diff --git a/crates/bevy_ui/src/flex/mod.rs b/crates/bevy_ui/src/flex/mod.rs
index ebe6e1ad4d3948..da31a692d56304 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_ui/src/flex/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_ui/src/flex/mod.rs
@@ -86,11 +86,15 @@ impl FlexSurface {
                 match (constraints.width, constraints.height) {
                     (Number::Undefined, Number::Undefined) => {}
                     (Number::Defined(width), Number::Undefined) => {
-                        size.height = width * size.height / size.width;
+                        if calculated_size.preserve_aspect_ratio {
+                            size.height = width * size.height / size.width;
+                        }
                         size.width = width;
                     }
                     (Number::Undefined, Number::Defined(height)) => {
-                        size.width = height * size.width / size.height;
+                        if calculated_size.preserve_aspect_ratio {
+                            size.width = height * size.width / size.height;
+                        }
                         size.height = height;
                     }
                     (Number::Defined(width), Number::Defined(height)) => {
@@ -236,12 +240,6 @@ pub fn flex_node_system(
     let logical_to_physical_factor = windows.scale_factor(WindowId::primary());
     let scale_factor = logical_to_physical_factor * ui_scale.scale;
 
-    if scale_factor_events.iter().next_back().is_some() || ui_scale.is_changed() {
-        update_changed(&mut flex_surface, scale_factor, full_node_query);
-    } else {
-        update_changed(&mut flex_surface, scale_factor, node_query);
-    }
-
     fn update_changed<F: ReadOnlyWorldQuery>(
         flex_surface: &mut FlexSurface,
         scaling_factor: f64,
@@ -258,6 +256,12 @@ pub fn flex_node_system(
         }
     }
 
+    if scale_factor_events.iter().next_back().is_some() || ui_scale.is_changed() {
+        update_changed(&mut flex_surface, scale_factor, full_node_query);
+    } else {
+        update_changed(&mut flex_surface, scale_factor, node_query);
+    }
+
     for (entity, style, calculated_size) in &changed_size_query {
         flex_surface.upsert_leaf(entity, style, *calculated_size, scale_factor);
     }
diff --git a/crates/bevy_ui/src/ui_node.rs b/crates/bevy_ui/src/ui_node.rs
index 738d578d6e5a39..bc6661b2ed81ce 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_ui/src/ui_node.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_ui/src/ui_node.rs
@@ -434,6 +434,8 @@ pub enum FlexWrap {
 pub struct CalculatedSize {
     /// The size of the node
     pub size: Size,
+    /// Whether to attempt to preserve the aspect ratio when determing the layout for this item
+    pub preserve_aspect_ratio: bool,
 }
 
 /// The background color of the node
diff --git a/crates/bevy_ui/src/widget/image.rs b/crates/bevy_ui/src/widget/image.rs
index 2916a6295223a3..fa2e011232cec3 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_ui/src/widget/image.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_ui/src/widget/image.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ pub fn update_image_calculated_size_system(
             // Update only if size has changed to avoid needless layout calculations
             if size != calculated_size.size {
                 calculated_size.size = size;
+                calculated_size.preserve_aspect_ratio = true;
             }
         }
     }