diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/render.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/render.py
index 6a3f72e4f2..060318d87b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/render.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/render.py
@@ -312,6 +312,6 @@ def mi_to_html(mi, field_list=None, default_author_link=None, use_roman_numbers=
     # print '\n'.join(ans)
     direction = 'rtl' if rtl else 'ltr'
     margin = 'left' if rtl else 'right'
-    return u'<style>table.fields td { vertical-align:middle}</style>' + \
+    return u'<style>table.fields td { vertical-align:top}</style>' + \
            u'<table class="fields" style="direction: %s; margin-%s:auto">%s</table>'%(
                direction, margin, u'\n'.join(ans)), comment_fields
diff --git a/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj b/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
index 72756cc8ce..13ba75b8a5 100644
--- a/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ def render_metadata(mi, table, book_id):  # {{{
 add_extra_css(def():
     sel = '.' + CLASS_NAME + ' '
     style = ''
-    style += build_rule(sel + 'table.metadata td', vertical_align='middle')
+    style += build_rule(sel + 'table.metadata td', vertical_align='top')
     style += build_rule(sel + 'table.metadata td:first-of-type', font_weight='bold', padding_right='1em', white_space='nowrap')
     style += build_rule(sel + 'table.metadata td:last-of-type', overflow_wrap='break-word')
     style += build_rule(sel + 'table.metadata a[href]', color='blue')