diff --git a/app-addon/initializers/liquid-fire.js b/app-addon/initializers/liquid-fire.js
index 3332800b..c6792cc6 100644
--- a/app-addon/initializers/liquid-fire.js
+++ b/app-addon/initializers/liquid-fire.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* global $ */
 import { initialize } from "vendor/liquid-fire";
 import Ember from "ember";
 
@@ -5,6 +6,16 @@ export default {
   name: 'liquid-fire',
 
   initialize: function(container) {
+    if (!$ || !$.Velocity) {
+      Ember.warn("Velocity.js is missing");
+    } else {
+      var version = $.Velocity.version;
+      var recommended = [0, 11, 8];
+      if (Ember.compare(recommended, [version.major, version.minor, version.patch]) === 1) {
+        Ember.warn("You should probably upgrade Velocity.js, recommended minimum is " + recommended.join('.'));
+      }
+    }
+
     initialize(container, container.lookupFactory('transitions:main'));
     if (Ember.testing) {
       Ember.Test.registerWaiter(function(){
diff --git a/app-addon/views/liquid-outlet.js b/app-addon/views/liquid-outlet.js
index 283d4935..1adbbcf9 100644
--- a/app-addon/views/liquid-outlet.js
+++ b/app-addon/views/liquid-outlet.js
@@ -137,8 +137,7 @@ export default Ember.ContainerView.extend({
       return animate(this, target, {
         duration: this._durationFor(before, after),
         queue: false,
-        easing: this.get('growEasing'),
-        display: null
+        easing: this.get('growEasing')
       });
     }
   },
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f3980c97..8d1abf32 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "broccoli-merge-trees": "^0.1.4",
     "broccoli-static-compiler": "^0.1.4",
-    "velocity-animate": "^0.9.0"
+    "velocity-animate": "^0.11.8"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "body-parser": "^1.2.0",
diff --git a/vendor-addon/liquid-fire/animate.js b/vendor-addon/liquid-fire/animate.js
index 59dc23be..d5b5d67e 100644
--- a/vendor-addon/liquid-fire/animate.js
+++ b/vendor-addon/liquid-fire/animate.js
@@ -25,15 +25,12 @@ export function animate(view, props, opts, label) {
     opts = Ember.copy(opts);
   }
 
-  // By default, we ask velocity to reveal the elements at the start
-  // of animation. Our animated divs are all initially rendered at
-  // display:none to prevent a flash of before-animated content.
-  //
-  // At present, velocity's 'auto' just picks a value for the css
-  // display property based on the element type. I have a PR that
-  // would let it defer to the stylesheets instead.
+  // By default, we ask velocity to clear the element's `display`
+  // property at the start of animation. Our animated divs are all
+  // initially rendered at display:none to prevent a flash of
+  // before-animated content.
   if (typeof(opts.display) === 'undefined') {
-    opts.display = 'auto';
+    opts.display = '';
   }
 
   if (opts.progress) {