diff --git a/browser/app/profile/firefox.js b/browser/app/profile/firefox.js
index de5fba57e5dd..fb5342f8204c 100644
--- a/browser/app/profile/firefox.js
+++ b/browser/app/profile/firefox.js
@@ -1270,16 +1270,16 @@ pref("browser.newtabpage.enabled", true);
 sticky_pref("browser.newtabpage.enhanced", true);
 
 // enables Activity Stream inspired layout
-pref("browser.newtabpage.compact", false);
+pref("browser.newtabpage.compact", true);
 
 // enables showing basic placeholders for missing thumbnails
 pref("browser.newtabpage.thumbnailPlaceholder", false);
 
 // number of rows of newtab grid
-pref("browser.newtabpage.rows", 3);
+pref("browser.newtabpage.rows", 2);
 
 // number of columns of newtab grid
-pref("browser.newtabpage.columns", 5);
+pref("browser.newtabpage.columns", 6);
 
 // directory tiles download URL
 pref("browser.newtabpage.directory.source", "https://tiles.services.mozilla.com/v3/links/fetch/%LOCALE%/%CHANNEL%");
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/newtab/browser_newtab_bug752841.js b/browser/base/content/test/newtab/browser_newtab_bug752841.js
index be5a5bb66257..8616d24d6131 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/newtab/browser_newtab_bug752841.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/newtab/browser_newtab_bug752841.js
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ add_task(async function() {
   // Expected length of grid
   let expectedValues = [1, 1, 1, 1, 8, 10];
 
-   // Values before setting new pref values (15 is the default value -> 5 x 3)
-  let previousValues = [15, 1, 1, 1, 1, 8];
+   // Values before setting new pref values (12 is the default value -> 6 x 2)
+  let previousValues = [12, 1, 1, 1, 1, 8];
 
   await addNewTabPageTab();
   let existingTab = gBrowser.selectedTab;
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/newtab/browser_newtab_drag_drop_ext.js b/browser/base/content/test/newtab/browser_newtab_drag_drop_ext.js
index 2ad9273d2dd2..e9266a0b4810 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/newtab/browser_newtab_drag_drop_ext.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/newtab/browser_newtab_drag_drop_ext.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 requestLongerTimeout(2);
 
 const PREF_NEWTAB_COLUMNS = "browser.newtabpage.columns";
+const PREF_NEWTAB_ROWS = "browser.newtabpage.rows";
 
 /*
  * These tests make sure that dragging and dropping sites works as expected.
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ const PREF_NEWTAB_COLUMNS = "browser.newtabpage.columns";
 
   // force the grid to be small enough that a pinned cell could be pushed out
   await pushPrefs([PREF_NEWTAB_COLUMNS, 3]);
+  await pushPrefs([PREF_NEWTAB_ROWS, 3]);
   await simulateExternalDrop(5);
   await checkGrid("0,1,2,3,4,99p,5,7p,8p");
 
@@ -60,4 +62,14 @@ const PREF_NEWTAB_COLUMNS = "browser.newtabpage.columns";
 
   await simulateExternalDrop(1);
   await checkGrid("0p,99p,1p,2p,3,4,5,6,7");
+
+  // force the grid to be small enough that a pinned cell could be pushed out
+  // and the full list is truncated
+  await setLinks("0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8");
+  setPinnedLinks(",,,,,,,7,8");
+
+  await addNewTabPageTab();
+  await pushPrefs([PREF_NEWTAB_ROWS, 2]);
+  await simulateExternalDrop(5);
+  await checkGrid("0,1,2,3,4,99p");
 });
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/newtab/head.js b/browser/base/content/test/newtab/head.js
index 4b2e0e0adf18..44732e831d85 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/newtab/head.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/newtab/head.js
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ async function addNewTabPageTab() {
  * Compares the current grid arrangement with the given pattern.
  * @param the pattern (see below)
  *
- * Example: checkGrid("3p,2,,1p")
+ * Example: checkGrid("3p,2,,4p")
  * Result: We expect the first cell to contain the pinned site 'http://example3.com/'.
  *         The second cell contains 'http://example2.com/'. The third cell is empty.
  *         The fourth cell contains the pinned site 'http://example4.com/'.