diff --git a/spec/panel-container-element-spec.coffee b/spec/panel-container-element-spec.coffee
index f4cb754f5..89dd64065 100644
--- a/spec/panel-container-element-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/panel-container-element-spec.coffee
@@ -30,10 +30,13 @@ describe "PanelContainerElement", ->
       modelConstructor: TestPanelItem
       viewConstructor: TestPanelItemElement
 
-    container = new PanelContainer({viewRegistry})
+    container = new PanelContainer({viewRegistry, orientation: 'left'})
     element = container.getView()
     jasmineContent.appendChild(element)
 
+  it 'has an oritation attribute with value from the model', ->
+    expect(element.getAttribute('orientation')).toBe 'left'
+
   it 'removes the element when the container is destroyed', ->
     expect(element.parentNode).toBe jasmineContent
     container.destroy()
diff --git a/src/panel-container-element.coffee b/src/panel-container-element.coffee
index dca4adce3..b8d8123d3 100644
--- a/src/panel-container-element.coffee
+++ b/src/panel-container-element.coffee
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ class PanelContainerElement extends HTMLElement
     @subscriptions.add @model.onDidRemovePanel(@panelRemoved.bind(this))
     @subscriptions.add @model.onDidDestroy(@destroyed.bind(this))
 
+    @setAttribute('orientation', @model.getOrientation())
+
   panelAdded: ({panel, index}) ->
     if index >= @childNodes.length
       @appendChild(panel.getView())
diff --git a/src/panel-container.coffee b/src/panel-container.coffee
index 3ea807769..daa4235d4 100644
--- a/src/panel-container.coffee
+++ b/src/panel-container.coffee
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # Public:
 module.exports =
 class PanelContainer
-  constructor: ({@viewRegistry}) ->
+  constructor: ({@viewRegistry, @orientation}) ->
     @emitter = new Emitter
     @subscriptions = new CompositeDisposable
     @panels = []
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ class PanelContainer
 
   getView: -> @viewRegistry.getView(this)
 
+  getOrientation: -> @orientation
+
   getPanels: -> @panels
 
   addPanel: (panel) ->