diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/keyboard/KeyboardView.java b/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/keyboard/KeyboardView.java
index bbf2e24b2..1a1cc2e93 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/keyboard/KeyboardView.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/keyboard/KeyboardView.java
@@ -382,9 +382,22 @@ public class KeyboardView extends View {
         } else {
             final Rect padding = mKeyBackgroundPadding;
             bgWidth = keyWidth + padding.left + padding.right;
-            bgHeight = keyHeight + padding.top + padding.bottom;
+            // absurdly horrible workaround, because it's not possible to set padding as percentage of height in btn_keyboard_spacebar_lxx_base
+            if (mColors.isCustom && key.getBackgroundType() == Key.BACKGROUND_TYPE_SPACEBAR) {
+                Rect p = new Rect();
+                background.getPadding(p);
+                if (p.top != 0) {
+                    bgHeight = (keyHeight + padding.top + padding.bottom) / 2;
+                    bgY = -padding.top + bgHeight / 2;
+                } else {
+                    bgHeight = keyHeight + padding.top + padding.bottom;
+                    bgY = -padding.top;
+                }
+            } else {
+                bgHeight = keyHeight + padding.top + padding.bottom;
+                bgY = -padding.top;
+            }
             bgX = -padding.left;
-            bgY = -padding.top;
         }
         if (mColors.isCustom)
             setCustomKeyBackgroundColor(key, getKeyboard(), background);
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/keyboard/emoji/EmojiPalettesView.java b/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/keyboard/emoji/EmojiPalettesView.java
index 63614d2d1..a18b91b73 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/keyboard/emoji/EmojiPalettesView.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/keyboard/emoji/EmojiPalettesView.java
@@ -21,11 +21,14 @@ import android.content.res.Resources;
 import android.content.res.TypedArray;
 import android.graphics.Color;
 import android.graphics.PorterDuff;
+import android.graphics.Rect;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
+import android.util.Log;
 import android.util.TypedValue;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.MotionEvent;
 import android.view.View;
+import android.view.ViewGroup;
 import android.widget.ImageButton;
 import android.widget.ImageView;
 import android.widget.LinearLayout;
@@ -271,6 +274,10 @@ public final class EmojiPalettesView extends LinearLayout
         mSpacebar.setTag(Constants.CODE_SPACE);
         mSpacebar.setOnTouchListener(this);
         mSpacebar.setOnClickListener(this);
+
+        mEmojiLayoutParams.setKeyProperties(mSpacebar);
+        mSpacebarIcon = findViewById(R.id.emoji_keyboard_space_icon);
+
         final Colors colors = Settings.getInstance().getCurrent().mColors;
         if (colors.isCustom) {
             DrawableCompat.setTintList(mAlphabetKeyLeft.getBackground(), colors.functionalKeyStateList);
@@ -281,9 +288,18 @@ public final class EmojiPalettesView extends LinearLayout
             DrawableCompat.setTintMode(mDeleteKey.getBackground(), PorterDuff.Mode.MULTIPLY);
             getBackground().setColorFilter(colors.backgroundFilter);
             mEmojiCategoryPageIndicatorView.setColors(colors.accent, colors.adjustedBackground);
+
+            // another weird workaround because it's not possible to set padding as percentage of height in btn_keyboard_spacebar_lxx_base
+            // of course different than in KeyboardView...
+            Rect p = new Rect();
+            mSpacebar.getBackground().getPadding(p);
+            if (p.top != 0) {
+                final LinearLayout.LayoutParams lp = (LinearLayout.LayoutParams) mSpacebar.getLayoutParams();
+                lp.topMargin = p.top;
+                lp.bottomMargin = p.top;
+                mSpacebar.setLayoutParams(lp);
+            }
         }
-        mEmojiLayoutParams.setKeyProperties(mSpacebar);
-        mSpacebarIcon = findViewById(R.id.emoji_keyboard_space_icon);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/latin/suggestions/SuggestionStripView.java b/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/latin/suggestions/SuggestionStripView.java
index af0ed029e..cd2125dce 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/latin/suggestions/SuggestionStripView.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/dslul/openboard/inputmethod/latin/suggestions/SuggestionStripView.java
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ public final class SuggestionStripView extends RelativeLayout implements OnClick
             // set to keyboard_background_lxx_base (just white drawable), but NOT when set to
             // btn_suggestion_lxx_base (state drawable with selector) or keyboard_suggest_strip_lxx_base_border (layer-list)
             // why is this? then it's necessary to set tint list for voice/clipboard/other keys and all word views separately
+            //  it seems to work in other places, e.g. for btn_keyboard_spacebar_lxx_base... though maybe that's the weirdly nested layer list?
             // todo (later): when fixing this, revert changes in themes-lxx-base[-border] (in todo)
             //  this would allow having a different background shape in pressed state
             DrawableCompat.setTintList(getBackground(), colors.backgroundStateList);
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/drawable/btn_keyboard_spacebar_lxx_base.xml b/app/src/main/res/drawable/btn_keyboard_spacebar_lxx_base.xml
index f0950d226..078a88950 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/drawable/btn_keyboard_spacebar_lxx_base.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/drawable/btn_keyboard_spacebar_lxx_base.xml
@@ -3,20 +3,22 @@
     <!-- without this weirdly nested layer list the bottom/top things are ignored -->
     <item android:state_pressed="true">
         <layer-list>
-            <item android:bottom="12dp" android:top="12dp">
+            <item>
                 <shape android:shape="rectangle">
                     <solid android:color="@color/key_background_pressed_lxx_base" />
                     <corners android:radius="5dp" />
+                    <padding android:bottom="12dp" android:top="12dp"/>
                 </shape>
             </item>
         </layer-list>
     </item>
     <item>
         <layer-list>
-            <item android:bottom="12dp" android:top="12dp">
+            <item>
                 <shape android:shape="rectangle">
                     <solid android:color="@color/key_background_lxx_base" />
                     <corners android:radius="5dp" />
+                    <padding android:bottom="12dp" android:top="12dp"/>
                 </shape>
             </item>
         </layer-list>