diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/activitybar/activitybarPart.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/activitybar/activitybarPart.ts
index fea8ca6ef32bd38e0523c8f49cda934114ee0947..49b1cb6a6846fe93abcdfaba4635f590eb75030d 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/activitybar/activitybarPart.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/activitybar/activitybarPart.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ export class ActivitybarPart extends Part implements IActivityBarService {
 		const $result = $('.content').appendTo($el);
 
 		// Top Actionbar with action items for each viewlet action
-		this.compositeBar.create($('.viewlets').appendTo($result).getHTMLElement());
+		this.compositeBar.create($result.getHTMLElement());
 
 		// Top Actionbar with action items for each viewlet action
 		this.createGlobalActivityActionBar($('.global-activity').appendTo($result).getHTMLElement());
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/compositebar/compositeBar.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/compositebar/compositeBar.ts
index 04db733600ddf1e9507acc4e8b782ac9baf52b76..74ea9884843395ea1347cd866871e9ee2d74b119 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/compositebar/compositeBar.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/compositebar/compositeBar.ts
@@ -152,9 +152,9 @@ export class CompositeBar implements ICompositeBar {
 		}
 	}
 
-	public create(container: HTMLElement): void {
-		dom.addClass(container, 'composite-bar');
-		this.compositeSwitcherBar = new ActionBar(container, {
+	public create(parent: HTMLElement): void {
+		const actionBarDiv = parent.appendChild(dom.$('composite-bar'));
+		this.compositeSwitcherBar = new ActionBar(actionBarDiv, {
 			actionItemProvider: (action: Action) => action instanceof CompositeOverflowActivityAction ? this.compositeOverflowActionItem : this.compositeIdToActionItems[action.id],
 			orientation: this.options.orientation,
 			ariaLabel: nls.localize('activityBarAriaLabel', "Active View Switcher"),
@@ -163,13 +163,13 @@ export class CompositeBar implements ICompositeBar {
 		this.updateCompositeSwitcher();
 
 		// Contextmenu for composites
-		this.toDispose.push(dom.addDisposableListener(container, dom.EventType.CONTEXT_MENU, (e: MouseEvent) => {
+		this.toDispose.push(dom.addDisposableListener(parent, dom.EventType.CONTEXT_MENU, (e: MouseEvent) => {
 			dom.EventHelper.stop(e, true);
 			this._onDidContextMenu.fire(e);
 		}));
 
 		// Allow to drop at the end to move composites to the end
-		this.toDispose.push(dom.addDisposableListener(container, dom.EventType.DROP, (e: DragEvent) => {
+		this.toDispose.push(dom.addDisposableListener(parent, dom.EventType.DROP, (e: DragEvent) => {
 			const draggedCompositeId = CompositeActionItem.getDraggedCompositeId();
 			if (draggedCompositeId) {
 				dom.EventHelper.stop(e, true);