diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/extensions/ios.scss b/ionic/components/tabs/extensions/ios.scss
index a759ee69ed..18439a1335 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/extensions/ios.scss
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/extensions/ios.scss
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ $tab-bar-ios-height:                   50px !default;
     min-height: $tab-bar-ios-item-font-size + 1;
   }
 
+  .has-title-only .tab-button-text {
+    font-size: $tab-bar-ios-item-font-size + 2;
+  }
+
   .tab-button-icon {
     font-size: $tab-bar-ios-item-icon-size;
     height: $tab-bar-ios-item-icon-size;
diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/extensions/material.scss b/ionic/components/tabs/extensions/material.scss
index eba6ba2170..329e7f1c49 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/extensions/material.scss
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/extensions/material.scss
@@ -14,11 +14,6 @@ $tab-bar-md-item-font-size:           1.4rem !default;
 
     box-shadow: none;
     border-radius: 0;
-    white-space: normal;
-  }
-
-  .tab-button-text {
-    white-space: normal;
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.scss b/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.scss
index 3da317ba08..bae7f59865 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.scss
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.scss
@@ -85,6 +85,11 @@ button.tab-button {
   .tab-button-icon {
     order: 10;
   }
+
+  .tab-button-icon {
+    margin-top: 2px;
+    margin-bottom: 0;
+  }
 }
 
 [tab-bar-icons="left"] > .tab-bar-container button.tab-button {
@@ -92,7 +97,7 @@ button.tab-button {
 
   .tab-button-icon {
     text-align: right;
-    padding-right: 5px;
+    padding-right: 8px;
   }
 }
 
@@ -102,7 +107,7 @@ button.tab-button {
   .tab-button-icon {
     order: 10;
     text-align: left;
-    padding-left: 5px;
+    padding-left: 8px;
   }
 }
 
@@ -125,6 +130,11 @@ button.tab-button {
   display: block;
 }
 
+.has-title-only,
+.has-title-only .tab-button-text {
+  white-space: normal;
+}
+
 button.tab-button[aria-selected="true"] {
   // Default color is primary
   color: get-color(primary, base);