diff --git a/apps/files/src/components/FilesListVirtual.vue b/apps/files/src/components/FilesListVirtual.vue
index 19759f38694a2..84f771505b3e9 100644
--- a/apps/files/src/components/FilesListVirtual.vue
+++ b/apps/files/src/components/FilesListVirtual.vue
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 		:data-component="userConfig.grid_view ? FileEntryGrid : FileEntry"
 		data-key="source"
 		:data-sources="nodes"
+		:loading="loading"
 		:grid-mode="userConfig.grid_view"
 		:extra-props="{
 			isMimeAvailable,
@@ -129,6 +130,11 @@ export default defineComponent({
 			type: String,
 			required: true,
 		},
+
+		loading: {
+			type: Boolean,
+			default: false,
+		},
 	},
 
 	setup(props) {
diff --git a/apps/files/src/components/VirtualList.vue b/apps/files/src/components/VirtualList.vue
index 2af11785b027d..30d21afb17ae9 100644
--- a/apps/files/src/components/VirtualList.vue
+++ b/apps/files/src/components/VirtualList.vue
@@ -22,12 +22,13 @@
 		</div>
 
 		<div
-			v-if="dataSources.length === 0"
+			v-if="dataSources.length === 0 || loading"
 			class="files-list__empty">
 			<slot name="empty" />
 		</div>
 
 		<table
+			v-if="!loading"
 			:aria-hidden="dataSources.length === 0"
 			:inert="dataSources.length === 0"
 			class="files-list__table"
@@ -128,6 +129,11 @@ export default defineComponent({
 			type: String,
 			default: '',
 		},
+
+		loading: {
+			type: Boolean,
+			default: false,
+		},
 	},
 
 	setup() {
diff --git a/apps/files/src/views/FilesList.vue b/apps/files/src/views/FilesList.vue
index 55e4ef64dbc0a..e095d710373d2 100644
--- a/apps/files/src/views/FilesList.vue
+++ b/apps/files/src/views/FilesList.vue
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@
 		<FilesListVirtual
 			v-else
 			ref="filesListVirtual"
+			:loading="loading && !isRefreshing"
 			:current-folder="currentFolder"
 			:current-view="currentView"
 			:nodes="dirContentsSorted"
@@ -311,6 +312,7 @@ export default defineComponent({
 
 			loading: true,
 			loadingAction: null as string | null,
+			changingLocation: false,
 			error: null as string | null,
 			controller: new AbortController(),
 			promise: null as Promise<ContentsWithRoot> | null,
@@ -410,6 +412,7 @@ export default defineComponent({
 			return this.currentFolder !== undefined
 				&& !this.isEmptyDir
 				&& this.loading
+				&& !this.changingLocation
 		},
 
 		/**
@@ -476,12 +479,14 @@ export default defineComponent({
 			}
 
 			logger.debug('View changed', { newView, oldView })
+			this.changingLocation = true
 			this.selectionStore.reset()
 			this.fetchContent()
 		},
 
 		directory(newDir, oldDir) {
 			logger.debug('Directory changed', { newDir, oldDir })
+			this.changingLocation = true
 			// TODO: preserve selection on browsing?
 			this.selectionStore.reset()
 			this.sidebar.close()
@@ -608,6 +613,7 @@ export default defineComponent({
 				this.error = humanizeWebDAVError(error)
 			} finally {
 				this.loading = false
+				this.changingLocation = false
 			}
 		},