diff --git a/pylot/core/util/widgets.py b/pylot/core/util/widgets.py
index 44466701..e1e21104 100644
--- a/pylot/core/util/widgets.py
+++ b/pylot/core/util/widgets.py
@@ -646,8 +646,17 @@ class WaveformWidgetPG(QtGui.QWidget):
         self.label_layout.addWidget(self.status_label)
         for label in self.perm_labels:
             self.label_layout.addWidget(label)
-        self.label_layout.addWidget(self.syn_checkbox)
-        self.label_layout.addWidget(self.qcombo_processed)
+        mid_widget = QWidget()
+        right_widget = QWidget()
+        # use widgets as placeholder, so that child widgets keep position when others are hidden
+        mid_layout = QHBoxLayout()
+        right_layout = QHBoxLayout()
+        mid_layout.addWidget(self.syn_checkbox)
+        right_layout.addWidget(self.qcombo_processed)
+        mid_widget.setLayout(mid_layout)
+        right_widget.setLayout(right_layout)
+        self.label_layout.addWidget(mid_widget)
+        self.label_layout.addWidget(right_widget)
         self.syn_checkbox.setLayoutDirection(Qt.RightToLeft)
         self.label_layout.setStretch(0, 4)
         self.label_layout.setStretch(1, 0)