diff --git a/src/item/Item.js b/src/item/Item.js
index 65c5519e..a2c4acef 100644
--- a/src/item/Item.js
+++ b/src/item/Item.js
@@ -71,19 +71,20 @@ var Item = Base.extend(Callback, /** @lends Item# */{
 	_initialize: function(props, point) {
 		// Define this Item's unique id. But allow the creation of internally
 		// used paths with no ids.
-		var internal = props && props.internal === true;
+		var internal = props && props.internal === true,
+			matrix = this._matrix = new Matrix();
+			project = paper.project;
 		if (!internal)
 			this._id = Item._id = (Item._id || 0) + 1;
 		// Handle matrix before everything else, to avoid issues with
 		// #addChild() calling _changed() and accessing _matrix already.
-		var matrix = this._matrix = new Matrix();
 		if (point)
 			matrix.translate(point);
 		matrix._owner = this;
+		this._style = new Style(project._currentStyle, this);
 		// If _project is already set, the item was already moved into the DOM
 		// hierarchy. Used by Layer, where it's added to project.layers instead
 		if (!this._project) {
-			var project = paper.project;
 			// Do not insert into DOM if it's an internal path or
 			// props.insert is false.
 			if (internal || props && props.insert === false) {
@@ -94,7 +95,6 @@ var Item = Base.extend(Callback, /** @lends Item# */{
 				(project.activeLayer || new Layer()).addChild(this);
 			}
 		}
-		this._style = new Style(this._project._currentStyle, this);
 		return props ? this._set(props, { insert: true }) : true;
 	},