diff --git a/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx b/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx
index 39ea0b0..cb37f18 100644
--- a/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
   getDocumentAsset = () => null,
   getDownloadHref,
   onTagClick,
+  isSearchLoading = false,
 }) => {
   const showingSearchResults = searchResults !== null;
   const rows = showingSearchResults ? searchResults : documents;
@@ -453,7 +454,7 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
             </table>
           )}
         </div>
-        {rows.length === 0 && isFilterActive && (
+        {rows.length === 0 && showingSearchResults && !isSearchLoading && (
           <div className="empty-state">No documents match the current filters.</div>
         )}
         {showingSearchResults && rows.length > 0 && (
diff --git a/frontend/src/index.jsx b/frontend/src/index.jsx
index 49370c3..e8b616f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/index.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/index.jsx
@@ -430,6 +430,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
     setSearchQuery('');
     setActiveTagFilters([]);
     setActiveCorrespondentFilters([]);
+    setSearchLoading(false);
   }, []);
 
   const handleSearchSubmit = useCallback(() => {
@@ -449,6 +450,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
   const [activePreviewId, setActivePreviewId] = useState(routeDocumentId || null);
   const [previewDocumentId, setPreviewDocumentId] = useState(null);
   const [previewDocumentLoading, setPreviewDocumentLoading] = useState(false);
+  const [searchLoading, setSearchLoading] = useState(false);
   const shellRef = useRef(null);
   const assetManagerRef = useRef(null);
   if (!assetManagerRef.current) {
@@ -3644,11 +3646,13 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
 
     if (!isFilterActive) {
       setSearchResults(null);
+      setSearchLoading(false);
       return undefined;
     }
 
     let cancelled = false;
     let started = false;
+    setSearchLoading(true);
 
     const debounce = setTimeout(async () => {
       started = true;
@@ -3676,6 +3680,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
         setSearchResults(results);
 
         if (!results.length) {
+          setSearchLoading(false);
           setSelectedRowKeys([]);
           setFocusedDocumentId(null);
           selectionOrderRef.current = [];
@@ -3726,6 +3731,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
       } finally {
         if (!cancelled && started) {
           setLoading(false);
+          setSearchLoading(false);
         }
       }
     }, 300);
@@ -3735,6 +3741,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
       clearTimeout(debounce);
       if (started) {
         setLoading(false);
+        setSearchLoading(false);
       }
     };
   }, [
@@ -3878,9 +3885,6 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
           notifyApiError(error, 'Failed to load folder.');
         }
       }
-      if (folderId === 'root') {
-        return;
-      }
       setFolderNodes((prev) => {
         const next = new Map(prev);
         const current = next.get(folderId);
@@ -4312,6 +4316,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
     draggingDocumentIds: draggedDocumentIds,
     onDocumentDragStart: handleDocumentDragStart,
     onDocumentDragEnd: handleDocumentDragEnd,
+    isSearchLoading: searchLoading,
     tagLookupById,
     onDocumentListFocus: handleDocumentListFocus,
     onDocumentListKeyDown: handleDocumentListKeyDown,