diff --git a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/chart/chart.cc b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/chart/chart.cc
index 399304186e..169a588eaa 100644
--- a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/chart/chart.cc
+++ b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/chart/chart.cc
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ void ChartView::updateLayout() {
   const ImVec2 top_left = layout_.rect.Min + ImVec2(LAYOUT_MARGINS.x, LAYOUT_MARGINS.y);
   layout_.move_icon_rect = ImRect(top_left, top_left + grip);
   const ImVec2 btn_size(iconButtonWidth(), iconButtonWidth());
-  const ImVec2 close_min(layout_.rect.Max.x - LAYOUT_MARGINS.z - btn_size.x, top_left.y);
+  const ImVec2 close_min(layout_.rect.Max.x - std::max(LAYOUT_MARGINS.z, CONTROL_OUTLINE_PADDING) - btn_size.x, top_left.y);
   layout_.close_btn_rect = ImRect(close_min, close_min + btn_size);
   const ImVec2 manage_min(close_min.x - btn_size.x - ImGui::GetStyle().ItemInnerSpacing.x, top_left.y);
   layout_.manage_btn_rect = ImRect(manage_min, manage_min + btn_size);
diff --git a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/util.cc b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/util.cc
index f646f33da4..6269bd11c3 100644
--- a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/util.cc
+++ b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/util.cc
@@ -62,9 +62,21 @@ bool inputTextMultiline(const char *label, std::string *s, const ImVec2 &size, I
                                    inputCallback, &ctx);
 }
 
+bool beginControlChild(const char *id, const ImVec2 &size, ImGuiWindowFlags flags) {
+  ImGui::PushStyleVar(ImGuiStyleVar_WindowPadding, ImVec2(CONTROL_OUTLINE_PADDING, CONTROL_OUTLINE_PADDING));
+  const bool visible = ImGui::BeginChild(id, size, ImGuiChildFlags_AlwaysUseWindowPadding, flags);
+  ImGui::PopStyleVar();
+  return visible;
+}
+
 bool clearableInput(const char *label, std::string *s, const char *hint, ImGuiInputTextCallback validator) {
+  const float width = ImGui::CalcItemWidth();
+  const float clear_width = iconButtonWidth() + ImGui::GetStyle().ItemInnerSpacing.x;
+  const bool show_clear = !s->empty() && width >= clear_width + ImGui::GetFrameHeight();
+  ImGui::SetNextItemWidth(show_clear ? width - clear_width : width);
+  ImGui::BeginGroup();
   bool changed = validatedInput(label, s, validator, hint);
-  if (!s->empty()) {
+  if (show_clear) {
     ImGui::SameLine(0.0f, ImGui::GetStyle().ItemInnerSpacing.x);
     ImGui::PushID(label);
     if (iconButton("clear", icon::X_LG)) {
@@ -73,6 +85,7 @@ bool clearableInput(const char *label, std::string *s, const char *hint, ImGuiIn
     }
     ImGui::PopID();
   }
+  ImGui::EndGroup();
   return changed;
 }
 
diff --git a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/util.h b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/util.h
index 87afb28f74..98c814b6c4 100644
--- a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/util.h
+++ b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/util.h
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@ inline bool inputText(const char *label, std::string *s, const char *hint = "",
 
 bool inputTextMultiline(const char *label, std::string *s, const ImVec2 &size, ImGuiInputTextFlags flags = 0);
 
-// an input with a trailing clear button once it holds text; true when the text changed
+constexpr float CONTROL_OUTLINE_PADDING = 1.0f;
+// Always pair with ImGui::EndChild(), even when false is returned.
+bool beginControlChild(const char *id, const ImVec2 &size, ImGuiWindowFlags flags = 0);
+
+// SetNextItemWidth includes the field and clear button. Returns true when text changes.
 bool clearableInput(const char *label, std::string *s, const char *hint = "", ImGuiInputTextCallback validator = nullptr);
 
 bool comboBox(const char *label, int *index, const std::vector<std::string> &items);
diff --git a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/historylog.cc b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/historylog.cc
index ba51c4d6ee..19ce2c9f65 100644
--- a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/historylog.cc
+++ b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/historylog.cc
@@ -132,11 +132,13 @@ void LogsWidget::exportToCSV() {
 void LogsWidget::draw() {
   const ImGuiStyle &style = ImGui::GetStyle();
 
+  beginControlChild("toolbar", ImVec2(0, ImGui::GetFrameHeight() + CONTROL_OUTLINE_PADDING * 2),
+                    ImGuiWindowFlags_NoBackground | ImGuiWindowFlags_NoScrollbar | ImGuiWindowFlags_NoScrollWithMouse);
+
   // toolbar: the export button is right aligned and never clipped, the value input shrinks first
   const float export_w = iconButtonWidth();
   if (!sigs_.empty()) {
-    const float clear_w = value_edit_.empty() ? 0.0f : iconButtonWidth();
-    const float fixed = DISPLAY_TYPE_WIDTH + SIGNALS_WIDTH + COMPARE_WIDTH + clear_w + style.ItemSpacing.x * 4 + export_w;
+    const float fixed = DISPLAY_TYPE_WIDTH + SIGNALS_WIDTH + COMPARE_WIDTH + style.ItemSpacing.x * 4 + export_w;
     const float value_w = std::clamp(ImGui::GetContentRegionAvail().x - fixed, 30.0f, 120.0f);
 
     ImGui::SetNextItemWidth(DISPLAY_TYPE_WIDTH);
@@ -169,6 +171,7 @@ void LogsWidget::draw() {
   if (iconButton("export_csv", icon::FILETYPE_CSV)) exportToCSV();
   ImGui::EndDisabled();
   disabledItemTooltip("Export to CSV file...");
+  ImGui::EndChild();
 
   ImGui::Separator();
   drawTable();
diff --git a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/messageswidget.cc b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/messageswidget.cc
index 6de1735d79..08148107a0 100644
--- a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/messageswidget.cc
+++ b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/messageswidget.cc
@@ -434,12 +434,11 @@ void MessagesWidget::drawHeader() {
   }
 
   // the filter editors under the header
-  const float clear_width = iconButtonWidth();
   ImGui::TableNextRow();
   for (int i = 0; i < MessageList::COLUMN_COUNT; i++) {
     if (!ImGui::TableSetColumnIndex(i)) continue;
     ImGui::PushID(i);
-    ImGui::SetNextItemWidth(filters_[i].empty() ? -FLT_MIN : std::max(1.0f, ImGui::GetContentRegionAvail().x - clear_width));
+    ImGui::SetNextItemWidth(-FLT_MIN);
     const std::string placeholder = std::string("Filter ") + COLUMN_TITLES[i];
     if (clearableInput("##filter", &filters_[i], placeholder.c_str())) {
       std::map<int, std::string> filters;
diff --git a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/signalview.cc b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/signalview.cc
index c0ed091568..2413912ea2 100644
--- a/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/signalview.cc
+++ b/openpilot/tools/cabana/ui/widgets/signalview.cc
@@ -737,10 +737,8 @@ void SignalView::collapseAll() {
 
 void SignalView::drawTree() {
   ImGui::PushStyleVar(ImGuiStyleVar_ItemSpacing, ImVec2(ImGui::GetStyle().ItemSpacing.x, 0.0f));
-  ImGui::PushStyleVar(ImGuiStyleVar_WindowPadding, ImVec2(0.0f, 0.0f));
   const float min_height = std::max(ImGui::GetContentRegionAvail().y, 300.0f);
-  const bool visible = ImGui::BeginChild("tree", ImVec2(0, min_height), ImGuiChildFlags_None);
-  ImGui::PopStyleVar();
+  const bool visible = beginControlChild("tree", ImVec2(0, min_height));
   if (visible) {
     DrawContext ctx{ImGui::GetWindowDrawList(), ImGui::GetCursorScreenPos().x, ImGui::GetContentRegionAvail().x, rowHeight()};
     // the press that closes an open editor is consumed by the focus change, the index widgets never see it