diff --git a/HISTORY.md b/HISTORY.md
index 0545624d..9a28ac26 100644
--- a/HISTORY.md
+++ b/HISTORY.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ http://visjs.org
 - Fixed #1584: Navigation buttons broken.
 - Fixed #1596: correct clean up of manipulation dom elements.
 - Fixed #1594: bug in hierarchical layout.
+- Fixed #1597: Allow zero borders and addressed scaling artifacts.
 
 ### Timeline
 
diff --git a/dist/vis.js b/dist/vis.js
index a27be191..e31564d9 100644
--- a/dist/vis.js
+++ b/dist/vis.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * A dynamic, browser-based visualization library.
  *
  * @version 4.12.1-SNAPSHOT
- * @date    2016-01-22
+ * @date    2016-01-23
  *
  * @license
  * Copyright (C) 2011-2016 Almende B.V, http://almende.com
@@ -29869,11 +29869,14 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
 
         //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
         ctx.save();
-        this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-        //draw the border
-        ctx.stroke();
-        //disable dashed border for other elements
-        this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+        // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+        if (borderWidth > 0) {
+          this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+          //draw the border
+          ctx.stroke();
+          //disable dashed border for other elements
+          this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+        }
         ctx.restore();
 
         this.updateBoundingBox(x, y, ctx, selected);
@@ -30189,14 +30192,12 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
     }, {
       key: '_drawRawCircle',
       value: function _drawRawCircle(ctx, x, y, selected, hover, size) {
-        var borderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
+        var neutralborderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
         var selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+        var borderWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : neutralborderWidth) / this.body.view.scale;
+        ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, borderWidth);
 
         ctx.strokeStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.border : hover ? this.options.color.hover.border : this.options.color.border;
-
-        ctx.lineWidth = selected ? selectionLineWidth : borderWidth;
-        ctx.lineWidth *= this.networkScaleInv;
-        ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, ctx.lineWidth);
         ctx.fillStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.background : hover ? this.options.color.hover.background : this.options.color.background;
         ctx.circle(x, y, size);
 
@@ -30209,11 +30210,14 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
 
         //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
         ctx.save();
-        this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-        //draw the border
-        ctx.stroke();
-        //disable dashed border for other elements
-        this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+        // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+        if (borderWidth > 0) {
+          this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+          //draw the border
+          ctx.stroke();
+          //disable dashed border for other elements
+          this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+        }
         ctx.restore();
       }
     }, {
@@ -30420,13 +30424,12 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
         this.left = x - this.width / 2;
         this.top = y - this.height / 2;
 
-        var borderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
+        var neutralborderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
         var selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+        var borderWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : neutralborderWidth) / this.body.view.scale;
+        ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, borderWidth);
 
         ctx.strokeStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.border : hover ? this.options.color.hover.border : this.options.color.border;
-        ctx.lineWidth = this.selected ? selectionLineWidth : borderWidth;
-        ctx.lineWidth *= this.networkScaleInv;
-        ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, ctx.lineWidth);
 
         ctx.fillStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.background : hover ? this.options.color.hover.background : this.options.color.background;
         ctx.database(x - this.width / 2, y - this.height * 0.5, this.width, this.height);
@@ -30440,11 +30443,14 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
 
         //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
         ctx.save();
-        this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-        //draw the border
-        ctx.stroke();
-        //disable dashed border for other elements
-        this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+        // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+        if (borderWidth > 0) {
+          this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+          //draw the border
+          ctx.stroke();
+          //disable dashed border for other elements
+          this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+        }
         ctx.restore();
 
         this.updateBoundingBox(x, y, ctx, selected);
@@ -30583,13 +30589,12 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
         this.left = x - this.width / 2;
         this.top = y - this.height / 2;
 
-        var borderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
+        var neutralborderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
         var selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+        var borderWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : neutralborderWidth) / this.body.view.scale;
+        ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, borderWidth);
 
         ctx.strokeStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.border : hover ? this.options.color.hover.border : this.options.color.border;
-        ctx.lineWidth = selected ? selectionLineWidth : borderWidth;
-        ctx.lineWidth /= this.body.view.scale;
-        ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, ctx.lineWidth);
         ctx.fillStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.background : hover ? this.options.color.hover.background : this.options.color.background;
         ctx[shape](x, y, this.options.size);
 
@@ -30602,11 +30607,14 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
 
         //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
         ctx.save();
-        this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-        //draw the border
-        ctx.stroke();
-        //disable dashed border for other elements
-        this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+        // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+        if (borderWidth > 0) {
+          this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+          //draw the border
+          ctx.stroke();
+          //disable dashed border for other elements
+          this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+        }
         ctx.restore();
 
         if (this.options.label !== undefined) {
@@ -30749,15 +30757,13 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
         this.left = x - this.width * 0.5;
         this.top = y - this.height * 0.5;
 
-        var borderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
+        var neutralborderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
         var selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+        var borderWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : neutralborderWidth) / this.body.view.scale;
+        ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, borderWidth);
 
         ctx.strokeStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.border : hover ? this.options.color.hover.border : this.options.color.border;
 
-        ctx.lineWidth = selected ? selectionLineWidth : borderWidth;
-        ctx.lineWidth /= this.body.view.scale;
-        ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, ctx.lineWidth);
-
         ctx.fillStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.background : hover ? this.options.color.hover.background : this.options.color.background;
         ctx.ellipse(this.left, this.top, this.width, this.height);
 
@@ -30770,11 +30776,16 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
 
         //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
         ctx.save();
-        this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-        //draw the border
-        ctx.stroke();
-        //disable dashed border for other elements
-        this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+
+        // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+        if (borderWidth > 0) {
+          this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+          //draw the border
+          ctx.stroke();
+          //disable dashed border for other elements
+          this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+        }
+
         ctx.restore();
 
         this.updateBoundingBox(x, y, ctx, selected);
@@ -30973,17 +30984,15 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
         this.top = y - this.height / 2;
 
         if (this.options.shapeProperties.useBorderWithImage === true) {
-          var borderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
-
+          var neutralborderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
           var selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+          var borderWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : neutralborderWidth) / this.body.view.scale;
+          ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, borderWidth);
 
           ctx.beginPath();
 
           // setup the line properties.
           ctx.strokeStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.border : hover ? this.options.color.hover.border : this.options.color.border;
-          ctx.lineWidth = selected ? selectionLineWidth : borderWidth;
-          ctx.lineWidth /= this.body.view.scale;
-          ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, ctx.lineWidth);
 
           // set a fillstyle
           ctx.fillStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.background : hover ? this.options.color.hover.background : this.options.color.background;
@@ -30994,11 +31003,14 @@ return /******/ (function(modules) { // webpackBootstrap
 
           //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
           ctx.save();
-          this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-          //draw the border
-          ctx.stroke();
-          //disable dashed border for other elements
-          this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+          // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+          if (borderWidth > 0) {
+            this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+            //draw the border
+            ctx.stroke();
+            //disable dashed border for other elements
+            this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+          }
           ctx.restore();
 
           ctx.closePath();
diff --git a/examples/network/basicUsage.html b/examples/network/basicUsage.html
index 278b938e..662c9e68 100644
--- a/examples/network/basicUsage.html
+++ b/examples/network/basicUsage.html
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
     nodes: nodes,
     edges: edges
   };
-  var options = {};
+  var options = {nodes:{borderWidth:0}};
   var network = new vis.Network(container, data, options);
 </script>
 
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Box.js b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Box.js
index f03b02a8..d2d15740 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Box.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Box.js
@@ -44,11 +44,14 @@ class Box extends NodeBase {
 
     //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
     ctx.save();
-    this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-    //draw the border
-    ctx.stroke();
-    //disable dashed border for other elements
-    this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+    // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+    if (borderWidth > 0) {
+      this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+      //draw the border
+      ctx.stroke();
+      //disable dashed border for other elements
+      this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+    }
     ctx.restore();
 
     this.updateBoundingBox(x,y,ctx,selected);
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Database.js b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Database.js
index 3cd1a3c3..dabc02ff 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Database.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Database.js
@@ -23,13 +23,12 @@ class Database extends NodeBase {
     this.left = x - this.width / 2;
     this.top  = y - this.height / 2;
 
-    var borderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
+    var neutralborderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
     var selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+    var borderWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : neutralborderWidth) / this.body.view.scale;
+    ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, borderWidth);
 
     ctx.strokeStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.border : hover ? this.options.color.hover.border : this.options.color.border;
-    ctx.lineWidth = (this.selected ? selectionLineWidth : borderWidth);
-    ctx.lineWidth *= this.networkScaleInv;
-    ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, ctx.lineWidth);
 
     ctx.fillStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.background : hover ? this.options.color.hover.background : this.options.color.background;
     ctx.database(x - this.width / 2, y - this.height * 0.5, this.width, this.height);
@@ -43,11 +42,14 @@ class Database extends NodeBase {
 
     //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
     ctx.save();
-    this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-    //draw the border
-    ctx.stroke();
-    //disable dashed border for other elements
-    this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+    // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+    if (borderWidth > 0) {
+      this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+      //draw the border
+      ctx.stroke();
+      //disable dashed border for other elements
+      this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+    }
     ctx.restore();
 
     this.updateBoundingBox(x,y,ctx,selected);
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Ellipse.js b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Ellipse.js
index 0265b1fe..b4d0a28a 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Ellipse.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Ellipse.js
@@ -25,15 +25,13 @@ class Ellipse extends NodeBase {
     this.left = x - this.width * 0.5;
     this.top = y - this.height * 0.5;
 
-    var borderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
+    var neutralborderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
     var selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+    var borderWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : neutralborderWidth) / this.body.view.scale;
+    ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, borderWidth);
 
     ctx.strokeStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.border : hover ? this.options.color.hover.border : this.options.color.border;
 
-    ctx.lineWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : borderWidth);
-    ctx.lineWidth /= this.body.view.scale;
-    ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, ctx.lineWidth);
-
     ctx.fillStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.background : hover ? this.options.color.hover.background : this.options.color.background;
     ctx.ellipse(this.left, this.top, this.width, this.height);
 
@@ -46,11 +44,16 @@ class Ellipse extends NodeBase {
 
     //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
     ctx.save();
-    this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-    //draw the border
-    ctx.stroke();
-    //disable dashed border for other elements
-    this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+
+    // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+    if (borderWidth > 0) {
+      this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+      //draw the border
+      ctx.stroke();
+      //disable dashed border for other elements
+      this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+    }
+
     ctx.restore();
 
     this.updateBoundingBox(x, y, ctx, selected);
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Image.js b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Image.js
index 4d812c0f..1a0e8aec 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Image.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/shapes/Image.js
@@ -18,17 +18,15 @@ class Image extends CircleImageBase {
     this.top = y - this.height / 2;
 
     if (this.options.shapeProperties.useBorderWithImage === true) {
-      let borderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
-
-      let selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+      var neutralborderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
+      var selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+      var borderWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : neutralborderWidth) / this.body.view.scale;
+      ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, borderWidth);
 
       ctx.beginPath();
 
       // setup the line properties.
       ctx.strokeStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.border : hover ? this.options.color.hover.border : this.options.color.border;
-      ctx.lineWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : borderWidth);
-      ctx.lineWidth /= this.body.view.scale;
-      ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, ctx.lineWidth);
 
       // set a fillstyle
       ctx.fillStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.background : hover ? this.options.color.hover.background : this.options.color.background;
@@ -42,11 +40,14 @@ class Image extends CircleImageBase {
 
       //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
       ctx.save();
-      this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-      //draw the border
-      ctx.stroke();
-      //disable dashed border for other elements
-      this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+      // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+      if (borderWidth > 0) {
+        this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+        //draw the border
+        ctx.stroke();
+        //disable dashed border for other elements
+        this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+      }
       ctx.restore();
 
       ctx.closePath();
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/util/CircleImageBase.js b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/util/CircleImageBase.js
index e4d9f803..ab0cf97f 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/util/CircleImageBase.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/util/CircleImageBase.js
@@ -66,14 +66,12 @@ class CircleImageBase extends NodeBase {
   }
 
   _drawRawCircle(ctx, x, y, selected, hover, size) {
-    var borderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
+    var neutralborderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
     var selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+    var borderWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : neutralborderWidth) / this.body.view.scale;
+    ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, borderWidth);
 
     ctx.strokeStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.border : hover ? this.options.color.hover.border : this.options.color.border;
-
-    ctx.lineWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : borderWidth);
-    ctx.lineWidth *= this.networkScaleInv;
-    ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, ctx.lineWidth);
     ctx.fillStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.background : hover ? this.options.color.hover.background : this.options.color.background;
     ctx.circle(x, y, size);
 
@@ -86,11 +84,14 @@ class CircleImageBase extends NodeBase {
 
     //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
     ctx.save();
-    this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-    //draw the border
-    ctx.stroke();
-    //disable dashed border for other elements
-    this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+    // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+    if (borderWidth > 0) {
+      this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+      //draw the border
+      ctx.stroke();
+      //disable dashed border for other elements
+      this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+    }
     ctx.restore();
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/util/ShapeBase.js b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/util/ShapeBase.js
index 62901f0c..d9e2cce2 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/util/ShapeBase.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/components/nodes/util/ShapeBase.js
@@ -20,13 +20,12 @@ class ShapeBase extends NodeBase {
     this.left = x - this.width / 2;
     this.top = y - this.height / 2;
 
-    var borderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
+    var neutralborderWidth = this.options.borderWidth;
     var selectionLineWidth = this.options.borderWidthSelected || 2 * this.options.borderWidth;
+    var borderWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : neutralborderWidth) / this.body.view.scale;
+    ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, borderWidth);
 
     ctx.strokeStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.border : hover ? this.options.color.hover.border : this.options.color.border;
-    ctx.lineWidth = (selected ? selectionLineWidth : borderWidth);
-    ctx.lineWidth /= this.body.view.scale;
-    ctx.lineWidth = Math.min(this.width, ctx.lineWidth);
     ctx.fillStyle = selected ? this.options.color.highlight.background : hover ? this.options.color.hover.background : this.options.color.background;
     ctx[shape](x, y, this.options.size);
 
@@ -39,11 +38,14 @@ class ShapeBase extends NodeBase {
 
     //draw dashed border if enabled, save and restore is required for firefox not to crash on unix.
     ctx.save();
-    this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
-    //draw the border
-    ctx.stroke();
-    //disable dashed border for other elements
-    this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+    // if borders are zero width, they will be drawn with width 1 by default. This prevents that
+    if (borderWidth > 0) {
+      this.enableBorderDashes(ctx);
+      //draw the border
+      ctx.stroke();
+      //disable dashed border for other elements
+      this.disableBorderDashes(ctx);
+    }
     ctx.restore();
 
     if (this.options.label !== undefined) {