diff --git a/web/src/components/GlobalSearch.test.tsx b/web/src/components/GlobalSearch.test.tsx
index 9758a0a2..ca67ae5d 100644
--- a/web/src/components/GlobalSearch.test.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/GlobalSearch.test.tsx
@@ -94,7 +94,11 @@ describe("GlobalSearch", () => {
     mocks.useQuery.mockReset();
     mocks.useCanRequest.mockReset();
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReset();
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: false, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReturnValue({
       data: undefined,
       isLoading: false,
@@ -145,7 +149,11 @@ describe("GlobalSearch + RequestToAddSection wiring", () => {
     mocks.useQuery.mockReset();
     mocks.useCanRequest.mockReset();
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReset();
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: false, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReturnValue({
       data: undefined,
       isLoading: false,
@@ -159,7 +167,11 @@ describe("GlobalSearch + RequestToAddSection wiring", () => {
   });
 
   it("renders the section with libraryHadHits=true when library returned results", () => {
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReturnValue({
       data: {
         page: 1,
@@ -186,7 +198,11 @@ describe("GlobalSearch + RequestToAddSection wiring", () => {
   });
 
   it("renders the section with libraryHadHits=false when library returned 0 results", () => {
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useQuery.mockReturnValue({
       data: { total: 0, has_more: false, items: [] },
       isFetching: false,
@@ -216,7 +232,11 @@ describe("GlobalSearch + RequestToAddSection wiring", () => {
   });
 
   it("does not call useRequestSearch with enabled=true when discoveryEnabled is false", () => {
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: false, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     renderSearchMarkup({ defaultOpen: true, initialQuery: "Dune" });
 
     const call = mocks.useRequestSearch.mock.calls[mocks.useRequestSearch.mock.calls.length - 1];
@@ -224,14 +244,22 @@ describe("GlobalSearch + RequestToAddSection wiring", () => {
   });
 
   it("does not mount RequestToAddSection when discovery is disabled", () => {
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: false, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     const markup = renderSearchMarkup({ defaultOpen: true, initialQuery: "Dune" });
 
     expect(markup).not.toContain('data-testid="request-section"');
   });
 
   it("suppresses 'No matches' when library is empty and TMDB is still loading", () => {
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useQuery.mockReturnValue({
       data: { total: 0, has_more: false, items: [] },
       isFetching: false,
@@ -248,7 +276,11 @@ describe("GlobalSearch + RequestToAddSection wiring", () => {
   });
 
   it("suppresses 'No matches' when library is empty and TMDB has missing results", () => {
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useQuery.mockReturnValue({
       data: { total: 0, has_more: false, items: [] },
       isFetching: false,
@@ -278,7 +310,11 @@ describe("GlobalSearch + RequestToAddSection wiring", () => {
   });
 
   it("still shows 'No matches' when both library and TMDB are empty", () => {
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useQuery.mockReturnValue({
       data: { total: 0, has_more: false, items: [] },
       isFetching: false,
diff --git a/web/src/components/GlobalSearch.tsx b/web/src/components/GlobalSearch.tsx
index 9d910a55..5eaf3f80 100644
--- a/web/src/components/GlobalSearch.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/GlobalSearch.tsx
@@ -111,9 +111,15 @@ export function GlobalSearch({
   });
   const tmdbMissingCount =
     tmdbQuery.data?.results?.filter((result) => result.availability !== "available").length ?? 0;
+  // Cap at DIALOG_LIMIT (4) — RequestToAddSection slices results to that many rows.
+  const tmdbVisibleCount = Math.min(tmdbMissingCount, 4);
   const tmdbStillLoading =
     canRequest.discoveryEnabled && tmdbDebouncedQuery.length > 1 && tmdbQuery.isLoading;
   const tmdbWillRender = canRequest.discoveryEnabled && tmdbMissingCount > 0;
+  // Hide empty state while the TMDB debounce trails the library debounce; otherwise
+  // the user sees "No matches" flash between t=200ms and t=400ms after typing.
+  const tmdbDebounceCatchingUp =
+    canRequest.discoveryEnabled && tmdbDebouncedQuery !== debouncedQuery;
 
   const searchState = useMemo(
     () => createCatalogSearchState("query", { q: debouncedQuery || undefined }),
@@ -195,7 +201,9 @@ export function GlobalSearch({
     items.length === 0 &&
     !previewQuery.isError &&
     !tmdbStillLoading &&
-    !tmdbWillRender;
+    !tmdbWillRender &&
+    !canRequest.isResolving &&
+    !tmdbDebounceCatchingUp;
   const showError = previewQuery.isError;
 
   return (
@@ -252,34 +260,33 @@ export function GlobalSearch({
         </form>
         {showResultsPanel && (
           <div className="flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col">
-            <div
-              role="listbox"
-              className="max-h-[min(22rem,55vh)] overflow-y-auto overscroll-contain px-2 py-2"
-            >
-              {showLoading && (
-                <div className="text-muted-foreground px-3 py-6 text-center text-sm">
-                  Searching...
-                </div>
-              )}
-              {showError && (
-                <div className="text-destructive px-3 py-4 text-center text-sm">
-                  Could not load results. Press Enter to open the search page.
-                </div>
-              )}
-              {showEmpty && (
-                <div className="text-muted-foreground px-3 py-6 text-center text-sm">
-                  No matches
-                </div>
-              )}
-              {items.map((item, i) => (
-                <GlobalSearchResultRow
-                  key={item.content_id}
-                  item={item}
-                  index={i}
-                  isSelected={i === selectedIndex}
-                  onPick={handlePickItem}
-                />
-              ))}
+            <div className="max-h-[min(22rem,55vh)] overflow-y-auto overscroll-contain px-2 py-2">
+              <div role="listbox">
+                {showLoading && (
+                  <div className="text-muted-foreground px-3 py-6 text-center text-sm">
+                    Searching...
+                  </div>
+                )}
+                {showError && (
+                  <div className="text-destructive px-3 py-4 text-center text-sm">
+                    Could not load results. Press Enter to open the search page.
+                  </div>
+                )}
+                {showEmpty && (
+                  <div className="text-muted-foreground px-3 py-6 text-center text-sm">
+                    No matches
+                  </div>
+                )}
+                {items.map((item, i) => (
+                  <GlobalSearchResultRow
+                    key={item.content_id}
+                    item={item}
+                    index={i}
+                    isSelected={i === selectedIndex}
+                    onPick={handlePickItem}
+                  />
+                ))}
+              </div>
               {tmdbDebouncedQuery.length > 1 && canRequest.discoveryEnabled && (
                 <RequestToAddSection
                   variant="dialog"
@@ -289,7 +296,9 @@ export function GlobalSearch({
               )}
             </div>
             <div role="status" aria-live="polite" className="sr-only">
-              {items.length} results found
+              {tmdbVisibleCount > 0
+                ? `${items.length} library results, ${tmdbVisibleCount} request suggestions`
+                : `${items.length} results found`}
             </div>
             <div className="text-muted-foreground border-t px-3 py-2 text-center text-xs">
               {total > PREVIEW_LIMIT ? (
diff --git a/web/src/components/RequestPosterCard.test.tsx b/web/src/components/RequestPosterCard.test.tsx
index 215a5ccf..904c9bcd 100644
--- a/web/src/components/RequestPosterCard.test.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/RequestPosterCard.test.tsx
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ describe("RequestPosterCard (discover variant)", () => {
         />
       </MemoryRouter>,
     );
-    expect(markup).toContain("Request");
+    // Must render an actual <button> with the "Request" label, not just any "Request"
+    // substring (the /requests/... URL would match a naive includes check).
+    expect(markup).toMatch(/<button[^>]*>[\s\S]*?Request[\s\S]*?<\/button>/);
   });
 
   it("does not render the hover Request button when onRequest is omitted", () => {
@@ -34,6 +36,8 @@ describe("RequestPosterCard (discover variant)", () => {
       </MemoryRouter>,
     );
 
-    expect(markup).not.toContain("rounded-full bg-white");
+    // The discover variant only contains one <button> (the hover Request action);
+    // its absence is the strongest signal that the button was suppressed.
+    expect(markup).not.toContain("<button");
   });
 });
diff --git a/web/src/components/RequestToAddSection.test.tsx b/web/src/components/RequestToAddSection.test.tsx
index 2e0053f1..14404e5f 100644
--- a/web/src/components/RequestToAddSection.test.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/RequestToAddSection.test.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   useCanRequest: vi.fn(),
   useRequestSearch: vi.fn(),
+  useCreateMediaRequest: vi.fn(),
   useDebounce: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ vi.mock("@/hooks/useCanRequest", () => ({
 
 vi.mock("@/hooks/queries/useRequests", () => ({
   useRequestSearch: (...args: unknown[]) => mocks.useRequestSearch(...args),
+  useCreateMediaRequest: () => mocks.useCreateMediaRequest(),
 }));
 
 vi.mock("@/hooks/useDebounce", () => ({
@@ -59,12 +61,20 @@ describe("RequestToAddSection (dialog variant)", () => {
     mocks.useCanRequest.mockReset();
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReset();
     mocks.useDebounce.mockReset();
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useDebounce.mockImplementation((v: unknown) => v);
   });
 
   it("renders nothing when discovery is disabled", () => {
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: false, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReturnValue({ data: undefined, isLoading: false, isError: false });
 
     const markup = render(<RequestToAddSection variant="dialog" query="dune" libraryHadHits />);
@@ -72,7 +82,11 @@ describe("RequestToAddSection (dialog variant)", () => {
   });
 
   it("passes enabled=false to useRequestSearch when discovery is disabled so no network call fires", () => {
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: false, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReturnValue({ data: undefined, isLoading: false, isError: false });
 
     render(<RequestToAddSection variant="dialog" query="dune" libraryHadHits />);
@@ -85,7 +99,11 @@ describe("RequestToAddSection (dialog variant)", () => {
   });
 
   it("passes enabled=true to useRequestSearch when discovery is enabled", () => {
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReturnValue({
       data: { page: 1, total_pages: 1, total_results: 0, results: [] },
       isLoading: false,
@@ -123,6 +141,10 @@ describe("RequestToAddSection (dialog variant)", () => {
   });
 
   it("filters out results already available in the library", () => {
+    // missingResult has tmdb_id 1, availableResult has tmdb_id 2. The DialogRow
+    // renders item.title only as text content (never as a `title=` attribute), so
+    // a substring check on `title="Dune"` would pass even with the filter removed.
+    // Check the link target instead — it's a precise, filter-driven signal.
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReturnValue({
       data: {
         page: 1,
@@ -134,8 +156,8 @@ describe("RequestToAddSection (dialog variant)", () => {
       isError: false,
     });
     const markup = render(<RequestToAddSection variant="dialog" query="dune" libraryHadHits />);
-    expect(markup).toContain("Dune: Prophecy");
-    expect(markup).not.toContain('title="Dune"');
+    expect(markup).toContain("/requests/movie/1");
+    expect(markup).not.toContain("/requests/movie/2");
   });
 
   it("renders nothing when TMDB returned an error", () => {
@@ -179,7 +201,9 @@ describe("RequestToAddSection (dialog variant)", () => {
           missingResult({
             tmdb_id: 7,
             title: "Quota Capped Movie",
-            request: { requestable: false, reason: "quota_exhausted" },
+            // formatRequestReason recognises "quota_exceeded" (not "quota_exhausted");
+            // assert on the produced label so a regression in that mapping is caught.
+            request: { requestable: false, reason: "quota_exceeded" },
           }),
         ],
       },
@@ -191,7 +215,8 @@ describe("RequestToAddSection (dialog variant)", () => {
 
     expect(markup).toContain("Quota Capped Movie");
     expect(markup).not.toContain("bg-amber-400/15");
-    expect(markup).toMatch(/title="[^"]+"/);
+    expect(markup).toContain("Limit reached");
+    expect(markup).toContain('title="Limit reached"');
   });
 });
 
@@ -199,7 +224,17 @@ describe("RequestToAddSection (grid variant)", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     mocks.useCanRequest.mockReset();
     mocks.useRequestSearch.mockReset();
-    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mocks.useCreateMediaRequest.mockReset();
+    mocks.useCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
+    mocks.useCreateMediaRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      mutate: vi.fn(),
+      isPending: false,
+      variables: undefined,
+    });
   });
 
   it("renders a card per result with the Request to Add header when library had hits", () => {
diff --git a/web/src/components/RequestToAddSection.tsx b/web/src/components/RequestToAddSection.tsx
index f1954e55..ffcd9dd4 100644
--- a/web/src/components/RequestToAddSection.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/RequestToAddSection.tsx
@@ -1,12 +1,21 @@
+import { useState } from "react";
 import { Link } from "react-router";
-import { Film, Tv } from "lucide-react";
+import { Film, Sparkles, Tv } from "lucide-react";
 import { useCanRequest } from "@/hooks/useCanRequest";
-import { useRequestSearch } from "@/hooks/queries/useRequests";
+import { useCreateMediaRequest, useRequestSearch } from "@/hooks/queries/useRequests";
 import type { RequestMediaResult } from "@/api/types";
-import { formatRequestReason, tmdbImageURL } from "@/lib/mediaRequests";
+import {
+  formatRequestReason,
+  requestInputFromMediaResult,
+  tmdbImageURL,
+} from "@/lib/mediaRequests";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import RequestPosterCard from "./RequestPosterCard";
 
+function cardKey(item: Pick<RequestMediaResult, "media_type" | "tmdb_id">): string {
+  return `${item.media_type}-${item.tmdb_id}`;
+}
+
 const DIALOG_LIMIT = 4;
 const GRID_LIMIT = 20;
 
@@ -135,24 +144,76 @@ function GridVariant({
   items: RequestMediaResult[];
   libraryHadHits: boolean;
 }) {
+  const count = items.length;
+  const createRequest = useCreateMediaRequest();
+  // Track each in-flight card key independently; the shared `useMutation`
+  // observer overwrites its `variables` on every `mutate` call, so rapid
+  // clicks on different cards would otherwise trample each other's spinner.
+  const [pendingKeys, setPendingKeys] = useState<ReadonlySet<string>>(new Set());
+  const submitCard = (item: RequestMediaResult) => {
+    const key = cardKey(item);
+    setPendingKeys((prev) => {
+      const next = new Set(prev);
+      next.add(key);
+      return next;
+    });
+    createRequest.mutate(requestInputFromMediaResult(item), {
+      onSettled: () => {
+        setPendingKeys((prev) => {
+          if (!prev.has(key)) return prev;
+          const next = new Set(prev);
+          next.delete(key);
+          return next;
+        });
+      },
+    });
+  };
   return (
-    <section className="space-y-3">
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-3 text-amber-300/85">
-        <div className="h-px flex-1 bg-amber-400/20" />
-        <h2 className="text-[11px] font-semibold tracking-[0.12em] uppercase">
-          {libraryHadHits ? "Request to Add" : "Not in your library, but you can request"}
-        </h2>
-        <div className="h-px flex-1 bg-amber-400/20" />
-      </div>
+    <section
+      className={cn(
+        "relative overflow-hidden rounded-[28px] border border-amber-400/[0.14]",
+        "bg-[radial-gradient(120%_60%_at_50%_0%,rgba(245,158,11,0.07)_0%,rgba(245,158,11,0.015)_45%,transparent_75%)]",
+        "shadow-[inset_0_1px_0_0_rgba(255,255,255,0.04),0_28px_60px_-44px_rgba(0,0,0,0.7)]",
+        "px-4 pt-7 pb-7 sm:px-7 sm:pt-8",
+        libraryHadHits && "mt-12! sm:mt-16!",
+      )}
+    >
+      <div
+        aria-hidden
+        className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-16 top-0 h-px bg-gradient-to-r from-transparent via-amber-300/45 to-transparent"
+      />
+
+      <header className="mb-7 flex flex-wrap items-end justify-between gap-x-5 gap-y-3">
+        <div className="space-y-2">
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-amber-200/85">
+            <Sparkles className="h-3.5 w-3.5" strokeWidth={2.2} aria-hidden />
+            <span className="text-[10px] font-semibold tracking-[0.24em] uppercase">
+              {libraryHadHits ? "Discover · Outside your library" : "Outside your library"}
+            </span>
+          </div>
+          <h2 className="font-display text-foreground text-[clamp(1.25rem,1.6vw,1.55rem)] leading-tight font-semibold tracking-tight">
+            {libraryHadHits ? "Request to Add" : "Not in your library, but you can request"}
+          </h2>
+        </div>
+        <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 self-end rounded-full border border-amber-400/15 bg-amber-400/[0.06] px-2.5 py-1 text-[11px] font-medium tracking-wide text-amber-100/75 tabular-nums">
+          {count} {count === 1 ? "result" : "results"}
+        </span>
+      </header>
+
       <div className="grid grid-cols-3 gap-3 sm:grid-cols-4 md:grid-cols-5 lg:grid-cols-7 xl:grid-cols-8">
-        {items.map((item) => (
-          <RequestPosterCard
-            key={`${item.media_type}-${item.tmdb_id}`}
-            variant="discover"
-            item={item}
-            fluid
-          />
-        ))}
+        {items.map((item) => {
+          const key = cardKey(item);
+          return (
+            <RequestPosterCard
+              key={key}
+              variant="discover"
+              item={item}
+              isSubmitting={pendingKeys.has(key)}
+              onRequest={() => submitCard(item)}
+              fluid
+            />
+          );
+        })}
       </div>
     </section>
   );
diff --git a/web/src/hooks/queries/useRequests.ts b/web/src/hooks/queries/useRequests.ts
index a7b9ea14..7ffe2959 100644
--- a/web/src/hooks/queries/useRequests.ts
+++ b/web/src/hooks/queries/useRequests.ts
@@ -166,6 +166,10 @@ export function useRequestSearch(
 ) {
   const normalizedQuery = query.trim();
   const { profile } = useCurrentProfile();
+  // Use a sentinel viewerKey when there is no profile so the cache key is stable,
+  // but suppress the actual fetch — see the `enabled` gate below. This prevents
+  // any anonymous request results from being written into a bucket that could
+  // later be read by a different viewer.
   const viewerKey = profile?.id ?? "anon";
   const enabledOverride = options.enabled ?? true;
 
@@ -179,7 +183,7 @@ export function useRequestSearch(
       });
       return api<RequestMediaPage>(`/requests/search?${params}`, { signal });
     },
-    enabled: enabledOverride && normalizedQuery.length > 1,
+    enabled: enabledOverride && normalizedQuery.length > 1 && Boolean(profile?.id),
     staleTime: REQUEST_SEARCH_STALE_TIME,
   });
 }
diff --git a/web/src/hooks/useCanRequest.test.tsx b/web/src/hooks/useCanRequest.test.tsx
index 75f15344..d5ece562 100644
--- a/web/src/hooks/useCanRequest.test.tsx
+++ b/web/src/hooks/useCanRequest.test.tsx
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ function render(child: ReactNode) {
 
 describe("useCanRequest", () => {
   it("returns discoveryEnabled=false when requests_enabled is false", () => {
-    mocks.useRequestFeatureStatus.mockReturnValue({ data: { requests_enabled: false } });
+    mocks.useRequestFeatureStatus.mockReturnValue({
+      data: { requests_enabled: false },
+      isLoading: false,
+    });
     mocks.useCurrentProfile.mockReturnValue({ profile: { id: "p1" } });
 
     let captured: ReturnType<typeof useCanRequest> | null = null;
@@ -43,11 +46,18 @@ describe("useCanRequest", () => {
       />,
     );
 
-    expect(captured).toEqual({ discoveryEnabled: false, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    expect(captured).toEqual({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
   });
 
   it("returns discoveryEnabled=false when there is no profile", () => {
-    mocks.useRequestFeatureStatus.mockReturnValue({ data: { requests_enabled: true } });
+    mocks.useRequestFeatureStatus.mockReturnValue({
+      data: { requests_enabled: true },
+      isLoading: false,
+    });
     mocks.useCurrentProfile.mockReturnValue({ profile: null });
 
     let captured: ReturnType<typeof useCanRequest> | null = null;
@@ -59,11 +69,18 @@ describe("useCanRequest", () => {
       />,
     );
 
-    expect(captured).toEqual({ discoveryEnabled: false, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    expect(captured).toEqual({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
   });
 
   it("returns discoveryEnabled=true when requests are enabled and there is a profile", () => {
-    mocks.useRequestFeatureStatus.mockReturnValue({ data: { requests_enabled: true } });
+    mocks.useRequestFeatureStatus.mockReturnValue({
+      data: { requests_enabled: true },
+      isLoading: false,
+    });
     mocks.useCurrentProfile.mockReturnValue({ profile: { id: "p1" } });
 
     let captured: ReturnType<typeof useCanRequest> | null = null;
@@ -75,11 +92,15 @@ describe("useCanRequest", () => {
       />,
     );
 
-    expect(captured).toEqual({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    expect(captured).toEqual({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
   });
 
-  it("returns discoveryEnabled=false while the feature status is still loading", () => {
-    mocks.useRequestFeatureStatus.mockReturnValue({ data: undefined });
+  it("returns isResolving=true and discoveryEnabled=false while the feature status is still loading", () => {
+    mocks.useRequestFeatureStatus.mockReturnValue({ data: undefined, isLoading: true });
     mocks.useCurrentProfile.mockReturnValue({ profile: { id: "p1" } });
 
     let captured: ReturnType<typeof useCanRequest> | null = null;
@@ -91,6 +112,10 @@ describe("useCanRequest", () => {
       />,
     );
 
-    expect(captured).toEqual({ discoveryEnabled: false, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    expect(captured).toEqual({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: true,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/web/src/hooks/useCanRequest.ts b/web/src/hooks/useCanRequest.ts
index f702c98b..a26e4ea0 100644
--- a/web/src/hooks/useCanRequest.ts
+++ b/web/src/hooks/useCanRequest.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ import { useCurrentProfile } from "@/hooks/useCurrentProfile";
 
 export interface CanRequestState {
   discoveryEnabled: boolean;
+  /**
+   * True while we cannot yet decide if discovery is on — feature status
+   * is still loading. Consumers should suppress empty-state UI in this
+   * window to avoid a flash before the request section appears.
+   */
+  isResolving: boolean;
   submitDisabledReason: string | null;
 }
 
@@ -10,9 +16,11 @@ export function useCanRequest(): CanRequestState {
   const status = useRequestFeatureStatus();
   const { profile } = useCurrentProfile();
   const discoveryEnabled = Boolean(status.data?.requests_enabled) && Boolean(profile?.id);
+  const isResolving = status.isLoading;
 
   return {
     discoveryEnabled,
+    isResolving,
     submitDisabledReason: null,
   };
 }
diff --git a/web/src/pages/Catalog.test.tsx b/web/src/pages/Catalog.test.tsx
index 72a24cc0..da662804 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/Catalog.test.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/Catalog.test.tsx
@@ -189,7 +189,11 @@ describe("Catalog page", () => {
     mockItemGrid.mockReset();
     mockUseCanRequest.mockReset();
     mockUseRequestSearch.mockReset();
-    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: false, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mockUseRequestSearch.mockReturnValue({ data: undefined, isLoading: false, isError: false });
 
     mockUseCatalogWindow.mockReturnValue({
@@ -325,7 +329,11 @@ describe("Catalog page", () => {
   });
 
   it("renders the request grid variant when source=query and library has results", () => {
-    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mockUseRequestSearch.mockReturnValue({
       data: {
         page: 1,
@@ -357,7 +365,11 @@ describe("Catalog page", () => {
   });
 
   it("renders the request grid variant with libraryHadHits=false when library has 0 hits", () => {
-    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mockUseCatalogWindow.mockReturnValue({
       data: { title: 'Results for "heat"', totalItems: 0, pages: new Map() },
       isLoading: false,
@@ -392,7 +404,11 @@ describe("Catalog page", () => {
 
   it("does not render the request section when source is not query", () => {
     appInitialEntries = ["/catalog?source=favorites"];
-    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mockUseCatalogWindow.mockReturnValue({
       data: { title: "Favorites", totalItems: 0, pages: new Map() },
       isLoading: false,
@@ -428,8 +444,12 @@ describe("Catalog page", () => {
     expect(call?.[3]).toEqual({ enabled: false });
   });
 
-  it("keeps ItemGrid in a loading state when library is empty and TMDB is still loading", () => {
-    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+  it("hides ItemGrid when library is empty and TMDB is still loading (request section will rescue)", () => {
+    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mockUseCatalogWindow.mockReturnValue({
       data: { title: 'Results for "heat"', totalItems: 0, pages: new Map() },
       isLoading: false,
@@ -442,11 +462,17 @@ describe("Catalog page", () => {
       </QueryClientProvider>,
     );
 
-    expect(markup).toContain('data-loading="true"');
+    // Previously this case forced ItemGrid into loading=true, rendering 24 fake
+    // skeletons forever above the section. Now ItemGrid is hidden entirely.
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('data-kind="item-grid"');
   });
 
-  it("keeps ItemGrid in a loading state when library is empty and TMDB has missing results", () => {
-    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+  it("hides ItemGrid when library is empty and TMDB has missing results", () => {
+    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mockUseCatalogWindow.mockReturnValue({
       data: { title: 'Results for "heat"', totalItems: 0, pages: new Map() },
       isLoading: false,
@@ -476,11 +502,38 @@ describe("Catalog page", () => {
       </QueryClientProvider>,
     );
 
-    expect(markup).toContain('data-loading="true"');
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('data-kind="item-grid"');
+    expect(markup).toContain('data-testid="request-section"');
+  });
+
+  it("hides ItemGrid when library is empty and discovery feature status is still resolving", () => {
+    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: false,
+      isResolving: true,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
+    mockUseCatalogWindow.mockReturnValue({
+      data: { title: 'Results for "heat"', totalItems: 0, pages: new Map() },
+      isLoading: false,
+    });
+
+    const markup = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <QueryClientProvider client={new QueryClient()}>
+        <App />
+      </QueryClientProvider>,
+    );
+
+    // Avoids the empty-state flash before the feature status resolves and TMDB
+    // either rescues with results or confirms there are none.
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('data-kind="item-grid"');
   });
 
   it("renders the normal ItemGrid empty state when both library and TMDB are empty", () => {
-    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({ discoveryEnabled: true, submitDisabledReason: null });
+    mockUseCanRequest.mockReturnValue({
+      discoveryEnabled: true,
+      isResolving: false,
+      submitDisabledReason: null,
+    });
     mockUseCatalogWindow.mockReturnValue({
       data: { title: 'Results for "heat"', totalItems: 0, pages: new Map() },
       isLoading: false,
diff --git a/web/src/pages/Catalog.tsx b/web/src/pages/Catalog.tsx
index 5d6f767e..4be0434b 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/Catalog.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/Catalog.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { useCatalogWindow } from "@/hooks/queries/catalog";
 import { useRemoveHistory } from "@/hooks/queries/history";
 import { useRequestSearch } from "@/hooks/queries/useRequests";
 import { useCanRequest } from "@/hooks/useCanRequest";
+import { useDebounce } from "@/hooks/useDebounce";
 import { useDocumentTitle } from "@/hooks/useDocumentTitle";
 import SearchBar from "@/components/SearchBar";
 import { ConfirmDialog } from "@/components/ConfirmDialog";
@@ -106,18 +107,24 @@ function CatalogResults({
   });
   const canRequest = useCanRequest();
   const isQuerySource = state.source === "query" && Boolean(state.q);
-  const tmdbQuery = useRequestSearch("all", state.q ?? "", 1, {
+  // Add a 200ms TMDB debounce on top of SearchBar's 200ms input debounce so the
+  // TMDB plugin isn't hit at the same cadence as the local library query.
+  const tmdbDebouncedQ = useDebounce(state.q ?? "", 200);
+  const tmdbQuery = useRequestSearch("all", tmdbDebouncedQ, 1, {
     enabled: canRequest.discoveryEnabled && isQuerySource,
   });
   const tmdbMissingCount =
     tmdbQuery.data?.results?.filter((result) => result.availability !== "available").length ?? 0;
-  const libraryEmpty = (catalogQuery.data?.totalItems ?? 0) === 0;
-  const tmdbPendingForEmptyLibrary =
-    isQuerySource && canRequest.discoveryEnabled && libraryEmpty && tmdbQuery.isLoading;
-  const tmdbWillRenderForEmptyLibrary =
-    isQuerySource && canRequest.discoveryEnabled && libraryEmpty && tmdbMissingCount > 0;
-  const itemGridLoading =
-    catalogQuery.isLoading || tmdbPendingForEmptyLibrary || tmdbWillRenderForEmptyLibrary;
+  const libraryHasResults = (catalogQuery.data?.totalItems ?? 0) > 0;
+  const libraryEmpty = !catalogQuery.isLoading && !libraryHasResults;
+  // When the library is empty and the request section will (or might) render,
+  // hide ItemGrid entirely. The previous approach pinned ItemGrid's `loading`
+  // prop to true, which renders 24 skeleton tiles forever above the section.
+  const tmdbMayRescueLibrary =
+    isQuerySource &&
+    libraryEmpty &&
+    (canRequest.isResolving ||
+      (canRequest.discoveryEnabled && (tmdbQuery.isLoading || tmdbMissingCount > 0)));
   const loadedHistoryItems = useMemo(() => {
     if (!isHistorySource) {
       return [] as BrowseItem[];
@@ -266,22 +273,24 @@ function CatalogResults({
         </section>
       )}
 
-      <ItemGrid
-        totalItems={catalogQuery.data?.totalItems ?? 0}
-        pages={catalogQuery.data?.pages ?? new Map()}
-        pageSize={limit}
-        loading={itemGridLoading}
-        onVisibleRangeChange={handleVisibleRangeChange}
-        selectionMode={isHistorySource && selectionMode}
-        selectedIds={selectedIds}
-        onToggleSelect={toggleHistorySelection}
-      />
+      {tmdbMayRescueLibrary ? null : (
+        <ItemGrid
+          totalItems={catalogQuery.data?.totalItems ?? 0}
+          pages={catalogQuery.data?.pages ?? new Map()}
+          pageSize={limit}
+          loading={catalogQuery.isLoading}
+          onVisibleRangeChange={handleVisibleRangeChange}
+          selectionMode={isHistorySource && selectionMode}
+          selectedIds={selectedIds}
+          onToggleSelect={toggleHistorySelection}
+        />
+      )}
 
       {isQuerySource && canRequest.discoveryEnabled ? (
         <RequestToAddSection
           variant="grid"
-          query={state.q!}
-          libraryHadHits={(catalogQuery.data?.totalItems ?? 0) > 0}
+          query={tmdbDebouncedQ}
+          libraryHadHits={libraryHasResults}
         />
       ) : null}