diff --git a/src/view/com/post-thread/PostThreadItem.tsx b/src/view/com/post-thread/PostThreadItem.tsx
index 95fd5aefb3..a27ee0a581 100644
--- a/src/view/com/post-thread/PostThreadItem.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/post-thread/PostThreadItem.tsx
@@ -250,13 +250,7 @@ let PostThreadItemLoaded = ({
 
         <View
           testID={`postThreadItem-by-${post.author.handle}`}
-          style={[
-            styles.outer,
-            styles.outerHighlighted,
-            rootUri === post.uri && styles.outerHighlightedRoot,
-            pal.border,
-            pal.view,
-          ]}
+          style={[styles.outer, styles.outerHighlighted, pal.border, pal.view]}
           accessible={false}>
           <PostSandboxWarning />
           <View style={styles.layout}>
@@ -732,15 +726,10 @@ const useStyles = () => {
       paddingLeft: 8,
     },
     outerHighlighted: {
-      borderTopWidth: 0,
-      paddingTop: 4,
+      paddingTop: 16,
       paddingLeft: 8,
       paddingRight: 8,
     },
-    outerHighlightedRoot: {
-      borderTopWidth: 1,
-      paddingTop: 16,
-    },
     noTopBorder: {
       borderTopWidth: 0,
     },
diff --git a/src/view/com/util/LoadingPlaceholder.tsx b/src/view/com/util/LoadingPlaceholder.tsx
index 8941bfb9c5..32c99e224d 100644
--- a/src/view/com/util/LoadingPlaceholder.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/util/LoadingPlaceholder.tsx
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ export function PostLoadingPlaceholder({
               strokeWidth={3}
             />
           </View>
-          <View style={{width: 30, height: 30}} />
+          <View style={styles.postCtrl} />
         </View>
       </View>
     </View>
diff --git a/src/view/com/util/post-ctrls/PostCtrls.tsx b/src/view/com/util/post-ctrls/PostCtrls.tsx
index a6d7e38c31..249111a04f 100644
--- a/src/view/com/util/post-ctrls/PostCtrls.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/util/post-ctrls/PostCtrls.tsx
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ let PostCtrls = ({
           ) : undefined}
         </TouchableOpacity>
       </View>
-      <View style={[styles.ctrl]}>
+      <View style={styles.ctrl}>
         <RepostButton
           big={big}
           isReposted={!!post.viewer?.repost}
@@ -194,19 +194,19 @@ let PostCtrls = ({
         </TouchableOpacity>
       </View>
       {big ? undefined : (
-        <PostDropdownBtn
-          testID="postDropdownBtn"
-          postAuthor={post.author}
-          postCid={post.cid}
-          postUri={post.uri}
-          record={record}
-          richText={richText}
-          showAppealLabelItem={showAppealLabelItem}
-          style={styles.btnPad}
-        />
+        <View style={styles.ctrl}>
+          <PostDropdownBtn
+            testID="postDropdownBtn"
+            postAuthor={post.author}
+            postCid={post.cid}
+            postUri={post.uri}
+            record={record}
+            richText={richText}
+            showAppealLabelItem={showAppealLabelItem}
+            style={styles.btnPad}
+          />
+        </View>
       )}
-      {/* used for adding pad to the right side */}
-      <View />
     </View>
   )
 }