diff --git a/templates/repo/home.tmpl b/templates/repo/home.tmpl
index 343425134b5b9..46d0398c21031 100644
--- a/templates/repo/home.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/home.tmpl
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@
 						{{end}}
 					</div>
 
-					<div class="repo-button-row-right">
+					{{/* by default, the row-right flex grows, but on non-root tree path, it should not because the row-left might contain a long path */}}
+					<div class="repo-button-row-right {{if not $isTreePathRoot}}tw-flex-grow-0{{end}}">
 						<!-- Only show clone panel in repository home page -->
 						{{if $isTreePathRoot}}
 							<div class="clone-panel ui action tiny input">
@@ -122,7 +123,6 @@
 								</button>
 								{{template "repo/clone_script" .}}{{/* the script will update `.js-clone-url` and related elements */}}
 							</div>
-							{{template "repo/cite/cite_modal" .}}
 						{{end}}
 						{{if and (not $isTreePathRoot) (not .IsViewFile) (not .IsBlame)}}{{/* IsViewDirectory (not home), TODO: split the templates, avoid using "if" tricks */}}
 							<a class="ui button" href="{{.RepoLink}}/commits/{{.BranchNameSubURL}}/{{.TreePath | PathEscapeSegments}}">
diff --git a/templates/repo/home_sidebar_top.tmpl b/templates/repo/home_sidebar_top.tmpl
index d36c5b0433b6e..4b0ebcd390696 100644
--- a/templates/repo/home_sidebar_top.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/home_sidebar_top.tmpl
@@ -43,22 +43,23 @@
 			{{end}}
 			{{if .ReadmeExist}}
 				<div class="flex-item-body tw-mt-2">
-					<a class="tw-flex tw-items-center tw-gap-2 muted" href="{{.TreeLink}}/{{.FileName}}">
-						{{svg "octicon-book"}}{{ctx.Locale.Tr "readme"}}
+					<a class="flex-text-block muted" href="{{.TreeLink}}/{{.FileName}}">
+						{{svg "octicon-book"}} {{ctx.Locale.Tr "readme"}}
 					</a>
 				</div>
 			{{end}}
 			{{if .DetectedRepoLicenses}}
 				<div class="flex-item-body">
-					<a class="tw-flex tw-items-center tw-gap-2 muted" href="{{.RepoLink}}/src/{{.Repository.DefaultBranch}}/{{PathEscapeSegments .LicenseFileName}}" title="{{StringUtils.Join .DetectedRepoLicenses ", "}}">
-						{{svg "octicon-law"}}{{if eq (len .DetectedRepoLicenses) 1}}{{index .DetectedRepoLicenses 0}}{{else}}{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.multiple_licenses"}}{{end}}
+					<a class="flex-text-block muted" href="{{.RepoLink}}/src/{{.Repository.DefaultBranch}}/{{PathEscapeSegments .LicenseFileName}}" title="{{StringUtils.Join .DetectedRepoLicenses ", "}}">
+						{{svg "octicon-law"}} {{if eq (len .DetectedRepoLicenses) 1}}{{index .DetectedRepoLicenses 0}}{{else}}{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.multiple_licenses"}}{{end}}
 					</a>
 				</div>
 			{{end}}
 			{{if .CitiationExist}}
 				<div class="flex-item-body">
-					<a class="tw-flex tw-items-center tw-gap-2 muted" id="cite-repo-button">
-						{{svg "octicon-cross-reference"}}{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.cite_this_repo"}}
+					{{template "repo/cite/cite_modal" .}}
+					<a class="flex-text-block muted" id="cite-repo-button">
+						{{svg "octicon-cross-reference"}} {{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.cite_this_repo"}}
 					</a>
 				</div>
 			{{end}}