diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/page.less b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/page.less
index 51a1b8345..6f345bb79 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/page.less
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/page.less
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ div#header {
 }
 
 #ipython_notebook {
-    padding: 8px 10px 0px 10px
+    padding-left: 16px;
 }
 
 #ipython_notebook img {
@@ -47,10 +47,12 @@ div#header {
 input.ui-button {
     padding: 0.3em 0.9em;
 }
+.navbar span {
+  margin-top: 3px;
+}
 
 span#login_widget {
     float: right;
-    margin-top: 2px;
 }
 
 .nav-header {
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/variables.less b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/variables.less
index 5f7cdfbab..fd10e03bb 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/variables.less
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/variables.less
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 @textColor:             @black;
 @baseFontSize:          13px;
 @monoFontFamily:        monospace;  // to allow user to customize their fonts
+@navbarHeight:          36px;
 
 // Our own global variables for all pages go here