diff --git a/examples/demo/kivycatalog/kivycatalog.kv b/examples/demo/kivycatalog/kivycatalog.kv
index 0fb882235..231790a1d 100644
--- a/examples/demo/kivycatalog/kivycatalog.kv
+++ b/examples/demo/kivycatalog/kivycatalog.kv
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
                         auto_indent: True
                         lexer: KivyLexer()
                         size_hint: 1, None
-                        height: max(kr_scroll.height, (len(self._lines)+1) * (self.line_height + self._line_spacing))
+                        height: max(kr_scroll.height, self.minimum_height)
                         font_name: "data/fonts/DroidSansMono.ttf"
                         valign: "top"
                         text: "This box will display the kivy language for whatever has been selected"
diff --git a/examples/demo/showcase/data/screens/textinputs.kv b/examples/demo/showcase/data/screens/textinputs.kv
index fc54d2f6d..f693d2a7e 100644
--- a/examples/demo/showcase/data/screens/textinputs.kv
+++ b/examples/demo/showcase/data/screens/textinputs.kv
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ ShowcaseScreen:
 	TextInput
 		size_hint_y: None
 		height: '32dp'
+		multiline: False
 		text: 'Monoline textinput'
 
 	TextInput
diff --git a/examples/demo/showcase/showcase.kv b/examples/demo/showcase/showcase.kv
index 326db5e4f..e53fe32e7 100644
--- a/examples/demo/showcase/showcase.kv
+++ b/examples/demo/showcase/showcase.kv
@@ -65,4 +65,4 @@ BoxLayout:
 			size_hint_y: None
 			font_name: 'data/fonts/DroidSansMono.ttf'
 			font_size: '12sp'
-			height: [len(sourcecode.text.splitlines()) * (sp(2) + self.line_height), sourcecode.text][0] + sp(40)
+			height: self.minimum_height
diff --git a/kivy/uix/textinput.py b/kivy/uix/textinput.py
index 1998a8a37..9f93c3c4a 100644
--- a/kivy/uix/textinput.py
+++ b/kivy/uix/textinput.py
@@ -284,7 +284,6 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
         self._hint_text_flags = []
         self._hint_text_labels = []
         self._hint_text_rects = []
-        self._line_spacing = 0
         self._label_cached = None
         self._line_options = None
         self._keyboard = None
@@ -316,7 +315,8 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
                   tab_width=self._update_text_options,
                   font_size=self._update_text_options,
                   font_name=self._update_text_options,
-                  size=self._update_text_options)
+                  size=self._update_text_options,
+                  password=self._update_text_options)
 
         self.bind(pos=self._trigger_update_graphics)
 
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
         '''
         padding_top = self.padding[1]
         l = self._lines
-        dy = self.line_height + self._line_spacing
+        dy = self.line_height + self.line_spacing
         cx = x - self.x
         scrl_y = self.scroll_y
         scrl_y = scrl_y / dy if scrl_y > 0 else 0
@@ -936,7 +936,7 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
         win_size = win.size
         bubble.pos = (t_pos[0] - bubble_size[0] / 2., t_pos[1] + inch(.25))
         bubble_pos = bubble.pos
-        lh, ls = self.line_height, self._line_spacing
+        lh, ls = self.line_height, self.line_spacing
 
         # FIXME found a way to have that feature available for everybody
         if bubble_pos[0] < 0:
@@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
         else:
             # with markup texture can be of height `1`
             self.line_height = max(line_label.height, min_line_ht)
-        self._line_spacing = 2
+        #self.line_spacing = 2
         # now, if the text change, maybe the cursor is not at the same place as
         # before. so, try to set the cursor on the good place
         row = self.cursor_row
@@ -1269,7 +1269,7 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
         add = self.canvas.add
 
         lh = self.line_height
-        dy = lh + self._line_spacing
+        dy = lh + self.line_spacing
 
         # adjust view if the cursor is going outside the bounds
         sx = self.scroll_x
@@ -1359,7 +1359,7 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
         if not self._selection:
             return
         self.canvas.remove_group('selection')
-        dy = self.line_height + self._line_spacing
+        dy = self.line_height + self.line_spacing
         rects = self._lines_rects
         padding_top = self.padding[1]
         padding_bottom = self.padding[3]
@@ -1432,7 +1432,7 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
 
     def _get_cursor_pos(self):
         # return the current cursor x/y from the row/col
-        dy = self.line_height + self._line_spacing
+        dy = self.line_height + self.line_spacing
         padding_left = self.padding[0]
         padding_top = self.padding[1]
         x = self.x + padding_left
@@ -1752,7 +1752,7 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
 
         # do the same for Y
         # this algo try to center the cursor as much as possible
-        dy = self.line_height + self._line_spacing
+        dy = self.line_height + self.line_spacing
         offsety = cr * dy
         sy = self.scroll_y
         padding_top = self.padding[1]
@@ -2129,6 +2129,30 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
     .. versionadded:: 1.7.0
     '''
 
+    def _get_min_height(self):
+        return (len(self._lines) * (self.line_height + self.line_spacing)
+                + self.padding[0] + self.padding[2])
+
+    minimum_height = AliasProperty(_get_min_height, None,
+                                   bind=('_lines', 'line_spacing', 'padding',
+                                         'font_size', 'font_name', 'password',
+                                         'hint_text'))
+    '''minimum height of the content inside the TextInput.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.8.0
+
+    :data:`minimum_height` is a readonly :class:`~kivy.properties.AliasProperty`
+    '''
+
+    line_spacing = NumericProperty(0)
+    '''Space taken up between the lines.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.8.0
+
+    :data:`line_spacing` is a :class:`~kivy.properties.NumericProperty`,
+    default to '0'
+    '''
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     from kivy.app import App