diff --git a/tests/unit/dialog/dialog_methods.js b/tests/unit/dialog/dialog_methods.js
index 6eeb50273e5..92fe3d60f65 100644
--- a/tests/unit/dialog/dialog_methods.js
+++ b/tests/unit/dialog/dialog_methods.js
@@ -34,12 +34,9 @@ test("init", function() {
 });
 
 test("destroy", function() {
-	expect( 6 );
+	expect( 7 );
 
-	// Dialogs are expected to be hidden on destroy, so make sure they're hidden
-	// before the test
 	$( "#dialog1, #form-dialog" ).hide();
-
 	domEqual( "#dialog1", function() {
 		var dialog = $( "#dialog1" ).dialog().dialog( "destroy" );
 		equal( dialog.parent()[ 0 ], $( "#qunit-fixture" )[ 0 ] );
@@ -50,6 +47,16 @@ test("destroy", function() {
 		equal( dialog.parent()[ 0 ], $( "#qunit-fixture" )[ 0 ] );
 		equal( dialog.index(), 2 );
 	});
+
+	// Ensure dimensions are restored (#8119)
+	$( "#dialog1" ).show().css({
+		width: "400px",
+		minHeight: "100px",
+		height: "200px"
+	});
+	domEqual( "#dialog1", function() {
+		$( "#dialog1" ).dialog().dialog( "destroy" );
+	});
 });
 
 test( "enable/disable disabled", function() {
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js b/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
index 96c9986567e..eac818fe0e1 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
@@ -84,6 +84,12 @@ $.widget("ui.dialog", {
 	},
 
 	_create: function() {
+		this.originalCss = {
+			display: this.element[0].style.display,
+			width: this.element[0].style.width,
+			minHeight: this.element[0].style.minHeight,
+			height: this.element[0].style.height
+		};
 		this.originalTitle = this.element.attr( "title" );
 		this.options.title = this.options.title || this.originalTitle;
 		this.oldPosition = {
@@ -127,12 +133,7 @@ $.widget("ui.dialog", {
 		this.element
 			.removeUniqueId()
 			.removeClass( "ui-dialog-content ui-widget-content" )
-			.css({
-				width: "",
-				minHeight: "",
-				height: ""
-			})
-			.hide()
+			.css( this.originalCss )
 			// without detaching first, the following becomes really slow
 			.detach();