diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 4bd16e4bea4..0642cdf4496 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ export(aging.ba.game)
 export(aging.barabasi.game)
 export(aging.prefatt.game)
 export(algorithm)
+export(align_layout)
 export(all_shortest_paths)
 export(all_simple_paths)
 export(alpha.centrality)
diff --git a/R/layout.R b/R/layout.R
index 4915534df6a..d25fee763f5 100644
--- a/R/layout.R
+++ b/R/layout.R
@@ -877,12 +877,18 @@ layout.circle <- function(..., params = list()) {
 #'
 #' `layout_nicely()` tries to choose an appropriate layout function for the
 #' supplied graph, and uses that to generate the layout. The current
-#' implementation works like this: \enumerate{ \item If the graph has a graph
-#' attribute called \sQuote{layout}, then this is used. If this attribute is an
-#' R function, then it is called, with the graph and any other extra arguments.
+#' implementation works like this:
+#' \enumerate{
+#' \item If the graph has a graph attribute called \sQuote{layout},
+#' then this is used. If this attribute is an R function, then it is called, with the graph and any other extra arguments.
+#'
 #' \item Otherwise, if the graph has vertex attributes called \sQuote{x} and
 #' \sQuote{y}, then these are used as coordinates. If the graph has an
-#' additional \sQuote{z} vertex attribute, that is also used.  \item Otherwise,
+#' additional \sQuote{z} vertex attribute, that is also used.
+#'
+#' \item Otherwise, if the graph is a forest and has less than 30 vertices, `layout_as_tree()` is used.
+#'
+#' \item Otherwise,
 #' if the graph is connected and has less than 1000 vertices, the
 #' Fruchterman-Reingold layout is used, by calling `layout_with_fr()`.
 #' \item Otherwise the DrL layout is used, `layout_with_drl()` is called.  }
@@ -916,6 +922,7 @@ layout_nicely <- function(graph, dim = 2, ...) {
   ## 1. If there is a 'layout' graph attribute, we just use that.
   ## 2. Otherwise, if there are vertex attributes called 'x' and 'y',
   ##    we use those (and the 'z' vertex attribute as well, if present).
+  ## 3. If the graph is a forest and has less than 30 vertices, layout_as_tree is used
   ## 3. Otherwise, if the graph is small (<1000) we use
   ##    the Fruchterman-Reingold layout.
   ## 4. Otherwise we use the DrL layout generator.
@@ -954,10 +961,15 @@ layout_nicely <- function(graph, dim = 2, ...) {
     }
 
     args$graph <- graph
+
+    if (is_forest(graph) && vcount(graph) <= 30) {
+      return(do.call(layout_as_tree, args))
+    }
+
     args$dim <- dim
 
     if (vcount(graph) < 1000) {
-      do.call(layout_with_fr, args)
+      align_layout(graph, do.call(layout_with_fr, args))
     } else {
       do.call(layout_with_drl, args)
     }
@@ -3008,3 +3020,19 @@ drl_defaults <- list(
   final = igraph.drl.final,
   refine = igraph.drl.refine
 )
+
+#' Align a vertex layout
+#' This function centers a vertex layout on the coordinate system origin and
+#' rotates the layout to achieve a visually pleasing alignment with the coordinate
+#' axes. Doing this is particularly useful with force-directed layouts such as [layout_with_fr()].
+#' @param graph The graph whose layout is to be aligned.
+#' @param layout A matrix whose rows are the coordinates of vertices.
+#' @return modified layout matrix
+#' @export
+#' @examples
+#' g <- make_lattice(c(3, 3))
+#' l1 <- layout_with_fr(g)
+#' l2 <- align_layout(g,l1)
+#' plot(g, layout = l1)
+#' plot(g, layout = l2)
+align_layout <- layout_align_impl
diff --git a/_pkgdown.yml b/_pkgdown.yml
index 646b86e8fc8..e543b111bf1 100644
--- a/_pkgdown.yml
+++ b/_pkgdown.yml
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ reference:
   - has_concept("plot.common")
   - has_concept("plot.shapes")
   - vertex.shape.pie
+  - align_layout
 - subtitle: Graph coloring
 - contents:
   - has_concept("coloring")
diff --git a/man/align_layout.Rd b/man/align_layout.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5ecdbe4ac9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/align_layout.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/layout.R
+\name{align_layout}
+\alias{align_layout}
+\title{Align a vertex layout
+This function centers a vertex layout on the coordinate system origin and
+rotates the layout to achieve a visually pleasing alignment with the coordinate
+axes. Doing this is particularly useful with force-directed layouts such as \code{\link[=layout_with_fr]{layout_with_fr()}}.}
+\usage{
+align_layout(graph, layout)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{graph}{The graph whose layout is to be aligned.}
+
+\item{layout}{A matrix whose rows are the coordinates of vertices.}
+}
+\value{
+modified layout matrix
+}
+\description{
+Align a vertex layout
+This function centers a vertex layout on the coordinate system origin and
+rotates the layout to achieve a visually pleasing alignment with the coordinate
+axes. Doing this is particularly useful with force-directed layouts such as \code{\link[=layout_with_fr]{layout_with_fr()}}.
+}
+\examples{
+g <- make_lattice(c(3, 3))
+l1 <- layout_with_fr(g)
+l2 <- align_layout(g,l1)
+plot(g, layout = l1)
+plot(g, layout = l2)
+}
diff --git a/man/layout_nicely.Rd b/man/layout_nicely.Rd
index 6ac67a3e336..a8df0563316 100644
--- a/man/layout_nicely.Rd
+++ b/man/layout_nicely.Rd
@@ -28,12 +28,18 @@ graph, automatically, based on a simple algorithm. See details below.
 \details{
 \code{layout_nicely()} tries to choose an appropriate layout function for the
 supplied graph, and uses that to generate the layout. The current
-implementation works like this: \enumerate{ \item If the graph has a graph
-attribute called \sQuote{layout}, then this is used. If this attribute is an
-R function, then it is called, with the graph and any other extra arguments.
+implementation works like this:
+\enumerate{
+\item If the graph has a graph attribute called \sQuote{layout},
+then this is used. If this attribute is an R function, then it is called, with the graph and any other extra arguments.
+
 \item Otherwise, if the graph has vertex attributes called \sQuote{x} and
 \sQuote{y}, then these are used as coordinates. If the graph has an
-additional \sQuote{z} vertex attribute, that is also used.  \item Otherwise,
+additional \sQuote{z} vertex attribute, that is also used.
+
+\item Otherwise, if the graph is a forest and has less than 30 vertices, \code{layout_as_tree()} is used.
+
+\item Otherwise,
 if the graph is connected and has less than 1000 vertices, the
 Fruchterman-Reingold layout is used, by calling \code{layout_with_fr()}.
 \item Otherwise the DrL layout is used, \code{layout_with_drl()} is called.  }