diff --git a/js/splitter.js b/js/splitter.js
index fb9a577..903dd23 100644
--- a/js/splitter.js
+++ b/js/splitter.js
@@ -28,7 +28,29 @@ angular.module('bgDirectives', [])
         var drag = false;
         
         pane1.elem.after(handler);
+   
+        var initPane1 = (!isNaN(pane1.initSize));     
+        var initPane2 = (!isNaN(pane2.initSize));    
+        var initLOrT;
+        var initWOrH;
         
+        if (vertical) {
+          initLOrT = 'top';
+          initWOrH = 'height';
+        } else {
+          initLOrT = 'left';
+          initWOrH = 'width';
+        }
+
+        if (initPane2) {
+          throw new Error("second pane cannot have init-size attribute");
+        }
+        if (initPane1) {
+          handler.css(   initLOrT, pane1.initSize + 'px');
+          pane1.elem.css(initWOrH, pane1.initSize + 'px');
+          pane2.elem.css(initLOrT, pane1.initSize + 'px');
+        }
+
         element.bind('mousemove', function (ev) {
           if (!drag) return;
           
@@ -79,7 +101,8 @@ angular.module('bgDirectives', [])
       replace: true,
       transclude: true,
       scope: {
-        minSize: '='
+        minSize: '=',
+        initSize: '='
       },
       template: '<div class="split-pane{{index}}" ng-transclude></div>',
       link: function(scope, element, attrs, bgSplitterCtrl) {