diff --git a/src/components/combo_box/_combo_box.scss b/src/components/combo_box/_combo_box.scss
index d848370bf62e..c8f6773c1bf1 100644
--- a/src/components/combo_box/_combo_box.scss
+++ b/src/components/combo_box/_combo_box.scss
@@ -45,10 +45,7 @@
       height: auto;  /* 3 */
       flex-wrap: wrap; /* 1 */
       align-content: flex-start;
-
-      &:hover {
-        cursor: text;
-      }
+      cursor: text;
     }
 
     &.euiComboBox__inputWrap--noWrap {
@@ -126,7 +123,8 @@
     }
 
     // overrides the `cursor: text;` that displays on hover for combo boxes that allow multiple pills
-    .euiComboBox__inputWrap:not(.euiComboBox__inputWrap--noWrap):hover {
+    .euiComboBox__inputWrap,
+    .euiComboBoxPill {
       cursor: not-allowed;
     }
   }
@@ -134,8 +132,8 @@
   &.euiComboBox--compressed {
     .euiComboBox__inputWrap {
       line-height: $euiFormControlCompressedHeight; /* 2 */
-      padding-top: 0;
-      padding-bottom: 0;
+      padding-block: 0;
+      padding-inline-start: $euiSizeXS;
     }
   }
 }