diff --git a/crates/ide-host/src/plugins/market.rs b/crates/ide-host/src/plugins/market.rs
index 061b5df2..fdf2e514 100644
--- a/crates/ide-host/src/plugins/market.rs
+++ b/crates/ide-host/src/plugins/market.rs
@@ -165,6 +165,16 @@ impl PluginHost {
         self.save_state();
     }
 
+    /// The marketplace's plugins: read again when `refresh`, else the last index
+    /// read. Reads it when none has been read yet (first run, nothing cached).
+    pub fn market_listing(&self, refresh: bool) -> IdeResult<Vec<MarketPlugin>> {
+        if refresh || (self.market.read().is_none() && self.market_url().is_some()) {
+            self.refresh_market()
+        } else {
+            Ok(self.market_plugins())
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Reads the index again, keeps it, and applies its revocations. Announces
     /// updates of installed plugins it hasn't announced yet.
     pub fn refresh_market(&self) -> IdeResult<Vec<MarketPlugin>> {
diff --git a/crates/ide-host/tests/distribution.rs b/crates/ide-host/tests/distribution.rs
index a8d97934..38002f36 100644
--- a/crates/ide-host/tests/distribution.rs
+++ b/crates/ide-host/tests/distribution.rs
@@ -196,6 +196,28 @@ fn write_index(
     path.to_string_lossy().into_owned()
 }
 
+/// First run: nothing cached yet, so listing the marketplace reads its index
+/// instead of showing an empty one; later listings use the index read.
+#[test]
+fn the_first_marketplace_listing_reads_the_index() {
+    let f = fixture();
+    assert!(f.host.market_listing(false).unwrap().is_empty(), "no marketplace configured");
+
+    let market = f.work.join("market");
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&market).unwrap();
+    let key = PublisherKey::from_seed([3; 32]);
+    let (_, entry) = signed_hello(&market, "1.0.0", &key, &f.host);
+    let url = write_index(&market, &key, vec![entry], vec![], false);
+    f.host.set_market_url(Some(url.clone()));
+
+    let listed = f.host.market_listing(false).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(listed.iter().map(|p| p.entry.id.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>(), ["acme.hello"]);
+
+    std::fs::remove_file(&url).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(f.host.market_listing(false).unwrap().len(), 1, "the index read is kept");
+    assert!(f.host.market_listing(true).is_err(), "refresh reads the index again");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn signed_marketplace_plugins_install_and_revocations_disable_them() {
     let f = fixture();
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/plugin.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/plugin.rs
index 998c591a..bb565af4 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands/plugin.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/plugin.rs
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ pub async fn plugin_web_read_file(path: PathBuf) -> IdeResult<String> {
     Ok(base64::engine::general_purpose::STANDARD.encode(bytes))
 }
 
-/// The marketplace's plugins: read again when `refresh`, else the last index read.
+/// The marketplace's plugins: read again when `refresh` or when none was read yet, else the last index read.
 #[tauri::command]
 #[specta::specta]
 pub async fn plugin_market(
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ pub async fn plugin_market(
     refresh: bool,
 ) -> IdeResult<Vec<ide_host::plugins::MarketPlugin>> {
     let host = state.plugins.clone();
-    blocking(move || if refresh { host.refresh_market() } else { Ok(host.market_plugins()) }).await
+    blocking(move || host.market_listing(refresh)).await
 }
 
 #[tauri::command]
diff --git a/src/bindings.ts b/src/bindings.ts
index eacf7e40..364c5b4b 100644
--- a/src/bindings.ts
+++ b/src/bindings.ts
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ export const commands = {
 	pluginWebReadFile: (path: string) => typedError<string, IdeError>(__TAURI_INVOKE("plugin_web_read_file", { path })),
 	/**  Gutter markers of plugin `line-markers` providers for an open document. */
 	pluginLineMarkers: (doc: DocId) => typedError<LineMarkerInfo[], IdeError>(__TAURI_INVOKE("plugin_line_markers", { doc })),
-	/**  The marketplace's plugins: read again when `refresh`, else the last index read. */
+	/**  The marketplace's plugins: read again when `refresh` or when none was read yet, else the last index read. */
 	pluginMarket: (refresh: boolean) => typedError<MarketPlugin[], IdeError>(__TAURI_INVOKE("plugin_market", { refresh })),
 	pluginMarketUrl: () => __TAURI_INVOKE<string | null>("plugin_market_url"),
 	/**  Sets the marketplace index URL (an `https://…/index.json` or a local path; `None` for the default). */