diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/layout_menu.py b/src/calibre/gui2/layout_menu.py
index 0658078a81..01c05720ba 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/layout_menu.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/layout_menu.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 from qt.core import (
     QFontMetrics, QHBoxLayout, QIcon, QMenu, QStylePainter, QPushButton, QSize,
-    QSizePolicy, Qt, QWidget, QStyleOption, QStyle, QEvent)
+    QSizePolicy, Qt, QWidget, QStyleOption, QStyle)
 
 
 ICON_SZ = 64
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ ICON_SZ = 64
 
 class LayoutItem(QWidget):
 
+    mouse_over = False
+
     def __init__(self, button, parent=None):
         QWidget.__init__(self, parent)
-        self.mouse_over = False
         self.setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy.Policy.Fixed, QSizePolicy.Policy.Fixed)
         self.button = button
         self.text = button.label
@@ -22,6 +23,10 @@ class LayoutItem(QWidget):
         self.fm = QFontMetrics(self.font())
         self._bi = self._di = None
 
+    def update_tips(self):
+        self.setToolTip(self.button.toolTip())
+        self.setStatusTip(self.button.statusTip())
+
     @property
     def bright_icon(self):
         if self._bi is None:
@@ -34,17 +39,17 @@ class LayoutItem(QWidget):
             self._di = self.button.icon().pixmap(ICON_SZ, ICON_SZ, mode=QIcon.Mode.Disabled)
         return self._di
 
-    def event(self, ev):
-        m = None
-        et = ev.type()
-        if et == QEvent.Type.Enter:
-            m = True
-        elif et == QEvent.Type.Leave:
-            m = False
-        if m is not None and m != self.mouse_over:
-            self.mouse_over = m
+    def enterEvent(self, ev):
+        super().enterEvent(ev)
+        if not self.mouse_over:
+            self.mouse_over = True
+            self.update()
+
+    def leaveEvent(self, ev):
+        super().leaveEvent(ev)
+        if self.mouse_over:
+            self.mouse_over = False
             self.update()
-        return QWidget.event(self, ev)
 
     def sizeHint(self):
         br = self.fm.boundingRect(self.text)
@@ -100,8 +105,13 @@ class LayoutMenu(QMenu):
         for b in buttons:
             self.items.append(LayoutItem(b, self))
             l.addWidget(self.items[-1])
+            self.aboutToShow.connect(self.about_to_show)
         self.current_item = None
 
+    def about_to_show(self):
+        for x in self.items:
+            x.update_tips()
+
     def sizeHint(self):
         return QWidget.sizeHint(self)