diff --git a/frontend/src/components/EmptyFolder.vue b/frontend/src/components/EmptyFolder.vue
index ee892ec..d838589 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/EmptyFolder.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/EmptyFolder.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <template>
-  <div v-if="!props.path || documents.length === 0" class="empty-container">
+  <div v-if="showEmpty" class="empty-container">
     <component :is="cog" :class="['cog', { stopped: store.dialog === 'accessdenied' || store.authInProgress }]"/>
     <p v-if="store.dialog === 'accessdenied'">Access Denied</p>
     <p v-else-if="!store.connected">No Connection</p>
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import { Cog } from '@/assets/svg'
 import { useMainStore } from '@/stores/main'
 import { exists } from '@/utils/fileutil'
+import { computed } from 'vue'
 
 const cog = Cog
 const store = useMainStore()
@@ -21,9 +22,29 @@ const props = defineProps<{
   path: string[]
   documents: Document[]
 }>()
+
+const showEmpty = computed(() => {
+  const loc = props.path.join('/')
+  const hasVisibleGhost = store.ghosts.some(g => {
+    const full = g.loc ? `${g.loc}/${g.name}` : g.name
+    return g.loc === loc && !store.hiddenPaths.has(full)
+  })
+
+  return !props.path || (props.documents.length === 0 && !hasVisibleGhost)
+})
 </script>
 
 <style scoped>
+.empty-container {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  height: 100%;
+  font-size: 2rem;
+  text-shadow: 0 0 .3rem #000, 0 0 2rem #0008;
+  color: var(--accent-color);
+}
 @keyframes rotate {
   0% { transform: rotate(0deg); }
   100% { transform: rotate(360deg); }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/FileExplorer.vue b/frontend/src/components/FileExplorer.vue
index 3562768..b3acb52 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/FileExplorer.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/FileExplorer.vue
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
       <tr v-if="editing?.key === 'new'" :class="editing.dir ? 'folder' : 'file'">
         <td class="selection"></td>
         <td class="name">
-          <FileRenameInput :doc="editing" :rename="createItem" :exit="() => {editing = null}" />
+          <FileRenameInput :doc="editing" :rename="createItem" :exit="exitEditing" />
         </td>
         <FileModified :doc=editing :now=nowkey />
         <FileSize :doc=editing />
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
           </td>
           <td class="name">
             <template v-if="editing === doc">
-              <FileRenameInput :doc="doc" :rename="rename" :exit="() => {editing = null}" />
+              <FileRenameInput :doc="doc" :rename="rename" :exit="exitEditing" />
             </template>
             <template v-else>
               <a :href="doc.text ? doc.editurl : doc.url" tabindex=-1 @contextmenu.stop @focus.stop="store.cursor = doc.key">
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@
       </tr>
     </tbody>
   </table>
+  <EmptyFolder v-else :documents="documents" :path="props.path" />
 </template>
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
@@ -81,11 +82,12 @@ import ContextMenu from '@imengyu/vue3-context-menu'
 import {
   computed,
   nextTick,
+  onDeactivated,
   onMounted,
   onUnmounted,
   ref,
   shallowRef,
-  watchEffect
+  watch
 } from 'vue'
 import { useRouter } from 'vue-router'
 import FileRenameInput from './FileRenameInput.vue'
@@ -189,6 +191,9 @@ const pageMove = (direction: 1 | -1, ev: KeyboardEvent) => {
 
 // File rename
 const editing = shallowRef<Doc | null>(null)
+const exitEditing = () => {
+  editing.value = null
+}
 const rename = async (doc: Doc, newName: string) => {
   const oldName = doc.name
   doc.name = newName // We should get an update from watch but this is quicker
@@ -243,7 +248,7 @@ defineExpose({
     const docs = props.documents
     if (docs.length > 0) {
       store.cursor = docs[0]!.key
-      // Also focus the element directly (watchEffect won't trigger if cursor unchanged)
+      // Also focus the element directly (post-flush watcher won't trigger if cursor unchanged)
       nextTick(() => {
         const a = document.querySelector(
           `#file-${store.cursor} .name a`
@@ -329,22 +334,35 @@ const focusBreadcrumb = () => {
 const keyboardFollowScroll = createKeyboardFollowScroll()
 const markKeyboardFollow = keyboardFollowScroll.markKeyboardFollow
 const keepCursorVisibleSmooth = keyboardFollowScroll.keepVisible
-watchEffect(() => {
-  if (store.cursor && store.cursor !== editing.value?.key) editing.value = null
-  if (editing.value) store.cursor = editing.value?.key
-  if (store.cursor) {
-    const a = document.querySelector(
-      `#file-${store.cursor} .name a`
-    ) as HTMLAnchorElement | null
-    if (a) a.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+watch(
+  () => store.cursor,
+  cursor => {
+    if (cursor && editing.value && cursor !== editing.value.key) {
+      exitEditing()
+    }
   }
-})
-watchEffect(() => {
-  if (!props.documents.length && store.cursor && !store.query) {
-    store.cursor = ''
-    focusBreadcrumb()
+)
+watch(
+  () => store.cursor,
+  cursor => {
+    if (cursor && !editing.value) {
+      const a = document.querySelector(
+        `#file-${cursor} .name a`
+      ) as HTMLAnchorElement | null
+      if (a) a.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+    }
+  },
+  { flush: 'post' }
+)
+watch(
+  () => [props.documents.length, store.cursor, store.query, editing.value] as const,
+  ([len, cursor, query, editingDoc]) => {
+    if (!len && cursor && !query && !editingDoc) {
+      store.cursor = ''
+      focusBreadcrumb()
+    }
   }
-})
+)
 let nowkey = ref(0)
 let modifiedTimer: any = null
 const updateModified = () => {
@@ -358,6 +376,9 @@ onMounted(() => {
     active.focus({ preventScroll: true })
   }
 })
+onDeactivated(() => {
+  if (editing.value) exitEditing()
+})
 onUnmounted(() => {
   keyboardFollowScroll.cancel()
   clearInterval(modifiedTimer)
@@ -373,7 +394,8 @@ const createItem = async (doc: Doc, name: string) => {
   doc.name = name
   doc.key = crypto.randomUUID()
   store.addGhost(doc)
-  editing.value = null
+  store.cursor = doc.key
+  exitEditing()
   const path = doc.loc ? `${doc.loc}/${name}` : name
   try {
     const res = doc.dir
@@ -658,12 +680,6 @@ tbody .selection input {
   content: '📁';
   font-size: 1.5rem;
 }
-.empty-container {
-  padding-top: 3rem;
-  text-align: center;
-  font-size: 3rem;
-  color: var(--accent-color);
-}
 .folder-change {
   margin-left: -.5rem;
 }
@@ -674,4 +690,3 @@ tbody .selection input {
   color: #888;
 }
 </style>
-@/stores/main
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Gallery.vue b/frontend/src/components/Gallery.vue
index 9cba9dd..e65a759 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Gallery.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Gallery.vue
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
       />
     </template>
   </div>
+  <EmptyFolder v-else :documents="documents" :path="props.path" />
 </template>
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
@@ -23,16 +24,15 @@ import type { SortOrder } from '@/utils/docsort'
 import { createKeyboardFollowScroll } from '@/utils/keyboardFollowScroll'
 import ContextMenu from '@imengyu/vue3-context-menu'
 import {
-  onActivated,
-  onDeactivated,
   computed,
   nextTick,
+  onActivated,
+  onDeactivated,
   onMounted,
   onUnmounted,
   ref,
   shallowRef,
-  watch,
-  watchEffect
+  watch
 } from 'vue'
 import { useRouter } from 'vue-router'
 
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ defineExpose({
     const docs = props.documents
     if (docs.length > 0) {
       store.cursor = docs[0]!.key
-      // Also focus the element directly (watchEffect won't trigger if cursor unchanged)
+      // Also focus the element directly (post-flush watcher won't trigger if cursor unchanged)
       nextTick(() => {
         const a = document.querySelector(
           `#file-${store.cursor}`
@@ -396,24 +396,35 @@ const focusBreadcrumb = () => {
 const keyboardFollowScroll = createKeyboardFollowScroll()
 const markKeyboardFollow = keyboardFollowScroll.markKeyboardFollow
 const keepCursorVisibleSmooth = keyboardFollowScroll.keepVisible
-watchEffect(() => {
-  if (store.cursor && store.cursor !== editing.value?.key) editing.value = null
-  if (editing.value) store.cursor = editing.value.key
-  if (store.cursor && !editing.value) {
-    const a = document.querySelector(
-      `#file-${store.cursor}`
-    ) as HTMLAnchorElement | null
-    if (a) {
-      a.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+watch(
+  () => store.cursor,
+  cursor => {
+    if (cursor && editing.value && cursor !== editing.value.key) {
+      exit()
     }
   }
-})
-watchEffect(() => {
-  if (!props.documents.length && store.cursor && !store.query) {
-    store.cursor = ''
-    focusBreadcrumb()
+)
+watch(
+  () => store.cursor,
+  cursor => {
+    if (cursor && !editing.value) {
+      const a = document.querySelector(`#file-${cursor}`) as HTMLAnchorElement | null
+      if (a) {
+        a.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  { flush: 'post' }
+)
+watch(
+  () => [props.documents.length, store.cursor, store.query, editing.value] as const,
+  ([len, cursor, query, editingDoc]) => {
+    if (!len && cursor && !query && !editingDoc) {
+      store.cursor = ''
+      focusBreadcrumb()
+    }
   }
-})
+)
 let resizeObserver: ResizeObserver | null = null
 const attachGalleryObservers = () => {
   if (!gallery.value || resizeObserver) return
@@ -445,6 +456,7 @@ onActivated(() => {
 })
 onDeactivated(() => {
   detachGalleryObservers()
+  if (editing.value) exit()
 })
 onUnmounted(() => {
   keyboardFollowScroll.cancel()
@@ -464,7 +476,8 @@ const createItem = async (doc: Doc, name: string) => {
   doc.name = name
   doc.key = crypto.randomUUID()
   store.addGhost(doc)
-  editing.value = null
+  store.cursor = doc.key
+  exit()
   const path = doc.loc ? `${doc.loc}/${name}` : name
   try {
     const res = doc.dir
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/fileutil.ts b/frontend/src/utils/fileutil.ts
index 90bf519..364d50f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/fileutil.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/fileutil.ts
@@ -7,9 +7,16 @@ export const exists = (path: string[]) => {
   void store.docVersion
   if (path.length === 0) return true
   const p = path.join('/')
-  return getDocuments().some(
-    doc => (doc.loc ? `${doc.loc}/${doc.name}` : doc.name) === p
-  )
+  const hidden = store.hiddenPaths
+  const inDocs = getDocuments().some(doc => {
+    const full = doc.loc ? `${doc.loc}/${doc.name}` : doc.name
+    return full === p && !hidden.has(full)
+  })
+  if (inDocs) return true
+  return store.ghosts.some(g => {
+    const full = g.loc ? `${g.loc}/${g.name}` : g.name
+    return full === p && !hidden.has(full)
+  })
 }
 
 /** Strip file extension intelligently (handles .tar.gz, name.with.dots.pdf, etc.) */
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/ExplorerView.vue b/frontend/src/views/ExplorerView.vue
index dcde1a6..9a17a98 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/ExplorerView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/ExplorerView.vue
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
         />
       </KeepAlive>
     </Transition>
-    <EmptyFolder :documents="documents" :path="props.path" />
   </div>
   <div v-if="store.searchLoading" class="search-loading">Searching...</div>
 </template>
@@ -38,7 +37,9 @@ const props = defineProps<{
 
 // Folder path for component keys - only recreate component when folder changes, not search
 const folderPath = computed(() => props.path.join('/'))
-const cacheKey = computed(() => `${store.prefs.gallery ? 'gallery' : 'list'}:${folderPath.value}`)
+const cacheKey = computed(
+  () => `${store.prefs.gallery ? 'gallery' : 'list'}:${folderPath.value}`
+)
 
 const transitionName = computed(() => {
   if (store.transitionDirection === 'forward') return 'slide-forward'
@@ -140,16 +141,6 @@ watch(
 </script>
 
 <style scoped>
-.empty-container {
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: center;
-  height: 100%;
-  font-size: 2rem;
-  text-shadow: 0 0 .3rem #000, 0 0 2rem #0008;
-  color: var(--accent-color);
-}
 .search-loading {
   position: fixed;
   bottom: 1rem;