diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a8b8bc7ce37..be8085de342 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 dist
 node_modules
-.sizecache.json
\ No newline at end of file
+.sizecache.json
diff --git a/tests/unit/resizable/options.js b/tests/unit/resizable/options.js
index 2d44eb8ee8a..9c338dfa807 100644
--- a/tests/unit/resizable/options.js
+++ b/tests/unit/resizable/options.js
@@ -410,6 +410,46 @@ test( "zIndex, applied to all handles", function() {
 	} );
 } );
 
+test( "setOption handles", function() {
+	expect( 8 );
+
+	var target = $( "<div></div>" ).resizable(),
+		handles = { "ui-resizable-e": false, "ui-resizable-s": false, "ui-resizable-se": false };
+
+	function checkHandles( handle, handles ) {
+		var found = false,
+			key,
+			$handle = $( handle );
+		for ( key in handles ) {
+			if ( handles.hasOwnProperty( key ) ) {
+				if ( $handle.hasClass( key ) ) {
+					found = true;
+					break;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		ok ( found && !handles[ key ], "Checking whether " + key  + " handle was rendered and was not rendered twice" );
+		handles[ key ] = found;
+		found = false;
+	}
+
+	target.children( ".ui-resizable-handle" ).each( function( index, handle ) {
+		checkHandles( handle, handles );
+	} );
+
+	target.resizable( "option", "handles", "n, w, nw" );
+	handles = { "ui-resizable-n": false, "ui-resizable-w": false, "ui-resizable-nw": false };
+	target.children( ".ui-resizable-handle" ).each( function( index, handle ) {
+		checkHandles( handle, handles );
+	} );
+
+	target.resizable( "option", "handles", "s, w" );
+	handles = { "ui-resizable-s": false, "ui-resizable-w": false };
+	target.children( ".ui-resizable-handle" ).each( function( index, handle ) {
+		checkHandles( handle, handles );
+	} );
+} );
+
 test( "alsoResize + containment", function() {
 	expect( 4 );
 	var other = $( "<div>" )
diff --git a/ui/widgets/resizable.js b/ui/widgets/resizable.js
index 88ad4118064..664c6bfa3a6 100644
--- a/ui/widgets/resizable.js
+++ b/ui/widgets/resizable.js
@@ -99,9 +99,9 @@ $.widget( "ui.resizable", $.ui.mouse, {
 
 	_create: function() {
 
-		var n, i, handle, axis, hname, margins,
-			that = this,
-			o = this.options;
+		var margins,
+			o = this.options,
+			that = this;
 		this._addClass( "ui-resizable" );
 
 		$.extend( this, {
@@ -159,6 +159,80 @@ $.widget( "ui.resizable", $.ui.mouse, {
 			this._proportionallyResize();
 		}
 
+		this._setupHandles();
+
+		if ( o.autoHide ) {
+			$( this.element )
+				.on( "mouseenter", function() {
+					if ( o.disabled ) {
+						return;
+					}
+					that._removeClass( "ui-resizable-autohide" );
+					that._handles.show();
+				} )
+				.on( "mouseleave", function() {
+					if ( o.disabled ) {
+						return;
+					}
+					if ( !that.resizing ) {
+						that._addClass( "ui-resizable-autohide" );
+						that._handles.hide();
+					}
+				} );
+		}
+
+		this._mouseInit();
+	},
+
+	_destroy: function() {
+
+		this._mouseDestroy();
+
+		var wrapper,
+			_destroy = function( exp ) {
+				$( exp )
+					.removeData( "resizable" )
+					.removeData( "ui-resizable" )
+					.off( ".resizable" )
+					.find( ".ui-resizable-handle" )
+						.remove();
+			};
+
+		// TODO: Unwrap at same DOM position
+		if ( this.elementIsWrapper ) {
+			_destroy( this.element );
+			wrapper = this.element;
+			this.originalElement.css( {
+				position: wrapper.css( "position" ),
+				width: wrapper.outerWidth(),
+				height: wrapper.outerHeight(),
+				top: wrapper.css( "top" ),
+				left: wrapper.css( "left" )
+			} ).insertAfter( wrapper );
+			wrapper.remove();
+		}
+
+		this.originalElement.css( "resize", this.originalResizeStyle );
+		_destroy( this.originalElement );
+
+		return this;
+	},
+
+	_setOption: function( key, value ) {
+		this._super( key, value );
+
+		switch ( key ) {
+		case "handles":
+			this._removeHandles();
+			this._setupHandles();
+			break;
+		default:
+			break;
+		}
+	},
+
+	_setupHandles: function() {
+		var o = this.options, handle, i, n, hname, axis, that = this;
 		this.handles = o.handles ||
 			( !$( ".ui-resizable-handle", this.element ).length ?
 				"e,s,se" : {
@@ -250,60 +324,11 @@ $.widget( "ui.resizable", $.ui.mouse, {
 		if ( o.autoHide ) {
 			this._handles.hide();
 			this._addClass( "ui-resizable-autohide" );
-			$( this.element )
-				.on( "mouseenter", function() {
-					if ( o.disabled ) {
-						return;
-					}
-					that._removeClass( "ui-resizable-autohide" );
-					that._handles.show();
-				} )
-				.on( "mouseleave", function() {
-					if ( o.disabled ) {
-						return;
-					}
-					if ( !that.resizing ) {
-						that._addClass( "ui-resizable-autohide" );
-						that._handles.hide();
-					}
-				} );
 		}
-
-		this._mouseInit();
 	},
 
-	_destroy: function() {
-
-		this._mouseDestroy();
-
-		var wrapper,
-			_destroy = function( exp ) {
-				$( exp )
-					.removeData( "resizable" )
-					.removeData( "ui-resizable" )
-					.off( ".resizable" )
-					.find( ".ui-resizable-handle" )
-						.remove();
-			};
-
-		// TODO: Unwrap at same DOM position
-		if ( this.elementIsWrapper ) {
-			_destroy( this.element );
-			wrapper = this.element;
-			this.originalElement.css( {
-				position: wrapper.css( "position" ),
-				width: wrapper.outerWidth(),
-				height: wrapper.outerHeight(),
-				top: wrapper.css( "top" ),
-				left: wrapper.css( "left" )
-			} ).insertAfter( wrapper );
-			wrapper.remove();
-		}
-
-		this.originalElement.css( "resize", this.originalResizeStyle );
-		_destroy( this.originalElement );
-
-		return this;
+	_removeHandles: function() {
+		this._handles.remove();
 	},
 
 	_mouseCapture: function( event ) {