diff --git a/packages/kbn-unified-data-table/src/components/data_table.scss b/packages/kbn-unified-data-table/src/components/data_table.scss
index f530e870665f8..a9d8f26a3c68a 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-unified-data-table/src/components/data_table.scss
+++ b/packages/kbn-unified-data-table/src/components/data_table.scss
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
   align-items: start;
 
   .euiDataGridHeaderCell__draggableIcon {
-    padding-block: $euiSizeXS / 2; // to align with a token height
+    padding-block: calc($euiSizeXS / 2); // to align with a token height
   }
 
   .euiDataGridHeaderCell__button {