diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/index.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/index.js
index d6155045656f5..73e2f6bb8e0e1 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/index.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/index.js
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ function LinkControl( {
 	// See https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/33849/#issuecomment-932194927.
 	const showTextControl = hasLinkValue && hasTextControl;
 
+	const isEditing = ( isEditingLink || ! value ) && ! isCreatingPage;
 	return (
 		<div
 			tabIndex={ -1 }
@@ -286,7 +287,7 @@ function LinkControl( {
 				</div>
 			) }
 
-			{ ( isEditingLink || ! value ) && ! isCreatingPage && (
+			{ isEditing && (
 				<>
 					<div
 						className={ classnames( {
@@ -335,19 +336,6 @@ function LinkControl( {
 							{ errorMessage }
 						</Notice>
 					) }
-					<div className="block-editor-link-control__search-actions">
-						<Button
-							variant="primary"
-							onClick={ handleSubmit }
-							className="xblock-editor-link-control__search-submit"
-							disabled={ currentInputIsEmpty } // Disallow submitting empty values.
-						>
-							{ __( 'Apply' ) }
-						</Button>
-						<Button variant="tertiary" onClick={ handleCancel }>
-							{ __( 'Cancel' ) }
-						</Button>
-					</div>
 				</>
 			) }
 
@@ -362,15 +350,34 @@ function LinkControl( {
 				/>
 			) }
 
-			{ showSettingsDrawer && (
-				<div className="block-editor-link-control__tools">
-					<LinkControlSettingsDrawer
-						value={ value }
-						settings={ settings }
-						onChange={ onChange }
-					/>
-				</div>
-			) }
+			<div className="block-editor-link-control__drawer">
+				{ showSettingsDrawer && (
+					<div className="block-editor-link-control__tools">
+						<LinkControlSettingsDrawer
+							value={ value }
+							settings={ settings }
+							onChange={ onChange }
+						/>
+					</div>
+				) }
+
+				{ isEditing && (
+					<div className="block-editor-link-control__search-actions">
+						<Button
+							variant="primary"
+							onClick={ handleSubmit }
+							className="xblock-editor-link-control__search-submit"
+							disabled={ currentInputIsEmpty } // Disallow submitting empty values.
+						>
+							{ __( 'Apply' ) }
+						</Button>
+						<Button variant="tertiary" onClick={ handleCancel }>
+							{ __( 'Cancel' ) }
+						</Button>
+					</div>
+				) }
+			</div>
+
 			{ renderControlBottom && renderControlBottom() }
 		</div>
 	);
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/style.scss b/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/style.scss
index 51682a45c7c20..cadb0ce6340e2 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/style.scss
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/style.scss
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ $preview-image-height: 140px;
 	display: flex;
 	flex-direction: row-reverse; // put "Cancel" on the left but retain DOM order.
 	justify-content: flex-start;
-	margin: $grid-unit-20; // allow margin collapse for vertical spacing.
 	gap: $grid-unit-10;
 }
 
@@ -427,9 +426,10 @@ $preview-image-height: 140px;
 	padding: 10px;
 }
 
-.block-editor-link-control__tools {
+.block-editor-link-control__drawer {
 	display: flex;
 	align-items: center;
+	justify-content: space-between;
 	border-top: $border-width solid $gray-300;
 	margin: 0;
 	padding: $grid-unit-20;
diff --git a/packages/e2e-tests/specs/editor/various/links.test.js b/packages/e2e-tests/specs/editor/various/links.test.js
index 44018bae3226f..7d0ef19fedc8b 100644
--- a/packages/e2e-tests/specs/editor/various/links.test.js
+++ b/packages/e2e-tests/specs/editor/various/links.test.js
@@ -121,8 +121,6 @@ describe( 'Links', () => {
 
 		// Navigate to and toggle the "Open in new tab" checkbox.
 		await page.keyboard.press( 'Tab' );
-		await page.keyboard.press( 'Tab' );
-		await page.keyboard.press( 'Tab' );
 		await page.keyboard.press( 'Space' );
 
 		// Toggle should still have focus and be checked.
@@ -135,8 +133,7 @@ describe( 'Links', () => {
 		expect( await getEditedPostContent() ).toMatchSnapshot();
 
 		// Tab back to the Submit and apply the link.
-		await pressKeyWithModifier( 'shift', 'Tab' );
-		await pressKeyWithModifier( 'shift', 'Tab' );
+		await page.keyboard.press( 'Tab' );
 		await page.keyboard.press( 'Enter' );
 
 		// The link should have been inserted.
@@ -529,8 +526,6 @@ describe( 'Links', () => {
 
 		// Navigate to and toggle the "Open in new tab" checkbox.
 		await page.keyboard.press( 'Tab' );
-		await page.keyboard.press( 'Tab' );
-		await page.keyboard.press( 'Tab' );
 		await page.keyboard.press( 'Space' );
 
 		// Confirm that focus was not prematurely returned to the paragraph on
@@ -539,7 +534,8 @@ describe( 'Links', () => {
 
 		// Close dialog. Expect that "Open in new tab" would have been applied
 		// immediately.
-		await page.keyboard.press( 'Tab' );
+
+		await pressKeyWithModifier( 'shift', 'Tab' );
 		await page.keyboard.press( 'Enter' );
 
 		// Wait for Gutenberg to finish the job.