diff --git a/pkgs/htdp-pkgs/htdp-lib/2htdp/private/image-more.rkt b/pkgs/htdp-pkgs/htdp-lib/2htdp/private/image-more.rkt
index 086a677c6e..0342369272 100644
--- a/pkgs/htdp-pkgs/htdp-lib/2htdp/private/image-more.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/htdp-pkgs/htdp-lib/2htdp/private/image-more.rkt
@@ -220,7 +220,8 @@
                           (car rst)
                           (if (< dx 0) 0 dx)
                           (if (< dy 0) 0 dy)
-                          first-pinhole?)
+                          first-pinhole?
+                          #f)
                (cdr rst)))])))
 
 (define (find-x-spot x-place image)
@@ -250,7 +251,8 @@
              image2
              (if (< dx 0) 0 dx)
              (if (< dy 0) 0 dy)
-             #t))
+             #t
+             #f))
 
 (define/chk (underlay/xy image dx dy image2)
   (overlay/δ image2
@@ -259,17 +261,27 @@
              image
              (if (< dx 0) (- dx) 0)
              (if (< dy 0) (- dy) 0)
+             #f
              #f))
 
-(define (overlay/δ image1 dx1 dy1 image2 dx2 dy2 first-pinhole?)
+(define (overlay/δ image1 dx1 dy1 image2 dx2 dy2 first-pinhole? beside-baseline?)
     (make-image (make-overlay (make-translate dx1 dy1 (image-shape image1))
                               (make-translate dx2 dy2 (image-shape image2)))
                 (make-bb (max (+ (get-right image1) dx1)
                               (+ (get-right image2) dx2))
                          (max (+ (get-bottom image1) dy1)
                               (+ (get-bottom image2) dy2))
-                         (max (+ (get-baseline image1) dy1)
-                              (+ (get-baseline image2) dy2)))
+                         (if beside-baseline?
+                             (let ([δ1 (- (get-bottom image1) (get-baseline image1))]
+                                   [δ2 (- (get-bottom image2) (get-baseline image2))]
+                                   [b1 (+ (get-baseline image1) dy1)]
+                                   [b2 (+ (get-baseline image2) dy2)])
+                               (cond
+                                 [(= δ1 δ2) (max b1 b2)]
+                                 [(< δ1 δ2) b2]
+                                 [else b1]))
+                             (max (+ (get-baseline image1) dy1)
+                                  (+ (get-baseline image2) dy2))))
                 #f
                 (if first-pinhole?
                     (let ([ph (send image1 get-pinhole)])
@@ -316,6 +328,7 @@
                           (car rst)
                           (get-right fst)
                           (if (< dy 0) 0 dy)
+                          #t
                           #t)
                (cdr rst)))])))
 
@@ -354,7 +367,8 @@
                           (car rst)
                           (if (< dx 0) 0 dx)
                           (get-bottom fst)
-                          #t)
+                          #t
+                          #f)
                (cdr rst)))])))
 
 (define/chk (overlay/offset image1 dx dy image2)
@@ -382,7 +396,8 @@
                snd
                (if (< dx 0) 0 dx)
                (if (< dy 0) 0 dy)
-               #t)))
+               #t
+               #f)))
 
 
 ;                                                                                                  
@@ -473,6 +488,7 @@
                 scene
                 (if (< dx 0) (- dx) 0)
                 (if (< dy 0) (- dy) 0)
+                #f
                 #f))))
 
 (define/chk (scene+line image x1 y1 x2 y2 color)
diff --git a/pkgs/htdp-pkgs/htdp-test/2htdp/tests/test-image.rkt b/pkgs/htdp-pkgs/htdp-test/2htdp/tests/test-image.rkt
index 9fbc7daff2..e417c48948 100644
--- a/pkgs/htdp-pkgs/htdp-test/2htdp/tests/test-image.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/htdp-pkgs/htdp-test/2htdp/tests/test-image.rkt
@@ -1040,6 +1040,19 @@
       =>
       (text "ab" 18 "blue"))
 
+(test (beside/align "bottom"
+                    empty-image
+                    (text "please?" 12 "green"))
+      =>
+      (text "please?" 12 "green"))
+(test (beside/align "bottom"
+                    (text "feed me " 18 "red")
+                    (text "please?" 12 "green") empty-image)
+      =>
+      (beside/align "bottom"
+                    (text "feed me " 18 "red")
+                    (text "please?" 12 "green")))
+
 ;; make sure this doesn't crash (there was a bug that would be triggered by drawing these guys)
 (test (equal? (scale 0.1 (text "Howdy!" 12 'black))
               (scale 0.1 (text "Howdy!" 12 'red)))