diff --git a/src/templates/app.html b/src/templates/app.html
index 497e25b17..96ecb7036 100644
--- a/src/templates/app.html
+++ b/src/templates/app.html
@@ -5,11 +5,6 @@
     <title>Notecase web app</title>
   </head>
   <body>
-    <div id="top" style="grid-area: messages; text-align: center;">&nbsp;
-      <span id="top-message"></span>
-      <span id="error-message"></span>
-    </div>
-
     <div class="hide-toggle" style="grid-area: search">
       <p>
         <label>Search:</label>
@@ -59,14 +54,17 @@
         <input autocomplete="off" value="Welcome to Notecase web app!" id="noteTitle" style="font-size: x-large; border: 0; flex-grow: 100;" tabindex="1">
 
         <div class="hide-toggle">
-          <form action="logout" method="POST">
+          <span id="top-message"></span>
+          <span id="error-message"></span>
+
+          <button class="btn btn-sm" onclick="displaySettings();">Settings</button>
+
+          &nbsp;
+
+          <form action="logout" method="POST" style="display: inline;">
             <input type="submit" class="btn btn-sm" value="Logout">
           </form>
         </div>
-
-        <div class="hide-toggle">
-          <button class="btn btn-sm" onclick="displaySettings();">Settings</button>
-        </div>
       </div>
     </div>
 
diff --git a/static/js/utils.js b/static/js/utils.js
index 3ae17c03e..98140d8c5 100644
--- a/static/js/utils.js
+++ b/static/js/utils.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 function message(str) {
     const top = $("#top-message");
 
-    top.fadeIn(1500);
+    top.fadeIn(1500).css("display","inline-block");
     top.html(str);
     top.fadeOut(1500);
 }
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ function message(str) {
 function error(str) {
     const error = $("#error-message");
 
-    error.show();
+    error.show().css("display","inline-block");
     error.html(str);
     error.fadeOut(10000);
 }
diff --git a/static/style.css b/static/style.css
index ff09cc3ba..c94bee948 100644
--- a/static/style.css
+++ b/static/style.css
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 }
 
 #error-message {
+    margin-top: 2px;
     display: none; /* initial state is hidden */
     background-color: red;
     color: white;
@@ -71,11 +72,6 @@ span.fancytree-node.encrypted.fancytree-folder > span.fancytree-icon {
     display: none;
 }
 
-#encryptButton img, #decryptButton img {
-    top: -5px;
-    position: relative;
-}
-
 body {
     display: grid;
     height: 100vh;
