diff --git a/userscript/manga-bookmark.user.js b/userscript/manga-bookmark.user.js
index 155d81e..35f360e 100644
--- a/userscript/manga-bookmark.user.js
+++ b/userscript/manga-bookmark.user.js
@@ -852,6 +852,9 @@
   // ============================================================
 
   let root, panelOpen = false;
+  // True while refresh() is waiting on the backend. Only changes what the list
+  // draws when there is nothing cached to draw instead.
+  let loading = false;
   let activeTab = "all"; // "all" | "favorites" | "archived"; resets each page, by design
 
   function buildUI() {
@@ -1071,7 +1074,11 @@
       if (s !== "reading") return false;
       return activeTab !== "favorites" || b.favorite;
     });
-    if (items.length === 0) {
+    if (items.length === 0 && loading) {
+      // Nothing cached and the fetch is still out — without this the panel
+      // looks frozen on the first open after a cold start.
+      listEl.appendChild(el("div", { class: "empty" }, [el("div", { class: "spinner" })]));
+    } else if (items.length === 0) {
       const empty = {
         favorites: "No favourites yet.",
         archived: "Nothing archived.",
@@ -1154,12 +1161,16 @@
 
   async function refresh() {
     await drain(); // push what we owe before adopting the server's view of it
+    loading = true;
+    render();
     try {
       const list = await apiGet();
       setList(overlayPending(list));
-      render();
     } catch (e) {
-      render(); // fall back to cache
+      // Offline or backend down: keep whatever the cache holds.
+    } finally {
+      loading = false;
+      render();
     }
   }
 
@@ -1380,6 +1391,12 @@
     .tab.active { color: #eee; border-bottom-color: #6d28d9; }
     #list { overflow-y: auto; flex: 1; padding: 8px 0; }
     .empty { color: #9a9aa5; text-align: center; padding: 30px 16px; font-size: 14px; }
+    .spinner {
+      width: 26px; height: 26px; margin: 0 auto;
+      border: 3px solid #33333d; border-top-color: #6d28d9; border-radius: 50%;
+      animation: spin .8s linear infinite;
+    }
+    @keyframes spin { to { transform: rotate(360deg); } }
     .item {
       display: flex; flex-direction: row; gap: 10px;
       padding: 10px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #2a2a33;