (_chart) {
         return _chart.label()(d);
     };
 
+    var shouldLabel = function (d) {
+        return (_chart.bubbleR(d) > _minRadiusWithLabel);
+    };
+
     var labelOpacity = function (d) {
-        return (_chart.bubbleR(d) > _minRadiusWithLabel) ? 1 : 0;
+        return shouldLabel(d) ? 1 : 0;
+    };
+
+    var labelDisplay = function (d) {
+        return shouldLabel(d) ? 'block' : 'none';
     };
 
     _chart._doRenderLabel = function (bubbleGEnter) {
@@ -112,18 +120,29 @@ dc.bubbleMixin = function (_chart) {
 
             label
                 .attr('opacity', 0)
-                .text(labelFunction);
+                .text(labelFunction)
+                .style('display', 'none');
             dc.transition(label, _chart.transitionDuration())
-                .attr('opacity', labelOpacity);
+                .attr('opacity', labelOpacity)
+                .call(dc.afterTransition, label.style.bind(label, 'display', labelDisplay));
         }
     };
 
     _chart.doUpdateLabels = function (bubbleGEnter) {
         if (_chart.renderLabel()) {
             var labels = bubbleGEnter.selectAll('text')
-                .text(labelFunction);
+                .text(labelFunction)
+                .style('display', function (d) {
+                    // On update, we can't fade in if it's hidden...
+                    var current = d3.select(this).style('display');
+                    if (current === 'none' && shouldLabel(d)) {
+                        return 'block';
+                    }
+                    return current;
+                });
             dc.transition(labels, _chart.transitionDuration())
-                .attr('opacity', labelOpacity);
+                .attr('opacity', labelOpacity)
+                .call(dc.afterTransition, labels.style.bind(labels, 'display', labelDisplay));
         }
     };
 
diff --git a/src/core.js b/src/core.js
index 867e5becc..fc9b0bb29 100644
--- a/src/core.js
+++ b/src/core.js
@@ -212,6 +212,22 @@ dc.optionalTransition = function (enable, duration, callback, name) {
     }
 };
 
+// See http://stackoverflow.com/a/20773846
+dc.afterTransition = function (transition, callback) {
+    if (transition.empty() || !transition.duration) {
+        callback.call(transition);
+    } else {
+        var n = 0;
+        transition
+            .each(function () { ++n; })
+            .each('end', function () {
+                if (!--n) {
+                    callback.call(transition);
+                }
+            });
+    }
+};
+
 /**
  * @name units
  * @memberof dc