diff --git a/collects/tests/mred/item.ss b/collects/tests/mred/item.ss
index 3f3cc6af..14e2bae9 100644
--- a/collects/tests/mred/item.ss
+++ b/collects/tests/mred/item.ss
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@
       (send p stretchable-width stretchy?)
       (send p stretchable-height stretchy?)
       
-      (begin
+      (let ()
 	(define l (make-object message% "Me&ssage" p))
 	(define il (make-object message% return-bmp p))
 	
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@
   (when special-button-font?
     (send ip2 set-control-font special-font))
   
-  (begin
+  (let ()
     (define sh (make-object slider% 
 			    (if null-label? #f "H S&lider") 0 10 ip2
 			    (lambda (s e)
diff --git a/src/mred/wrap/mred.ss b/src/mred/wrap/mred.ss
index a5f47c60..4a95da4d 100644
--- a/src/mred/wrap/mred.ss
+++ b/src/mred/wrap/mred.ss
@@ -1928,7 +1928,9 @@
 		    (raise-type-error 'set-alignment "vertical alignment symbol: top, center, or bottom" v))
 		  (set-h h)
 		  (set-v (case v [(top) 'left] [(center) 'center] [(bottom) 'right])))]
-      [alignment (lambda (h v) (do-align h v (lambda (h) (set! h-align h)) (lambda (h) (set! v-align v))))]
+      [alignment (lambda (h v) 
+		   (do-align h v (lambda (h) (set! h-align h)) (lambda (h) (set! v-align v)))
+		   (force-redraw))]
       [get-alignment (lambda () (values h-align v-align))]
 
       ; redraw: redraws panel and all children