diff --git a/warpgate-web/src/common/ItemList.svelte b/warpgate-web/src/common/ItemList.svelte
index 1a83dd55..7a21bf9c 100644
--- a/warpgate-web/src/common/ItemList.svelte
+++ b/warpgate-web/src/common/ItemList.svelte
@@ -94,15 +94,16 @@
     })
 </script>
 
-<div class="d-flex mb-2" hidden={!loaded}>
-    {#if showSearch}
-        <Input bind:value={filter} placeholder="Search..." class="flex-grow-1 border-0" />
-    {/if}
-    {@render header?.()}
-</div>
 {#await $items}
     <DelayedSpinner />
 {:then _items}
+    <div class="d-flex mb-2" hidden={!loaded}>
+        <!-- either filtering or not filtering and there are at least some items at all -->
+        {#if showSearch && (filter || !!_items?.length)}
+            <Input bind:value={filter} placeholder="Search..." class="flex-grow-1 border-0" />
+        {/if}
+        {@render header?.()}
+    </div>
     {#if _items}
         <div class="list-group list-group-flush mb-3">
             {#each _items as _item}
diff --git a/warpgate-web/src/gateway/TargetList.svelte b/warpgate-web/src/gateway/TargetList.svelte
index 628ccef5..c1fc5933 100644
--- a/warpgate-web/src/gateway/TargetList.svelte
+++ b/warpgate-web/src/gateway/TargetList.svelte
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { serverInfo } from './lib/store'
 import { firstBy } from 'thenby'
 import ModalHeader from 'common/sveltestrap-s5-ports/ModalHeader.svelte'
 import GettingStarted from 'common/GettingStarted.svelte'
+    import EmptyState from 'common/EmptyState.svelte';
 
 let selectedTarget: TargetSnapshot|undefined = $state()
 
@@ -51,6 +52,10 @@ function loadURL (url: string) {
 {/if}
 
 <ItemList load={loadTargets} showSearch={true}>
+    {#snippet empty()}
+        <EmptyState
+            title="You don't have access to any targets yet" />
+    {/snippet}
     {#snippet item(target)}
         <a
             class="list-group-item list-group-item-action target-item"