diff --git a/src/panel-container-element.coffee b/src/panel-container-element.coffee
index 2c6aa38af..22558b362 100644
--- a/src/panel-container-element.coffee
+++ b/src/panel-container-element.coffee
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class PanelContainerElement extends HTMLElement
     panelElement = panel.getView()
     panelElement.classList.add(@model.getLocation())
     if @model.isModal()
-      panelElement.classList.add("overlay")
+      panelElement.classList.add("overlay", "from-top")
     else
       panelElement.classList.add("panel-#{@model.getLocation()}")
 
diff --git a/src/workspace.coffee b/src/workspace.coffee
index ad4ddf520..2158e74dc 100644
--- a/src/workspace.coffee
+++ b/src/workspace.coffee
@@ -682,8 +682,6 @@ class Workspace extends Model
   #
   # Returns a {Panel}
   addModalPanel: (options={}) ->
-    # TODO: remove these default classes. They are to supoprt existing themes.
-    options.className ?= 'overlay from-top'
     @addPanel('modal', options)
 
   addPanel: (location, options) ->