diff --git a/components/files/__tests__/file-browser-shared-folders.test.tsx b/components/files/__tests__/file-browser-shared-folders.test.tsx
index ffa80d2fe..d37cc1757 100644
--- a/components/files/__tests__/file-browser-shared-folders.test.tsx
+++ b/components/files/__tests__/file-browser-shared-folders.test.tsx
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ const SHARED = node('e:f-team', 'Team', null, { isShared: true, accountId: 'e',
 
 type Overrides = Partial<React.ComponentProps<typeof FileBrowser>>;
 
-function renderBrowser(opts: { resources?: FileResource[]; allFolders?: FileResource[]; props?: Overrides } = {}) {
+function renderBrowser(opts: { resources?: FileResource[]; allFolders?: FileResource[]; props?: Overrides; hasListed?: boolean } = {}) {
   const client = {
     listAllFileNodesAcrossAccounts: vi.fn(async () => [...OWN, SHARED]),
   } as unknown as IJMAPClient;
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ function renderBrowser(opts: { resources?: FileResource[]; allFolders?: FileReso
       allFolders: opts.allFolders ?? OWN.filter((n) => n.blobId == null).map(resource),
       currentParentId: null,
       pathStack: [{ id: null, name: '' }],
+      hasListed: opts.hasListed ?? true,
     });
   });
   const handlers = {
@@ -213,6 +214,12 @@ describe('FileBrowser', () => {
     expect(names).toEqual(['c.txt', 'b.txt', 'a.txt']);
   });
 
+  it('shows the loading skeleton, not the empty state, before the first listing', () => {
+    renderBrowser({ resources: [], allFolders: [], hasListed: false });
+    expect(screen.queryByText('empty_state_title')).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByText('empty_folder_title')).toBeNull();
+  });
+
   it('shows an empty state with upload and new folder in an empty folder', () => {
     renderBrowser({ resources: [], allFolders: [], props: { currentPath: '/Documents' } });
     expect(screen.getByText('empty_folder_title')).toBeInTheDocument();
diff --git a/components/files/file-browser.tsx b/components/files/file-browser.tsx
index 38fec0400..f245ed5e2 100644
--- a/components/files/file-browser.tsx
+++ b/components/files/file-browser.tsx
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ export function FileBrowser({
   const sharedRoots = useFileStore((s) => s.sharedRoots);
   const loadSharedRoots = useFileStore((s) => s.loadSharedRoots);
   const allFolders = useFileStore((s) => s.allFolders);
+  const hasListed = useFileStore((s) => s.hasListed);
   const currentParentId = useFileStore((s) => s.currentParentId);
   const pathStack = useFileStore((s) => s.pathStack);
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -873,7 +874,6 @@ export function FileBrowser({
   const showEmpty = !isLoading && !error && displayResources.length === 0 && sharedAtRoot.length === 0;
 
   const listing = (() => {
-    if (isLoading && resources.length === 0) return <ListSkeleton />;
     if (accountPickerMode) {
       return accountFolders && accountFolders.length > 0 && onSelectAccount ? (
         <div className="p-4">
@@ -903,6 +903,8 @@ export function FileBrowser({
         </div>
       );
     }
+    // Until the first listing is in, an empty list means "not loaded yet".
+    if ((isLoading || !hasListed) && resources.length === 0) return <ListSkeleton />;
     if (showEmpty && searchQuery) return <NoSearchResults query={searchQuery} onClear={() => setSearchQuery("")} />;
     if (showEmpty) {
       return (
diff --git a/stores/file-store.ts b/stores/file-store.ts
index f9f54c87e..5a0c56c0e 100644
--- a/stores/file-store.ts
+++ b/stores/file-store.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ interface FileState {
    * instead of fetching again, and is current after every change.
    */
   allFolders: FileResource[];
+  /** False until the first listing for the attached account has finished. */
+  hasListed: boolean;
 
   // Actions
   initClient: (client: IJMAPClient, accountId?: string | null) => void;
@@ -296,6 +298,7 @@ export const useFileStore = create<FileState>((set, get) => ({
   lastAction: null,
   sharedRoots: [],
   allFolders: [],
+  hasListed: false,
   favorites: (() => {
     try { return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('files-favorites') || '[]'); } catch { return []; }
   })(),
@@ -319,6 +322,7 @@ export const useFileStore = create<FileState>((set, get) => ({
       currentParentId: null,
       resources: [],
       allFolders: [],
+      hasListed: false,
       selectedResources: new Set<string>(),
       error: null,
       isLoading: false,
@@ -579,13 +583,14 @@ export const useFileStore = create<FileState>((set, get) => ({
       const prunedRecent = recentFiles.filter(r => existingIds.has(r.id));
       if (prunedRecent.length !== recentFiles.length) {
         try { localStorage.setItem('files-recent-files', JSON.stringify(prunedRecent)); } catch { /* ignore */ }
-        set({ resources, allFolders, recentFiles: prunedRecent, isLoading: false });
+        set({ resources, allFolders, recentFiles: prunedRecent, isLoading: false, hasListed: true });
       } else {
-        set({ resources, allFolders, isLoading: false });
+        set({ resources, allFolders, isLoading: false, hasListed: true });
       }
     } catch (error) {
       set({
         error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Failed to list directory',
+        hasListed: true,
         isLoading: false,
         resources: [],
       });