diff --git a/public/gatk-tools-public/src/main/resources/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/variantqc/templates/assets/js/summaryTable.js b/public/gatk-tools-public/src/main/resources/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/variantqc/templates/assets/js/summaryTable.js
index 5489e6b6ba..f81b61a0b6 100644
--- a/public/gatk-tools-public/src/main/resources/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/variantqc/templates/assets/js/summaryTable.js
+++ b/public/gatk-tools-public/src/main/resources/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/variantqc/templates/assets/js/summaryTable.js
@@ -52,12 +52,11 @@ function generateTableHtml(config){
                     percentage = ((parseFloat(val) - (column.dmin || 0)) / (column.dmax - (column.dmin || 0))) * 100;
                 }
 
-                if (val < column.flagBelow || val > column.flagAbove){
-                    html += '<td ' + (showBar ? 'class="data-coloured-flagged ' + column.colId + '_' + column.name + ' "' : '') + '><div class="wrapper">' + (showBar ? '<span class="bar" style="width:' + percentage + '%;"></span>' : '') + '<span class="val">' + formattedVal + '</span></div></td>';
-                } else {
-                    html += '<td ' + (showBar ? 'class="data-coloured ' + column.colId + '_' + column.name + ' "' : '') + '><div class="wrapper">' + (showBar ? '<span class="bar" style="width:' + percentage + '%;"></span>' : '') + '<span class="val">' + formattedVal + '</span></div></td>';
-                }
+                var doFlag = val < column.flagBelow || val > column.flagAbove;
 
+                // see this issue for the reason behind the manual height:
+                // https://github.com/ewels/MultiQC/issues/545
+                html += '<td style="height: 1px;" ' + (showBar ? 'class="data-coloured' + (doFlag ? '-flagged ' : ' ') + column.colId + '_' + column.name + ' "' : '') + '><div class="wrapper">' + (showBar ? '<span class="bar" style="width:' + percentage + '%;"></span>' : '') + '<span class="val">' + formattedVal + '</span></div></td>';
             }
             else {
                 html += '<td>ND</td>';