diff --git a/main_window.py b/main_window.py
index 90af296..dedecbf 100644
--- a/main_window.py
+++ b/main_window.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from copy import deepcopy
 from pathlib import Path
 import sys
 
-from PySide6.QtCore import QEvent, QSignalBlocker, QSize, Qt
+from PySide6.QtCore import QEvent, QSignalBlocker, QSize, Qt, QTimer
 from PySide6.QtGui import QAction, QColor, QImageReader, QKeySequence
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
     QAbstractItemView,
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         self.sidebar_tab_container: SidebarTab | None = None
         self._sidebar_collapsed = False
         self._sidebar_last_width = SIDEBAR_DEFAULT_WIDTH
+        self.menu_buttons_widget: QWidget | None = None
 
         self.canvas = LedCanvas()
         self._apply_canvas_settings()
@@ -493,23 +494,28 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         tools_menu.addSeparator()
         tools_menu.addAction(self.actions["brush"])
 
-        # Add vertical separator and buttons next to the menu headers in the QMenuBar
-        container = QWidget()
-        layout = QHBoxLayout(container)
-        layout.setContentsMargins(10, 0, 10, 0)
+        # Delete old widget if recreating
+        if hasattr(self, "menu_buttons_widget") and self.menu_buttons_widget is not None:
+            self.menu_buttons_widget.deleteLater()
+            self.menu_buttons_widget = None
+
+        # Add vertical separator and buttons next to the menu headers in the QMenuBar as a child overlay
+        self.menu_buttons_widget = QWidget(menu_bar)
+        layout = QHBoxLayout(self.menu_buttons_widget)
+        layout.setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0)
         layout.setSpacing(4)
 
         # Vertical line separator
-        separator = QFrame()
+        separator = QFrame(self.menu_buttons_widget)
         separator.setFrameShape(QFrame.Shape.VLine)
         separator.setFrameShadow(QFrame.Shadow.Sunken)
-        separator.setStyleSheet("color: #cbd5e1; margin: 4px 0;")
+        separator.setStyleSheet("color: #cbd5e1; margin: 2px 0;")
         layout.addWidget(separator)
 
         # Add Tools actions as buttons
         for key in ["add_line", "add_led", "generate_script", "auto_blocks", "counterclockwise", "brush"]:
             action = self.actions[key]
-            btn = QToolButton()
+            btn = QToolButton(self.menu_buttons_widget)
             btn.setDefaultAction(action)
             btn.setIconSize(QSize(16, 16))
             btn.setToolButtonStyle(Qt.ToolButtonIconOnly)
@@ -517,9 +523,26 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
             btn.setStyleSheet("QToolButton { border: none; padding: 2px; }")
             layout.addWidget(btn)
 
-        widget_action = QWidgetAction(menu_bar)
-        widget_action.setDefaultWidget(container)
-        menu_bar.addAction(widget_action)
+        self.menu_buttons_widget.show()
+        QTimer.singleShot(0, self._reposition_menu_buttons)
+
+    def resizeEvent(self, event) -> None:
+        super().resizeEvent(event)
+        self._reposition_menu_buttons()
+
+    def _reposition_menu_buttons(self) -> None:
+        if not hasattr(self, "menu_buttons_widget") or self.menu_buttons_widget is None:
+            return
+        menu_bar = self.menuBar()
+        actions = menu_bar.actions()
+        if len(actions) < 4:
+            return
+        tools_action = actions[3]
+        rect = menu_bar.actionGeometry(tools_action)
+        if rect.isValid() and rect.right() > 0:
+            h = menu_bar.height()
+            w = self.menu_buttons_widget.sizeHint().width()
+            self.menu_buttons_widget.setGeometry(rect.right() + 10, (h - 20) // 2, w, 20)
 
     def _build_layout(self) -> None:
         side = QWidget()
diff --git a/qa_smoke.py b/qa_smoke.py
index 6256168..fc6487c 100644
--- a/qa_smoke.py
+++ b/qa_smoke.py
@@ -1194,14 +1194,10 @@ def test_menu_bar_tools_buttons() -> None:
     window = MainWindow()
     app.processEvents()
 
-    # Find the QWidgetAction in the QMenuBar
-    from PySide6.QtWidgets import QWidgetAction, QToolButton, QFrame
-    menu_bar = window.menuBar()
-    widget_actions = [action for action in menu_bar.actions() if isinstance(action, QWidgetAction)]
-    assert len(widget_actions) == 1
-
-    container = widget_actions[0].defaultWidget()
+    from PySide6.QtWidgets import QToolButton, QFrame
+    container = window.menu_buttons_widget
     assert container is not None
+    assert container.parent() == window.menuBar()
 
     # Check layout
     layout = container.layout()