diff --git a/res/layout/phone_favorites_fragment.xml b/res/layout/phone_favorites_fragment.xml
index 6023fc8..4d3abf4 100644
--- a/res/layout/phone_favorites_fragment.xml
+++ b/res/layout/phone_favorites_fragment.xml
@@ -45,5 +45,11 @@
             android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/empty_message_top_margin"
             android:textColor="?android:attr/textColorSecondary"
             android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge"/>
+
+        <ImageView
+            android:id="@+id/contact_tile_drag_shadow_overlay"
+            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+            android:visibility="gone"/>
     </FrameLayout>
 </LinearLayout>
diff --git a/res/values/animation_constants.xml b/res/values/animation_constants.xml
index 77b7627..b41b316 100644
--- a/res/values/animation_constants.xml
+++ b/res/values/animation_constants.xml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
   ~ limitations under the License
   -->
 <resources>
-    <integer name="fade_duration">250</integer>
+    <integer name="fade_duration">300</integer>
 
     <!-- Swipe constants -->
     <integer name="swipe_escape_velocity">100</integer>
@@ -27,4 +27,4 @@
     <dimen name="min_swipe">5dip</dimen>
     <dimen name="min_vert">10dip</dimen>
     <dimen name="min_lock">20dip</dimen>
-</resources>
\ No newline at end of file
+</resources>
diff --git a/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteFragment.java b/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteFragment.java
index d8179e7..a961347 100644
--- a/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteFragment.java
+++ b/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteFragment.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import android.widget.AbsListView;
 import android.widget.AdapterView;
 import android.widget.AdapterView.OnItemClickListener;
+import android.widget.ImageView;
 import android.widget.ListView;
 import android.widget.TextView;
 
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@
     private static final String TAG = PhoneFavoriteFragment.class.getSimpleName();
     private static final boolean DEBUG = true;
 
-    private static final int ANIMATION_DURATION = 300;
+    private int mAnimationDuration;
 
     /**
      * Used with LoaderManager.
@@ -182,6 +183,7 @@
         if (DEBUG) Log.d(TAG, "onCreate()");
         super.onCreate(savedState);
 
+        mAnimationDuration = getResources().getInteger(R.integer.fade_duration);
         mCallLogQueryHandler = new CallLogQueryHandler(getActivity().getContentResolver(),
                 this, 1);
         final String currentCountryIso = GeoUtil.getCurrentCountryIso(getActivity());
@@ -213,6 +215,10 @@
         mListView.setOnItemSwipeListener(mContactTileAdapter);
         mListView.setOnDragDropListener(mContactTileAdapter);
 
+        final ImageView dragShadowOverlay =
+                (ImageView) listLayout.findViewById(R.id.contact_tile_drag_shadow_overlay);
+        mListView.setDragShadowOverlay(dragShadowOverlay);
+
         mEmptyView = inflater.inflate(R.layout.phone_no_favorites, mListView, false);
 
         mShowAllContactsButton = inflater.inflate(R.layout.show_all_contact_button, mListView,
@@ -372,25 +378,13 @@
             final ContactEntry entry = list.get(i);
             final long itemId = mContactTileAdapter.getAdjustedItemId(entry.id);
 
-            // Skip animation for this view if the caller specified that it should be
-            // kept in place
-            if (containsId(idsInPlace, itemId)) continue;
-
-            Integer startLeft = mItemIdLeftMap.get(itemId);
-            int left = child.getLeft();
-            if (DEBUG) {
-                Log.d(TAG, "Found itemId: " + itemId + " for tileview child " + i +
-                        " Left: " + left);
+            if (containsId(idsInPlace, itemId)) {
+                child.setAlpha(0.0f);
+                child.animate().alpha(1.0f)
+                        .setDuration(mAnimationDuration)
+                        .start();
+                break;
             }
-            if (startLeft != null) {
-                if (startLeft != left) {
-                    int delta = startLeft - left;
-                    child.setTranslationX(delta);
-                    child.animate().setDuration(ANIMATION_DURATION).translationX(0);
-                }
-            }
-            // No need to worry about horizontal offsets of new views that come into view since
-            // there is no horizontal scrolling involved.
         }
     }
 
@@ -424,33 +418,12 @@
 
                     final long itemId = mAdapter.getItemId(position);
 
-                    // Skip animation for this view if the caller specified that it should be
-                    // kept in place
-                    if (containsId(idsInPlace, itemId)) continue;
-
-                    Integer startTop = mItemIdTopMap.get(itemId);
-                    final int top = child.getTop();
-                    if (DEBUG) {
-                        Log.d(TAG, "Found itemId: " + itemId + " for listview child " + i +
-                                " Top: " + top);
-                    }
-                    int delta = 0;
-                    if (startTop != null) {
-                        if (startTop != top) {
-                            delta = startTop - top;
-                        }
-                    } else if (!mItemIdLeftMap.containsKey(itemId)) {
-                        // Animate new views along with the others. The catch is that they did not
-                        // exist in the start state, so we must calculate their starting position
-                        // based on neighboring views.
-                        int childHeight = child.getHeight() + mListView.getDividerHeight();
-                        startTop = top + (i > 0 ? childHeight : -childHeight);
-                        delta = startTop - top;
-                    }
-
-                    if (delta != 0) {
-                        child.setTranslationY(delta);
-                        child.animate().setDuration(ANIMATION_DURATION).translationY(0);
+                    if (containsId(idsInPlace, itemId)) {
+                        child.setAlpha(0.0f);
+                        child.animate().alpha(1.0f)
+                                .setDuration(mAnimationDuration)
+                                .start();
+                        break;
                     }
                 }
                 mItemIdTopMap.clear();
diff --git a/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteListView.java b/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteListView.java
index 4ce5df1..04bbe6b 100644
--- a/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteListView.java
+++ b/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteListView.java
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
 
 package com.android.dialer.list;
 
+import android.animation.Animator;
+import android.animation.AnimatorListenerAdapter;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.res.Configuration;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
-import android.graphics.Canvas;
-import android.graphics.Paint;
 import android.os.Handler;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.util.Log;
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 import android.view.MotionEvent;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ViewConfiguration;
+import android.widget.FrameLayout;
+import android.widget.ImageView;
 import android.widget.ListView;
 
 import com.android.dialer.R;
@@ -66,7 +68,10 @@
     private boolean mIsDragScrollerRunning = false;
     private int mTouchDownForDragStartX;
     private int mTouchDownForDragStartY;
+
     private Bitmap mDragShadowBitmap;
+    private ImageView mDragShadowOverlay;
+    private int mAnimationDuration;
 
     // X and Y offsets inside the item from where the user grabbed to the
     // child's left coordinate. This is used to aid in the drawing of the drag shadow.
@@ -78,8 +83,7 @@
     private int mDragShadowWidth;
     private int mDragShadowHeight;
 
-    private final int DRAG_SHADOW_ALPHA = 180;
-    private final Paint mPaint = new Paint();
+    private final float DRAG_SHADOW_ALPHA = 0.7f;
 
     /**
      * {@link #mTopScrollBound} and {@link mBottomScrollBound} will be
@@ -99,6 +103,28 @@
         }
     };
 
+    private final AnimatorListenerAdapter mDragShadowOverAnimatorListener =
+            new AnimatorListenerAdapter() {
+        private void recycleDragShadow() {
+            if (mDragShadowBitmap != null) {
+                mDragShadowBitmap.recycle();
+                mDragShadowBitmap = null;
+            }
+            mDragShadowOverlay.setVisibility(GONE);
+            mDragShadowOverlay.setImageBitmap(null);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void onAnimationCancel(Animator animation) {
+            recycleDragShadow();
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void onAnimationEnd(Animator animation) {
+            recycleDragShadow();
+        }
+    };
+
     public PhoneFavoriteListView(Context context) {
         this(context, null);
     }
@@ -109,12 +135,12 @@
 
     public PhoneFavoriteListView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyle) {
         super(context, attrs, defStyle);
+        mAnimationDuration = context.getResources().getInteger(R.integer.fade_duration);
         mDensityScale = getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density;
         mTouchSlop = ViewConfiguration.get(context).getScaledPagingTouchSlop();
         mSwipeHelper = new SwipeHelper(context, SwipeHelper.X, this,
                 mDensityScale, mTouchSlop);
         setItemsCanFocus(true);
-        mPaint.setAlpha(DRAG_SHADOW_ALPHA);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -251,7 +277,9 @@
                 ensureScrollHandler();
                 mScrollHandler.removeCallbacks(mDragScroller);
                 mIsDragScrollerRunning = false;
-                if (action != DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_EXITED) {
+                // Either it's been a successful drop or it's ended with out drop.
+                if (action == DragEvent.ACTION_DROP ||
+                        (action == DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_ENDED && !event.getResult())) {
                     handleDragFinished(eX, eY);
                 }
                 break;
@@ -262,13 +290,8 @@
         return true;
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public void dispatchDraw(Canvas canvas) {
-        super.dispatchDraw(canvas);
-        // Draw the drag shadow at its last known location if the drag shadow exists.
-        if (mDragShadowBitmap != null) {
-            canvas.drawBitmap(mDragShadowBitmap, mDragShadowLeft, mDragShadowTop, mPaint);
-        }
+    public void setDragShadowOverlay(ImageView overlay) {
+        mDragShadowOverlay = overlay;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -292,6 +315,14 @@
         }
     }
 
+    private FrameLayout.LayoutParams getDragShadowLayoutParams() {
+        final FrameLayout.LayoutParams lp = new FrameLayout.LayoutParams(
+                mDragShadowWidth, mDragShadowHeight);
+        lp.leftMargin = mDragShadowLeft;
+        lp.topMargin = mDragShadowTop;
+        return lp;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @return True if the drag is started.
      */
@@ -307,6 +338,11 @@
         if (itemIndex != -1 && mOnDragDropListener != null) {
             final PhoneFavoriteTileView tileView =
                     (PhoneFavoriteTileView) tile.getViewAtPosition(x, y);
+            if (mDragShadowOverlay == null) {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            mDragShadowOverlay.clearAnimation();
             mDragShadowBitmap = createDraggedChildBitmap(tileView);
             if (mDragShadowBitmap == null) {
                 return false;
@@ -321,9 +357,16 @@
                 mDragShadowLeft = tileView.getLeft() + tileView.getParentRow().getLeft();
                 mDragShadowTop = tileView.getTop() + tileView.getParentRow().getTop();
             }
+
             mDragShadowWidth = tileView.getWidth();
             mDragShadowHeight = tileView.getHeight();
 
+            mDragShadowOverlay.setImageBitmap(mDragShadowBitmap);
+            mDragShadowOverlay.setVisibility(VISIBLE);
+            mDragShadowOverlay.setAlpha(DRAG_SHADOW_ALPHA);
+
+            mDragShadowOverlay.setLayoutParams(getDragShadowLayoutParams());
+
             // x and y passed in are the coordinates of where the user has touched down, calculate
             // the offset to the top left coordinate of the dragged child.  This will be used for
             // drawing the drag shadow.
@@ -350,8 +393,10 @@
         mDragShadowLeft = x - mTouchOffsetToChildLeft;
         mDragShadowTop = y - mTouchOffsetToChildTop;
 
-        // invalidate to trigger a redraw of the drag shadow.
-        invalidate();
+        // Draw the drag shadow at its last known location if the drag shadow exists.
+        if (mDragShadowOverlay != null) {
+            mDragShadowOverlay.setLayoutParams(getDragShadowLayoutParams());
+        }
 
         final ContactTileRow tile = (ContactTileRow) child;
         final int itemIndex = tile.getItemIndex(x, y);
@@ -365,9 +410,12 @@
         mDragShadowLeft = x - mTouchOffsetToChildLeft;
         mDragShadowTop = y - mTouchOffsetToChildTop;
 
-        if (mDragShadowBitmap != null) {
-            mDragShadowBitmap.recycle();
-            mDragShadowBitmap = null;
+        if (mDragShadowOverlay != null) {
+            mDragShadowOverlay.clearAnimation();
+            mDragShadowOverlay.animate().alpha(0.0f)
+                    .setDuration(mAnimationDuration)
+                    .setListener(mDragShadowOverAnimatorListener)
+                    .start();
         }
 
         if (mOnDragDropListener != null) {
diff --git a/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteTileView.java b/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteTileView.java
index 5a3f4e5..57d258f 100644
--- a/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteTileView.java
+++ b/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoriteTileView.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 import com.android.contacts.common.MoreContactUtils;
 import com.android.contacts.common.list.ContactEntry;
 import com.android.contacts.common.list.ContactTileView;
+import com.android.dialer.R;
 import com.android.dialer.list.PhoneFavoritesTileAdapter.ContactTileRow;
 import com.android.dialer.list.PhoneFavoritesTileAdapter.ViewTypes;
 
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@
     private static final boolean DEBUG = false;
 
     /** Length of all animations in miniseconds. */
-    private static final int ANIMATION_LENGTH = 300;
+    private int mAnimationDuration;
 
     /** The view that holds the front layer of the favorite contact card. */
     private View mFavoriteContactCard;
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@
 
     public PhoneFavoriteTileView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
         super(context, attrs);
+        mAnimationDuration = context.getResources().getInteger(R.integer.fade_duration);
     }
 
     public ContactTileRow getParentRow() {
@@ -131,7 +133,7 @@
         mRemovalDialogue.setVisibility(VISIBLE);
         mRemovalDialogue.setAlpha(0f);
         final ObjectAnimator fadeIn = ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(mRemovalDialogue, "alpha",
-                1.f).setDuration(ANIMATION_LENGTH);
+                1.f).setDuration(mAnimationDuration);
 
         fadeIn.addListener(new AnimatorListenerAdapter() {
             @Override
@@ -157,9 +159,9 @@
 
         // Animates back the favorite contact card.
         final ObjectAnimator fadeIn = ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(mFavoriteContactCard, "alpha", 1.f).
-                setDuration(ANIMATION_LENGTH);
+                setDuration(mAnimationDuration);
         final ObjectAnimator moveBack = ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(mFavoriteContactCard, "translationX",
-                0.f).setDuration(ANIMATION_LENGTH);
+                0.f).setDuration(mAnimationDuration);
 
         final AnimatorSet animSet = new AnimatorSet();
 
diff --git a/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoritesTileAdapter.java b/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoritesTileAdapter.java
index 779b15d..73d3c36 100644
--- a/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoritesTileAdapter.java
+++ b/src/com/android/dialer/list/PhoneFavoritesTileAdapter.java
@@ -609,7 +609,8 @@
     public void handleDrop() {
         boolean changed = false;
         if (mDraggedEntry != null) {
-            if (isIndexInBound(mDragEnteredEntryIndex)) {
+            if (isIndexInBound(mDragEnteredEntryIndex) &&
+                    mDragEnteredEntryIndex != mDraggedEntryIndex) {
                 // Don't add the ContactEntry here (to prevent a double animation from occuring).
                 // When we receive a new cursor the list of contact entries will automatically be
                 // populated with the dragged ContactEntry at the correct spot.
@@ -634,7 +635,6 @@
                         PinnedPositions.STAR_WHEN_PINNING, "true").build();
                 // update the database here with the new pinned positions
                 mContext.getContentResolver().update(pinUri, cv, null, null);
-                notifyDataSetChanged();
             }
             mDraggedEntry = null;
         }