diff --git a/widgets/mainwindow.cpp b/widgets/mainwindow.cpp
index b59525ab6..a2ada0969 100644
--- a/widgets/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/widgets/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -753,24 +753,6 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QDir const& temp_directory, bool multiple,
               }
           });
 
-  // ensure a balanced layout of the mode buttons
-  qreal pointSize = m_config.text_font().pointSizeF();
-  if (pointSize < 11) {
-      ui->houndButton->setMaximumWidth(40);
-      ui->ft8Button->setMaximumWidth(40);
-      ui->ft4Button->setMaximumWidth(40);
-      ui->msk144Button->setMaximumWidth(40);
-      ui->q65Button->setMaximumWidth(40);
-      ui->jt65Button->setMaximumWidth(40);
-  } else {
-      ui->houndButton->setMinimumWidth(50);
-      ui->ft8Button->setMinimumWidth(50);
-      ui->ft4Button->setMinimumWidth(50);
-      ui->msk144Button->setMinimumWidth(50);
-      ui->q65Button->setMinimumWidth(50);
-      ui->jt65Button->setMinimumWidth(50);
-  }
-
   // hook up save WAV file exit handling
   connect (&m_saveWAVWatcher, &QFutureWatcher<QString>::finished, [this] {
       // extract the promise from the future
@@ -1407,6 +1389,29 @@ void MainWindow::set_application_font (QFont const& font)
         }
     }
   qApp->setStyleSheet (ss + "* {" + font_as_stylesheet (font) + '}');
+  // ensure a balanced layout of the mode buttons
+  qreal pointSize = m_config.text_font().pointSizeF();
+  if (pointSize < 11) {
+      ui->houndButton->setMaximumWidth(40);
+      ui->ft8Button->setMaximumWidth(40);
+      ui->ft4Button->setMaximumWidth(40);
+      ui->msk144Button->setMaximumWidth(40);
+      ui->q65Button->setMaximumWidth(40);
+      ui->jt65Button->setMaximumWidth(40);
+      ui->houndButton->setMinimumWidth(0);
+      ui->ft8Button->setMinimumWidth(0);
+      ui->ft4Button->setMinimumWidth(0);
+      ui->msk144Button->setMinimumWidth(0);
+      ui->q65Button->setMinimumWidth(0);
+      ui->jt65Button->setMinimumWidth(0);
+  } else {
+      ui->houndButton->setMinimumWidth(50);
+      ui->ft8Button->setMinimumWidth(50);
+      ui->ft4Button->setMinimumWidth(50);
+      ui->msk144Button->setMinimumWidth(50);
+      ui->q65Button->setMinimumWidth(50);
+      ui->jt65Button->setMinimumWidth(50);
+  }
   for (auto& widget : qApp->topLevelWidgets ())
     {
       widget->updateGeometry ();