diff --git a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/SequenceFeatureDetails.tsx b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/SequenceFeatureDetails.tsx
index a89d4a6da8..cea617c54b 100644
--- a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/SequenceFeatureDetails.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/SequenceFeatureDetails.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import React, { lazy, useRef, useState, Suspense } from 'react'
 import {
   Button,
   FormControl,
+  IconButton,
   MenuItem,
   Select,
   Typography,
@@ -15,18 +16,13 @@ import { useFeatureSequence } from './hooks'
 import { ErrorMessage, LoadingEllipses } from '../../ui'
 import { SimpleFeatureSerialized, getSession } from '../../util'
 import { BaseFeatureWidgetModel } from '../stateModelFactory'
-import CascadingMenuButton from '../../ui/CascadingMenuButton'
 
 // icons
-import MoreVert from '@mui/icons-material/MoreVert'
+import Settings from '@mui/icons-material/Settings'
 
 // lazies
 const SequencePanel = lazy(() => import('./SequencePanel'))
 const SettingsDialog = lazy(() => import('./dialogs/SettingsDialog'))
-const HelpDialog = lazy(() => import('./dialogs/HelpDialog'))
-const AdvancedSequenceDialog = lazy(
-  () => import('./dialogs/AdvancedSequenceDialog'),
-)
 
 const useStyles = makeStyles()({
   formControl: {
@@ -49,7 +45,6 @@ const SequenceFeatureDetails = observer(function ({
   const { classes } = useStyles()
   const seqPanelRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
 
-  const [advancedDialogOpen, setAdvancedDialogOpen] = useState(false)
   const [force, setForce] = useState(false)
   const hasCDS = feature.subfeatures?.some(sub => sub.type === 'CDS')
   const hasExon = feature.subfeatures?.some(sub => sub.type === 'exon')
@@ -67,7 +62,7 @@ const SequenceFeatureDetails = observer(function ({
 
   return (
     <>
-      <span>
+      <div>
         <FormControl className={classes.formControl}>
           <Select
             size="small"
@@ -128,49 +123,43 @@ const SequenceFeatureDetails = observer(function ({
             ))}
           </Select>
         </FormControl>
+        <Button
+          className={classes.formControl}
+          variant="contained"
+          onClick={() => {
+            const ref = seqPanelRef.current
+            if (ref) {
+              copy(ref.textContent || '', { format: 'text/plain' })
+            }
+          }}
+        >
+          Copy plaintext
+        </Button>
+        <Button
+          className={classes.formControl}
+          variant="contained"
+          onClick={() => {
+            const ref = seqPanelRef.current
+            if (ref) {
+              copy(ref.innerHTML, { format: 'text/html' })
+            }
+          }}
+        >
+          Copy HTML
+        </Button>
 
-        <CascadingMenuButton
-          menuItems={[
-            {
-              label: 'Copy plaintext',
-              onClick: () => {
-                const ref = seqPanelRef.current
-                if (ref) {
-                  copy(ref.textContent || '', { format: 'text/plain' })
-                }
-              },
-            },
-            {
-              label: 'Copy HTML',
-              onClick: () => {
-                const ref = seqPanelRef.current
-                if (ref) {
-                  copy(ref.innerHTML, { format: 'text/html' })
-                }
-              },
-            },
-
-            {
-              label: 'Settings',
-              onClick: () =>
-                getSession(model).queueDialog(handleClose => [
-                  SettingsDialog,
-                  { model: sequenceFeatureDetails, handleClose },
-                ]),
-            },
-            {
-              label: 'Help',
-              onClick: () =>
-                getSession(model).queueDialog(handleClose => [
-                  HelpDialog,
-                  { handleClose },
-                ]),
-            },
-          ]}
+        <IconButton
+          className={classes.formControl}
+          onClick={() =>
+            getSession(model).queueDialog(handleClose => [
+              SettingsDialog,
+              { model: sequenceFeatureDetails, handleClose },
+            ])
+          }
         >
-          <MoreVert />
-        </CascadingMenuButton>
-      </span>
+          <Settings />
+        </IconButton>
+      </div>
       <div>
         {feature.type === 'gene' ? (
           <Typography>
@@ -207,13 +196,6 @@ const SequenceFeatureDetails = observer(function ({
         ) : (
           <Typography>No sequence found</Typography>
         )}
-        {advancedDialogOpen ? (
-          <Suspense fallback={null}>
-            <AdvancedSequenceDialog
-              handleClose={() => setAdvancedDialogOpen(false)}
-            />
-          </Suspense>
-        ) : null}
       </div>
     </>
   )
diff --git a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/SequenceFeaturePanel.tsx b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/SequenceFeaturePanel.tsx
index 256867351c..b3bfc3c414 100644
--- a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/SequenceFeaturePanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/SequenceFeaturePanel.tsx
@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
 import React, { lazy, useState, Suspense } from 'react'
-import { Button, FormControl } from '@mui/material'
+import { Button, FormControl, IconButton } from '@mui/material'
 import { observer } from 'mobx-react'
 import { makeStyles } from 'tss-react/mui'
 
 // locals
 import { LoadingEllipses } from '../../ui'
 import { BaseFeatureWidgetModel } from '../stateModelFactory'
-import { SimpleFeatureSerialized } from '../../util'
+import { SimpleFeatureSerialized, getSession } from '../../util'
+
+// icons
+import Help from '@mui/icons-material/Help'
 
 // lazies
 const SequenceFeatureDetails = lazy(() => import('./SequenceFeatureDetails'))
+const HelpDialog = lazy(() => import('./dialogs/HelpDialog'))
 
 const useStyles = makeStyles()(theme => ({
   formControl: {
@@ -39,9 +43,20 @@ const SequenceFeaturePanel = observer(function ({
     <div className={classes.container}>
       <FormControl className={classes.formControl}>
         <Button variant="contained" onClick={() => setShown(!shown)}>
-          {shown ? 'Hide sequence' : 'Show sequence'}
+          {shown ? 'Hide feature sequence' : 'Show feature sequence'}
         </Button>
       </FormControl>
+
+      <IconButton
+        onClick={() =>
+          getSession(model).queueDialog(handleClose => [
+            HelpDialog,
+            { handleClose },
+          ])
+        }
+      >
+        <Help />
+      </IconButton>
       {shown ? (
         <Suspense fallback={<LoadingEllipses />}>
           <SequenceFeatureDetails
diff --git a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/dialogs/AdvancedSequenceDialog.tsx b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/dialogs/AdvancedSequenceDialog.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 0544d5417b..0000000000
--- a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/dialogs/AdvancedSequenceDialog.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-import React from 'react'
-import { Button, DialogContent, DialogActions } from '@mui/material'
-import { Dialog } from '@jbrowse/core/ui'
-
-export default function AdvancedSequenceDialog({
-  handleClose,
-}: {
-  handleClose: () => void
-}) {
-  return (
-    <Dialog
-      maxWidth="xl"
-      open
-      onClose={() => handleClose()}
-      title="Advanced sequence display"
-    >
-      <DialogContent>
-        <div></div>
-      </DialogContent>
-
-      <DialogActions>
-        <Button onClick={() => handleClose()} autoFocus variant="contained">
-          Close
-        </Button>
-      </DialogActions>
-    </Dialog>
-  )
-}
diff --git a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/hooks.ts b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/hooks.ts
index cc4a276a02..dbc605dc94 100644
--- a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/hooks.ts
+++ b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/hooks.ts
@@ -21,56 +21,57 @@ export function useFeatureSequence(
   const [sequence, setSequence] = useState<SeqState | ErrorState>()
   const [error, setError] = useState<unknown>()
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (model) {
-      const { assemblyManager, rpcManager } = getSession(model)
-      const [assemblyName] = model.view?.assemblyNames || []
-      async function fetchSeq(start: number, end: number, refName: string) {
-        const assembly = await assemblyManager.waitForAssembly(assemblyName)
-        if (!assembly) {
-          throw new Error('assembly not found')
-        }
-        const sessionId = 'getSequence'
-        const feats = await rpcManager.call(sessionId, 'CoreGetFeatures', {
-          adapterConfig: getConf(assembly, ['sequence', 'adapter']),
-          sessionId,
-          regions: [
-            {
-              start,
-              end,
-              refName: assembly.getCanonicalRefName(refName),
-              assemblyName,
-            },
-          ],
-        })
-
-        const [feat] = feats as Feature[]
-        return (feat?.get('seq') as string | undefined) || ''
+    if (!model) {
+      return
+    }
+    const { assemblyManager, rpcManager } = getSession(model)
+    const [assemblyName] = model.view?.assemblyNames || []
+    async function fetchSeq(start: number, end: number, refName: string) {
+      const assembly = await assemblyManager.waitForAssembly(assemblyName)
+      if (!assembly) {
+        throw new Error('assembly not found')
       }
+      const sessionId = 'getSequence'
+      const feats = await rpcManager.call(sessionId, 'CoreGetFeatures', {
+        adapterConfig: getConf(assembly, ['sequence', 'adapter']),
+        sessionId,
+        regions: [
+          {
+            start,
+            end,
+            refName: assembly.getCanonicalRefName(refName),
+            assemblyName,
+          },
+        ],
+      })
 
-      // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-floating-promises
-      ;(async () => {
-        try {
-          setError(undefined)
-          const { start, end, refName } = feature as CoordFeat
+      const [feat] = feats as Feature[]
+      return (feat?.get('seq') as string | undefined) || ''
+    }
 
-          if (!forceLoad && end - start > BPLIMIT) {
-            setSequence({
-              error: `Genomic sequence larger than ${BPLIMIT}bp, use "force load" button to display`,
-            })
-          } else {
-            const b = start - upDownBp
-            const e = end + upDownBp
-            const seq = await fetchSeq(start, end, refName)
-            const up = await fetchSeq(Math.max(0, b), start, refName)
-            const down = await fetchSeq(end, e, refName)
-            setSequence({ seq, upstream: up, downstream: down })
-          }
-        } catch (e) {
-          console.error(e)
-          setError(e)
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-floating-promises
+    ;(async () => {
+      try {
+        setError(undefined)
+        const { start, end, refName } = feature as CoordFeat
+
+        if (!forceLoad && end - start > BPLIMIT) {
+          setSequence({
+            error: `Genomic sequence larger than ${BPLIMIT}bp, use "force load" button to display`,
+          })
+        } else {
+          const b = start - upDownBp
+          const e = end + upDownBp
+          const seq = await fetchSeq(start, end, refName)
+          const up = await fetchSeq(Math.max(0, b), start, refName)
+          const down = await fetchSeq(end, e, refName)
+          setSequence({ seq, upstream: up, downstream: down })
         }
-      })()
-    }
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error(e)
+        setError(e)
+      }
+    })()
   }, [feature, model, upDownBp, forceLoad])
   return { sequence, error }
 }
diff --git a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/seqtypes/CDNASequence.tsx b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/seqtypes/CDNASequence.tsx
index 8b7fdf81f3..eb244e3360 100644
--- a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/seqtypes/CDNASequence.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/SequenceFeatureDetails/seqtypes/CDNASequence.tsx
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ const CDNASequence = observer(function ({
   model: SequenceFeatureDetailsModel
 }) {
   const { upperCaseCDS, intronBp } = model
+  const hasCds = cds.length > 0
   const chunks = (
     cds.length ? [...cds, ...utr].sort((a, b) => a.start - b.start) : exons
   ).filter(f => f.start !== f.end)
@@ -51,9 +52,11 @@ const CDNASequence = observer(function ({
                 background: chunk.type === 'CDS' ? cdsColor : utrColor,
               }}
             >
-              {chunk.type === 'CDS'
-                ? toUpper(sequence.slice(chunk.start, chunk.end))
-                : toLower(sequence.slice(chunk.start, chunk.end))}
+              {hasCds
+                ? chunk.type === 'CDS'
+                  ? toUpper(sequence.slice(chunk.start, chunk.end))
+                  : toLower(sequence.slice(chunk.start, chunk.end))
+                : toUpper(sequence.slice(chunk.start, chunk.end))}
             </span>
             {includeIntrons && idx < chunks.length - 1 ? (
               <span style={{ background: intronColor }}>
diff --git a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/__snapshots__/index.test.tsx.snap b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/__snapshots__/index.test.tsx.snap
index 2aef9400b4..834b741137 100644
--- a/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/__snapshots__/index.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/packages/core/BaseFeatureWidget/__snapshots__/index.test.tsx.snap
@@ -124,12 +124,32 @@ exports[`open up a widget 1`] = `
                     tabindex="0"
                     type="button"
                   >
-                    Show sequence
+                    Show feature sequence
                     <span
                       class="MuiTouchRipple-root css-8je8zh-MuiTouchRipple-root"
                     />
                   </button>
                 </div>
+                <button
+                  class="MuiButtonBase-root MuiIconButton-root MuiIconButton-sizeMedium css-78trlr-MuiButtonBase-root-MuiIconButton-root"
+                  tabindex="0"
+                  type="button"
+                >
+                  <svg
+                    aria-hidden="true"
+                    class="MuiSvgIcon-root MuiSvgIcon-fontSizeMedium css-i4bv87-MuiSvgIcon-root"
+                    data-testid="HelpIcon"
+                    focusable="false"
+                    viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+                  >
+                    <path
+                      d="M12 2C6.48 2 2 6.48 2 12s4.48 10 10 10 10-4.48 10-10S17.52 2 12 2m1 17h-2v-2h2zm2.07-7.75-.9.92C13.45 12.9 13 13.5 13 15h-2v-.5c0-1.1.45-2.1 1.17-2.83l1.24-1.26c.37-.36.59-.86.59-1.41 0-1.1-.9-2-2-2s-2 .9-2 2H8c0-2.21 1.79-4 4-4s4 1.79 4 4c0 .88-.36 1.68-.93 2.25"
+                    />
+                  </svg>
+                  <span
+                    class="MuiTouchRipple-root css-8je8zh-MuiTouchRipple-root"
+                  />
+                </button>
               </div>
             </div>
           </div>
diff --git a/plugins/alignments/src/AlignmentsFeatureDetail/__snapshots__/index.test.tsx.snap b/plugins/alignments/src/AlignmentsFeatureDetail/__snapshots__/index.test.tsx.snap
index d2612a7876..2ae866665c 100644
--- a/plugins/alignments/src/AlignmentsFeatureDetail/__snapshots__/index.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/plugins/alignments/src/AlignmentsFeatureDetail/__snapshots__/index.test.tsx.snap
@@ -291,12 +291,32 @@ exports[`open up a widget 1`] = `
                       tabindex="0"
                       type="button"
                     >
-                      Show sequence
+                      Show feature sequence
                       <span
                         class="MuiTouchRipple-root css-8je8zh-MuiTouchRipple-root"
                       />
                     </button>
                   </div>
+                  <button
+                    class="MuiButtonBase-root MuiIconButton-root MuiIconButton-sizeMedium css-78trlr-MuiButtonBase-root-MuiIconButton-root"
+                    tabindex="0"
+                    type="button"
+                  >
+                    <svg
+                      aria-hidden="true"
+                      class="MuiSvgIcon-root MuiSvgIcon-fontSizeMedium css-i4bv87-MuiSvgIcon-root"
+                      data-testid="HelpIcon"
+                      focusable="false"
+                      viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+                    >
+                      <path
+                        d="M12 2C6.48 2 2 6.48 2 12s4.48 10 10 10 10-4.48 10-10S17.52 2 12 2m1 17h-2v-2h2zm2.07-7.75-.9.92C13.45 12.9 13 13.5 13 15h-2v-.5c0-1.1.45-2.1 1.17-2.83l1.24-1.26c.37-.36.59-.86.59-1.41 0-1.1-.9-2-2-2s-2 .9-2 2H8c0-2.21 1.79-4 4-4s4 1.79 4 4c0 .88-.36 1.68-.93 2.25"
+                      />
+                    </svg>
+                    <span
+                      class="MuiTouchRipple-root css-8je8zh-MuiTouchRipple-root"
+                    />
+                  </button>
                 </div>
               </div>
             </div>
diff --git a/plugins/variants/src/VariantFeatureWidget/__snapshots__/VariantFeatureWidget.test.tsx.snap b/plugins/variants/src/VariantFeatureWidget/__snapshots__/VariantFeatureWidget.test.tsx.snap
index 3e6671921e..a11dee23c9 100644
--- a/plugins/variants/src/VariantFeatureWidget/__snapshots__/VariantFeatureWidget.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/plugins/variants/src/VariantFeatureWidget/__snapshots__/VariantFeatureWidget.test.tsx.snap
@@ -199,12 +199,32 @@ exports[`renders with just the required model elements 1`] = `
                       tabindex="0"
                       type="button"
                     >
-                      Show sequence
+                      Show feature sequence
                       <span
                         class="MuiTouchRipple-root css-8je8zh-MuiTouchRipple-root"
                       />
                     </button>
                   </div>
+                  <button
+                    class="MuiButtonBase-root MuiIconButton-root MuiIconButton-sizeMedium css-78trlr-MuiButtonBase-root-MuiIconButton-root"
+                    tabindex="0"
+                    type="button"
+                  >
+                    <svg
+                      aria-hidden="true"
+                      class="MuiSvgIcon-root MuiSvgIcon-fontSizeMedium css-i4bv87-MuiSvgIcon-root"
+                      data-testid="HelpIcon"
+                      focusable="false"
+                      viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+                    >
+                      <path
+                        d="M12 2C6.48 2 2 6.48 2 12s4.48 10 10 10 10-4.48 10-10S17.52 2 12 2m1 17h-2v-2h2zm2.07-7.75-.9.92C13.45 12.9 13 13.5 13 15h-2v-.5c0-1.1.45-2.1 1.17-2.83l1.24-1.26c.37-.36.59-.86.59-1.41 0-1.1-.9-2-2-2s-2 .9-2 2H8c0-2.21 1.79-4 4-4s4 1.79 4 4c0 .88-.36 1.68-.93 2.25"
+                      />
+                    </svg>
+                    <span
+                      class="MuiTouchRipple-root css-8je8zh-MuiTouchRipple-root"
+                    />
+                  </button>
                 </div>
               </div>
             </div>