diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js b/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
index 496118761..4dd15438d 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ $.extend( $.ui.dialog.overlay, {
 			$( [ document, window ] ).unbind( ".dialog-overlay" );
 		}
 
-		$el.remove();
+		$el.height( 0 ).width( 0 ).remove();
 
 		// adjust the maxZ to allow other modal dialogs to continue to work (see #4309)
 		var maxZ = 0;