How to center vector drawable in layer-list without scaling

I ran into the same problem trying to center vectors drawables on a layered list.

I have a workaround, its not exactly the same but it works, you need to set a size for the entire drawable and add padding to the vector item:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item>
        <shape>
            <size android:height="120dp" android:width="120dp"/>
            <solid android:color="@color/grid_item_activated"/>
        </shape>
    </item>
    <item android:top="24dp"
          android:bottom="24dp"
          android:left="24dp"
          android:right="24dp"
          android:drawable="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/34831142/@drawable/ic_check_white_48dp"/>
</layer-list>

The size of the shape above sets the size of the entire drawable, 120dp in this example, the padding on the second item, 24dp in this example, centers the vector image.

Its not the same as using the gravity="center" but its working way of using vectors in API 21 and 22.