diff --git a/app/renderer/src/data.js b/app/renderer/src/data.js
index 484a938..7d0b607 100644
--- a/app/renderer/src/data.js
+++ b/app/renderer/src/data.js
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ export async function loadInitialData() {
 
   state.projects = projects || [];
   state.stats = stats || {};
+  state.loaded = true;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/app/renderer/src/store.js b/app/renderer/src/store.js
index d828cb7..be2d5d9 100644
--- a/app/renderer/src/store.js
+++ b/app/renderer/src/store.js
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ export const state = reactive({
   showSource: false,
   lastArchiveSnapshot: null,
   undoTimer: null,
-  undoExpires: 0
+  undoExpires: 0,
+  loaded: false
 });
 
 // Platform detection
diff --git a/app/renderer/src/views/RecapList.vue b/app/renderer/src/views/RecapList.vue
index bdc5a98..d7f09a3 100644
--- a/app/renderer/src/views/RecapList.vue
+++ b/app/renderer/src/views/RecapList.vue
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ defineOptions({ name: 'RecapList' });
 const router = useRouter();
 const route = useRoute();
 const recaps = ref([]);
+const recapsLoaded = ref(false);
 const kind = computed(() => route.query.kind || 'weekly');
 const showGenerate = inject('recapGenerateOpen', ref(false));
 
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ async function loadRecaps() {
     if (data?.cards) results.push({ ...data, _filename: f });
   }
   recaps.value = results;
+  recapsLoaded.value = true;
 }
 
 let unsub;
@@ -134,7 +136,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => { unsub?.(); });
         </section>
       </div>
 
-      <div class="content empty-content" v-else>
+      <div class="content empty-content" v-else-if="recapsLoaded">
         <section class="tl-section">
           <div class="tl-section-head">
             <span class="year">No {{ kind }} recaps yet</span>
diff --git a/app/renderer/src/views/SessionList.vue b/app/renderer/src/views/SessionList.vue
index 8fb239c..2cc48f1 100644
--- a/app/renderer/src/views/SessionList.vue
+++ b/app/renderer/src/views/SessionList.vue
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ function obeliskStyle(session) {
 <template>
   <div class="session-list-wrap">
     <!-- Empty state: no data source / debug toggle -->
-    <div v-if="debugEmpty || (!visibleSessions.length && !state.query)" class="empty-content">
+    <div v-if="state.loaded && (debugEmpty || (!visibleSessions.length && !state.query))" class="empty-content">
       <div class="empty-eyebrow">
         <span class="diamond"></span>
         <span>No data source connected</span>
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ function obeliskStyle(session) {
     </div>
 
     <!-- Empty state: search returned nothing -->
-    <div v-else-if="!visibleSessions.length" class="empty">
+    <div v-else-if="state.loaded && !visibleSessions.length" class="empty">
       No sessions here.
       <span class="hint">{{ state.query ? 'Try a different search term.' : 'Press / to search.' }}</span>
     </div>