diff --git a/templates/repo/diff/whitespace_dropdown.tmpl b/templates/repo/diff/whitespace_dropdown.tmpl
index 9df79dab73..47a5ab5533 100644
--- a/templates/repo/diff/whitespace_dropdown.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/diff/whitespace_dropdown.tmpl
@@ -3,20 +3,28 @@
 	{{svg "octicon-triangle-down" 14 "dropdown icon"}}
 	<div class="menu">
 		<a class="item" href="?style={{if .IsSplitStyle}}split{{else}}unified{{end}}&whitespace=show-all">
-			<i class="circle {{if eq .WhitespaceBehavior "show-all"}}dot{{else}}outline{{end}} icon"></i>
-			{{.locale.Tr "repo.diff.whitespace_show_everything"}}
+			<label class="pointer-events-none">
+				<input class="mr-3 pointer-events-none" type="radio"{{if eq .WhitespaceBehavior "show-all"}} checked{{end}}>
+				{{.locale.Tr "repo.diff.whitespace_show_everything"}}
+			</label>
 		</a>
 		<a class="item" href="?style={{if .IsSplitStyle}}split{{else}}unified{{end}}&whitespace=ignore-all">
-			<i class="circle {{if eq .WhitespaceBehavior "ignore-all"}}dot{{else}}outline{{end}} icon"></i>
-			{{.locale.Tr "repo.diff.whitespace_ignore_all_whitespace"}}
+			<label class="pointer-events-none">
+				<input class="mr-3 pointer-events-none" type="radio"{{if eq .WhitespaceBehavior "ignore-all"}} checked{{end}}>
+				{{.locale.Tr "repo.diff.whitespace_ignore_all_whitespace"}}
+				<label>
 		</a>
 		<a class="item" href="?style={{if .IsSplitStyle}}split{{else}}unified{{end}}&whitespace=ignore-change">
-			<i class="circle {{if eq .WhitespaceBehavior "ignore-change"}}dot{{else}}outline{{end}} icon"></i>
-			{{.locale.Tr "repo.diff.whitespace_ignore_amount_changes"}}
+			<label class="pointer-events-none">
+				<input class="mr-3 pointer-events-none" type="radio"{{if eq .WhitespaceBehavior "ignore-change"}} checked{{end}}>
+				{{.locale.Tr "repo.diff.whitespace_ignore_amount_changes"}}
+			</label>
 		</a>
 		<a class="item" href="?style={{if .IsSplitStyle}}split{{else}}unified{{end}}&whitespace=ignore-eol">
-			<i class="circle {{if eq .WhitespaceBehavior "ignore-eol"}}dot{{else}}outline{{end}} icon"></i>
-			{{.locale.Tr "repo.diff.whitespace_ignore_at_eol"}}
+			<label class="pointer-events-none">
+				<input class="mr-3 pointer-events-none" type="radio"{{if eq .WhitespaceBehavior "ignore-eol"}} checked{{end}}>
+				{{.locale.Tr "repo.diff.whitespace_ignore_at_eol"}}
+			</label>
 		</a>
 	</div>
 </div>
diff --git a/web_src/less/helpers.less b/web_src/less/helpers.less
index 5510ee5b23..19477f7ecd 100644
--- a/web_src/less/helpers.less
+++ b/web_src/less/helpers.less
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 .h-100 { height: 100% !important; }
 .br-0 { border-radius: 0 !important; }
 
+/* below class names match Tailwind CSS */
+.pointer-events-none { pointer-events: none !important; }
+
 .mono {
   font-family: var(--fonts-monospace) !important;
   font-size: .9em !important; /* compensate for monospace fonts being usually slightly larger */