diff --git a/discover/qml/ApplicationsListPage.qml b/discover/qml/ApplicationsListPage.qml
--- a/discover/qml/ApplicationsListPage.qml
+++ b/discover/qml/ApplicationsListPage.qml
@@ -78,5 +78,75 @@
             application: model.application
             compact: page.compact
         }
+        Kirigami.Label {
+            anchors.centerIn: parent
+            opacity: apps.count == 0 && !appsModel.isBusy ? 0.3 : 0
+            Behavior on opacity { PropertyAnimation { duration: Kirigami.Units.longDuration; easing.type: Easing.InOutQuad; } }
+            text: i18n("Sorry, nothing found...")
+        }
+
+        BusyIndicator {
+            id: busyIndicator
+            anchors {
+                top: parent.bottom
+                horizontalCenter: parent.horizontalCenter
+                margins: Kirigami.Units.largeSpacing
+            }
+            running: false
+            opacity: 0
+            states: [
+                State {
+                    name: "running";
+                    when: appsModel.isBusy
+                    PropertyChanges { target: busyIndicator; opacity: 1; running: true; }
+                    AnchorChanges { target: busyIndicator; anchors.bottom: parent.bottom; anchors.top: undefined; }
+                }
+            ]
+            transitions: [
+                Transition {
+                    from: ""
+                    to: "running"
+                    SequentialAnimation {
+                        PauseAnimation { duration: Kirigami.Units.longDuration * 5; }
+                        ParallelAnimation {
+                            AnchorAnimation { duration: Kirigami.Units.longDuration; easing.type: Easing.InOutQuad; }
+                            PropertyAnimation { property: "opacity"; duration: Kirigami.Units.longDuration; easing.type: Easing.InOutQuad; }
+                        }
+                    }
+                },
+                Transition {
+                    from: "running"
+                    to: ""
+                    ParallelAnimation {
+                        AnchorAnimation { duration: Kirigami.Units.shortDuration; easing.type: Easing.InOutQuad; }
+                        PropertyAnimation { property: "opacity"; duration: Kirigami.Units.shortDuration; easing.type: Easing.InOutQuad; }
+                    }
+                }
+            ]
+            Kirigami.Label {
+                id: busyLabel
+                anchors {
+                    horizontalCenter: parent.horizontalCenter
+                    bottom: parent.top
+                }
+                text: i18n("Still looking...")
+                opacity: 0
+                states: [
+                    State {
+                        name: "running";
+                        when: busyIndicator.opacity === 1;
+                        PropertyChanges { target: busyLabel; opacity: 1; }
+                    }
+                ]
+                transitions: Transition {
+                    from: ""
+                    to: "running"
+                    SequentialAnimation {
+                        PauseAnimation { duration: Kirigami.Units.longDuration * 5; }
+                        PropertyAnimation { property: "opacity"; duration: Kirigami.Units.longDuration * 10; easing.type: Easing.InOutCubic; }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/libdiscover/backends/KNSBackend/KNSBackend.cpp b/libdiscover/backends/KNSBackend/KNSBackend.cpp
--- a/libdiscover/backends/KNSBackend/KNSBackend.cpp
+++ b/libdiscover/backends/KNSBackend/KNSBackend.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,16 @@
     m_engine = new KNSCore::Engine(this);
     m_engine->init(m_name);
     // Setting setFetching to false when we get an error ensures we don't end up in an eternally-fetching state
-    connect(m_engine, &KNSCore::Engine::signalError, this, [this](const QString &error) { this->setFetching(false); qWarning() << "kns error" << objectName() << error; });
+    connect(m_engine, &KNSCore::Engine::signalError, this, [this](const QString &error) {
+        if(error == QLatin1Literal("All categories are missing")) {
+            markInvalid(error);
+        }
+        m_responsePending = false;
+        Q_EMIT searchFinished();
+        Q_EMIT availableForQueries();
+        this->setFetching(false);
+        qWarning() << "kns error" << objectName() << error;
+    });
     connect(m_engine, &KNSCore::Engine::signalEntriesLoaded, this, &KNSBackend::receivedEntries);
     connect(m_engine, &KNSCore::Engine::signalEntryChanged, this, &KNSBackend::statusChanged);
     connect(m_engine, &KNSCore::Engine::signalEntryDetailsLoaded, this, &KNSBackend::statusChanged);
@@ -188,7 +197,7 @@
         setFetching(false);
         return;
     }
-//     qDebug() << "received" << this << m_page << m_resourcesByName.count();
+//     qDebug() << "received" << objectName() << this << m_page << m_resourcesByName.count();
     if (!m_responsePending) {
         ++m_page;
         m_engine->requestData(m_page, 100);