diff --git a/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx b/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx
index e086533..322daf4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
   subfolders,
   documents,
   searchResults,
+  isFilterActive = false,
   onFolderSelect,
   onFolderDrop,
   onFolderDragOver,
@@ -473,11 +474,10 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
     [activeCorrespondentIdSet, onCorrespondentClick],
   );
 
-  const showDefaultEmptyState = !showingSearchResults && !subfolders.length && rows.length === 0;
-  const showListSearchEmptyState =
-    showingSearchResults && rows.length === 0 && !isGridView && !isSearchLoading;
-  const showGridSearchEmptyState =
-    isGridView && showingSearchResults && rows.length === 0 && !isSearchLoading;
+  const noResults = rows.length === 0;
+  const showDefaultEmptyState = !showingSearchResults && !isFilterActive && !subfolders.length && noResults;
+  const showListSearchEmptyState = showingSearchResults && noResults && !isGridView && !isSearchLoading;
+  const showGridSearchEmptyState = isGridView && showingSearchResults && noResults && !isSearchLoading;
   const showSearchHint = showingSearchResults && rows.length > 0;
   const breadcrumbEntries = useMemo(() => (Array.isArray(breadcrumbs) ? breadcrumbs.filter(Boolean) : []), [breadcrumbs]);
   const trailEntries = useMemo(() => {
@@ -548,41 +548,48 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
           </div>
         </div>
       ) : null}
-      {showDefaultEmptyState && (
-        <div className="empty-state">
-          Drop files anywhere or onto a folder to upload documents.
+      {showDefaultEmptyState ? (
+        <div className="panel-section__body">
+          <div className="empty-state">
+            Drop files anywhere or onto a folder to upload documents.
+          </div>
         </div>
-      )}
-      {showGridSearchEmptyState && (
-        <div className="empty-state empty-state--global">
-          No documents match the current filters.
+      ) : showGridSearchEmptyState ? (
+        <div className="panel-section__body">
+          <div className="empty-state empty-state--global">
+            No documents match the current filters.
+          </div>
         </div>
-      )}
-      <div className="panel-section__body">
-        <div
-          ref={assignScrollRef}
-          className="documents-scroll"
-          onFocus={(event) => {
-            if (event.target === scrollRef.current) {
-              onDocumentListFocus?.();
-            }
-          }}
-          onKeyDown={(event) => {
-            if (event.target !== scrollRef.current) {
-              return;
-            }
-            if (onDocumentListKeyDown) {
-              onDocumentListKeyDown(event);
-            }
-          }}
-          onClick={(event) => {
-            if (event.target === event.currentTarget) {
-              onClearSelection?.();
-            }
-          }}
-          aria-activedescendant={isGridView ? undefined : activeDescendantId}
-        >
-          {showDefaultEmptyState ? null : isGridView ? (
+      ) : showListSearchEmptyState ? (
+        <div className="panel-section__body">
+          <div className="empty-state">No documents match the current filters.</div>
+        </div>
+      ) : (
+        <div className="panel-section__body">
+          <div
+            ref={assignScrollRef}
+            className="documents-scroll"
+            onFocus={(event) => {
+              if (event.target === scrollRef.current) {
+                onDocumentListFocus?.();
+              }
+            }}
+            onKeyDown={(event) => {
+              if (event.target !== scrollRef.current) {
+                return;
+              }
+              if (onDocumentListKeyDown) {
+                onDocumentListKeyDown(event);
+              }
+            }}
+            onClick={(event) => {
+              if (event.target === event.currentTarget) {
+                onClearSelection?.();
+              }
+            }}
+            aria-activedescendant={isGridView ? undefined : activeDescendantId}
+          >
+          {isGridView ? (
             <div
               className="documents-grid"
               role="list"
@@ -766,7 +773,7 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
                 );
               })}
             </div>
-          ) : (
+          ) : noResults ? null : (
             <table aria-multiselectable="true">
               <thead>
                 <tr>
@@ -1060,15 +1067,13 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
             </table>
           )}
         </div>
-        {showListSearchEmptyState && (
-          <div className="empty-state">No documents match the current filters.</div>
-        )}
         {showSearchHint && (
           <div className="search-hint">
             Showing {rows.length} document{rows.length === 1 ? '' : 's'} in {currentFolderName} and subfolders.
           </div>
         )}
-      </div>
+        </div>
+      )}
     </section>
   );
 };