diff --git a/jquery.expandable.js b/jquery.expandable.js
index 525e44d..60fb0b9 100644
--- a/jquery.expandable.js
+++ b/jquery.expandable.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 $.fn.extend({
 	expandable: function(options) {
-		options = $.extend({ duration: 'normal', interval: 750, within: 1, by: 2 }, options);
+		options = $.extend({ duration: 'normal', interval: 750, within: 1, by: 2, init: false }, options);
 		return this.filter('textarea').each(function() {
 			var $this = $(this).css({ display: 'block', overflow: 'hidden' }), minHeight = $this.height(), interval, heightDiff = this.offsetHeight - minHeight,
 				rowSize = ( parseInt($this.css('lineHeight'), 10) || parseInt($this.css('fontSize'), 10) ),
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ $.fn.extend({
 				.bind('keypress', function(event) { if ( event.keyCode == '13' ) check(); })
 				.bind('focus blur', function(event) {
 					if ( event.type == 'blur' ) clearInterval( interval );
-					if ( event.type == 'focus' && !interval ) setInterval(check, options.interval);
+					if ( event.type == 'focus' ) interval = setInterval(check, options.interval);
 				});
+
 			function check() {
 				var text = $this.val(), newHeight, height, usedHeight, usedRows, availableRows;
 				$div.html( text.replace(/\n/g, '&nbsp;<br>') );
@@ -32,10 +33,11 @@ $.fn.extend({
 					newHeight = rowSize * (usedRows + Math.max(availableRows, 0) + options.by);
 					$this.stop().animate({ height: newHeight }, options.duration);
 				} else if ( availableRows > options.by + options.within ) {
-					newHeight = Math.max( height - (rowSize * (availableRows - (options.by + options.within))), minHeight )
+					newHeight = Math.max( height - (rowSize * (availableRows - (options.by + options.within))), minHeight );
 					$this.stop().animate({ height: newHeight }, options.duration);
 				}
 			};
+			if ( options.init ) check();
 		}).end();
 	}
 });