diff --git a/src/components/NoteList.rendering.test.tsx b/src/components/NoteList.rendering.test.tsx
index c860fc02..697d1c48 100644
--- a/src/components/NoteList.rendering.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/NoteList.rendering.test.tsx
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ describe('NoteList rendering', () => {
     expect(screen.getByTitle('Create new note')).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
-  it('uses matching ghost icon button styling for note-list header actions', () => {
+  it('uses breadcrumbs-like button styling for note-list header actions', () => {
     renderNoteList({
       entries: makeBookTypeEntries(['Priority'], { properties: { Priority: 'High' } }),
       selection: { kind: 'filter', filter: 'inbox' },
@@ -138,9 +138,18 @@ describe('NoteList rendering', () => {
     ]
 
     for (const button of buttons) {
-      expect(button).toHaveAttribute('data-size', 'icon-xs')
       expect(button).toHaveAttribute('data-variant', 'ghost')
-      expect(button).toHaveClass('h-7', 'w-7', 'text-muted-foreground', 'hover:bg-accent')
+      expect(button).toHaveClass(
+        '!h-auto',
+        '!w-auto',
+        '!min-w-0',
+        '!rounded-none',
+        '!p-0',
+        '!text-muted-foreground',
+        'hover:!bg-transparent',
+        'hover:!text-foreground',
+      )
+      expect(button).not.toHaveAttribute('tabindex', '-1')
     }
   })
 
diff --git a/src/components/note-list/NoteListHeader.tsx b/src/components/note-list/NoteListHeader.tsx
index 7efcac5c..0749f3c8 100644
--- a/src/components/note-list/NoteListHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/components/note-list/NoteListHeader.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { useDragRegion } from '../../hooks/useDragRegion'
 import { SortDropdown } from '../SortDropdown'
 import { ListPropertiesPopover, type ListPropertiesPopoverProps } from './ListPropertiesPopover'
 
-const NOTE_LIST_ACTION_BUTTON_CLASSNAME = 'h-7 w-7 text-muted-foreground'
+const NOTE_LIST_ACTION_BUTTON_CLASSNAME = '!h-auto !w-auto !min-w-0 !rounded-none !p-0 !text-muted-foreground hover:!bg-transparent hover:!text-foreground focus-visible:!bg-transparent data-[state=open]:!bg-transparent data-[state=open]:!text-foreground [&_svg]:!size-4'
 
 export function NoteListHeader({ title, typeDocument, isEntityView, listSort, listDirection, customProperties, sidebarCollapsed, searchVisible, search, propertyPicker, onSortChange, onCreateNote, onOpenType, onToggleSearch, onSearchChange }: {
   title: string
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export function NoteListHeader({ title, typeDocument, isEntityView, listSort, li
         >
           {title}
         </h3>
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-3" style={{ WebkitAppRegion: 'no-drag' } as React.CSSProperties}>
+        <div className="ml-3 flex shrink-0 items-center justify-end gap-2" style={{ WebkitAppRegion: 'no-drag' } as React.CSSProperties}>
           {!isEntityView && <SortDropdown groupLabel="__list__" current={listSort} direction={listDirection} customProperties={customProperties} onChange={onSortChange} />}
           <Button type="button" variant="ghost" size="icon-xs" className={NOTE_LIST_ACTION_BUTTON_CLASSNAME} onClick={onToggleSearch} title="Search notes" aria-label="Search notes">
             <MagnifyingGlass size={16} />