diff --git a/mobile/src/app/(tabs)/index.tsx b/mobile/src/app/(tabs)/index.tsx
index b553008..6b98ec2 100644
--- a/mobile/src/app/(tabs)/index.tsx
+++ b/mobile/src/app/(tabs)/index.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { colors } from '../../theme';
 
 export default function HomeScreen() {
   const notes = useNotesStore((state: NotesState) => state.notes);
+  const isLoading = useNotesStore((state: NotesState) => state.isLoading);
   const workspaces = useWorkspaceStore((state: WorkspaceState) => state.workspaces);
   const activeWorkspaceId = useWorkspaceStore((state: WorkspaceState) => state.activeWorkspaceId);
   const setActiveWorkspace = useWorkspaceStore((state: WorkspaceState) => state.setActiveWorkspace);
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ export default function HomeScreen() {
         })}
       </ScrollView>
 
+      {isLoading ? <Text style={styles.empty}>Loading notes…</Text> : null}
       {recentNotes.map((note: (typeof recentNotes)[number]) => (
         <Pressable key={note.id} onPress={() => router.push(`/note/${note.id}`)} style={styles.card}>
           <View style={styles.badgeRow}>
@@ -65,7 +67,9 @@ export default function HomeScreen() {
           <Text style={styles.cardPreview}>{note.preview}</Text>
         </Pressable>
       ))}
-      {recentNotes.length === 0 ? <Text style={styles.empty}>No recent notes yet.</Text> : null}
+      {!isLoading && recentNotes.length === 0 ? (
+        <Text style={styles.empty}>No recent notes yet for this workspace.</Text>
+      ) : null}
     </ScrollView>
   );
 }
diff --git a/mobile/src/app/(tabs)/search.tsx b/mobile/src/app/(tabs)/search.tsx
index c9c42c0..3e396a0 100644
--- a/mobile/src/app/(tabs)/search.tsx
+++ b/mobile/src/app/(tabs)/search.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { colors } from '../../theme';
 export default function SearchScreen() {
   const [query, setQuery] = useState('');
   const notes = useNotesStore((state: NotesState) => state.notes);
+  const isLoading = useNotesStore((state: NotesState) => state.isLoading);
   const workspaces = useWorkspaceStore((state: WorkspaceState) => state.workspaces);
   const activeWorkspaceId = useWorkspaceStore((state: WorkspaceState) => state.activeWorkspaceId);
   const activeWorkspaceName =
@@ -45,12 +46,15 @@ export default function SearchScreen() {
         style={styles.input}
       />
       <View style={styles.list}>
+        {isLoading ? <Text style={styles.empty}>Loading searchable notes…</Text> : null}
         {results.map((note: MobileNote) => (
           <Pressable key={note.id} onPress={() => router.push(`/note/${note.id}`)} style={styles.row}>
             <Text style={styles.rowText}>{note.title}</Text>
           </Pressable>
         ))}
-        {results.length === 0 ? <Text style={styles.empty}>No notes match your search yet.</Text> : null}
+        {!isLoading && results.length === 0 ? (
+          <Text style={styles.empty}>No notes match your search in this scope yet.</Text>
+        ) : null}
       </View>
     </View>
   );