diff --git a/lisp/tab-bar.el b/lisp/tab-bar.el
index 8be08d4b8b..edbadec09d 100644
--- a/lisp/tab-bar.el
+++ b/lisp/tab-bar.el
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ tab-bar--load-buttons
     (add-text-properties 0 (length tab-bar-new-button)
                          `(display (image :type xpm
                                           :file "tabs/new.xpm"
-                                          :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
+                                          :margin ,(cons tab-bar-button-margin 0)
                                           :ascent center))
                          tab-bar-new-button))
 
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ tab-bar--load-buttons
     (add-text-properties 0 (length tab-bar-close-button)
                          `(display (image :type xpm
                                           :file "tabs/close.xpm"
-                                          :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
+                                          :margin ,(cons tab-bar-button-margin 0)
                                           :ascent center))
                          tab-bar-close-button)))
 
@@ -1659,7 +1659,7 @@ tab-bar-history-mode
           (add-text-properties 0 (length tab-bar-back-button)
                                `(display (image :type xpm
                                                 :file "tabs/left-arrow.xpm"
-                                                :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
+                                                :margin ,(cons tab-bar-button-margin 0)
                                                 :ascent center))
                                tab-bar-back-button))
         (when (and tab-bar-mode (not (get-text-property 0 'display tab-bar-forward-button)))
@@ -1667,7 +1667,7 @@ tab-bar-history-mode
           (add-text-properties 0 (length tab-bar-forward-button)
                                `(display (image :type xpm
                                                 :file "tabs/right-arrow.xpm"
-                                                :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
+                                                :margin ,(cons tab-bar-button-margin 0)
                                                 :ascent center))
                                tab-bar-forward-button))
 
diff --git a/src/dispextern.h b/src/dispextern.h
index f4c7575b35..0ede76ebf5 100644
--- a/src/dispextern.h
+++ b/src/dispextern.h
@@ -3202,7 +3202,7 @@ #define IMAGE_CACHE_BUCKETS_SIZE 1001
 
 /* Default values of the above variables.  */
 
-#define DEFAULT_TAB_BAR_BUTTON_MARGIN 4
+#define DEFAULT_TAB_BAR_BUTTON_MARGIN 2
 #define DEFAULT_TAB_BAR_BUTTON_RELIEF 1
 
 /* The height in pixels of the default tab-bar images.  */