diff --git a/Sources/AskKeyAppKit/Views/Credentials/CredentialManagementView+List.swift b/Sources/AskKeyAppKit/Views/Credentials/CredentialManagementView+List.swift
index 166394f..1d4c8c9 100644
--- a/Sources/AskKeyAppKit/Views/Credentials/CredentialManagementView+List.swift
+++ b/Sources/AskKeyAppKit/Views/Credentials/CredentialManagementView+List.swift
@@ -167,21 +167,22 @@ extension CredentialManagementView {
         CredentialEmptyPresentation.action(section: selectedSection, searchText: searchText)
     }
 
+    @ViewBuilder
     private var credentialList: some View {
         let credentials = filteredCredentials
-        return ScrollView {
-            TimelineView(.periodic(from: .now, by: 1)) { context in
-                let _ = allowanceRefresh
-                FrozenTimedAllowanceList(allowances: libraryPresentation.allowances, now: context.date) { id in
-                    _ = vault.revokeTimedAllowance(id: id)
-                    allowanceRefresh += 1
+        if credentials.isEmpty {
+            GeometryReader { viewport in
+                ScrollView {
+                    VStack(spacing: 0) {
+                        timedAllowanceList()
+                        emptyState
+                    }
+                    .frame(minHeight: viewport.size.height)
                 }
             }
-            .padding(.horizontal, Theme.Spacing.xxl)
-            .padding(.bottom, Theme.Spacing.md)
-            if credentials.isEmpty {
-                emptyState
-            } else {
+        } else {
+            ScrollView {
+                timedAllowanceList(keepsEmptySpacing: true)
                 GroupedList {
                     ForEach(Array(credentials.enumerated()), id: \.element.id) { index, credential in
                         if index > 0 { GroupedListSeparator() }
@@ -194,6 +195,22 @@ extension CredentialManagementView {
         }
     }
 
+    // Populated lists keep their original spacing even when no grants exist.
+    private func timedAllowanceList(keepsEmptySpacing: Bool = false) -> some View {
+        TimelineView(.periodic(from: .now, by: 1)) { context in
+            let _ = allowanceRefresh
+            let allowances = libraryPresentation.allowances
+            if keepsEmptySpacing || !allowances.isEmpty {
+                FrozenTimedAllowanceList(allowances: allowances, now: context.date) { id in
+                    _ = vault.revokeTimedAllowance(id: id)
+                    allowanceRefresh += 1
+                }
+                .padding(.horizontal, Theme.Spacing.xxl)
+                .padding(.bottom, Theme.Spacing.md)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     private func credentialRow(_ credential: ManagedTextCredential) -> some View {
         let presentation = CredentialListPresentation(
             credential: credential,
diff --git a/Tests/AskKeyAppTests/CredentialEmptyLayoutTests.swift b/Tests/AskKeyAppTests/CredentialEmptyLayoutTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..992f918
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/AskKeyAppTests/CredentialEmptyLayoutTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+import AppKit
+import SwiftUI
+import XCTest
+import AskKeyBroker
+import AskKeyVault
+@testable import AskKeyAppKit
+
+@MainActor
+final class CredentialEmptyLayoutTests: AskKeyAppTestCase {
+    func testEmptyStatesFillTheViewportWithAndWithoutAnAllowanceInBothLanguages() throws {
+        let previousLanguage = AppLanguage.current
+        defer { AppLanguage.current = previousLanguage }
+        for language in ["en", "zh-Hans"] {
+            for scenario in CredentialEmptyLayoutHost.Scenario.allCases {
+                for allowance in [false, true] {
+                    let host = try CredentialEmptyLayoutHost(language: language, scenario: scenario, allowance: allowance)
+                    defer { host.close() }
+                    let scroll = try host.scrollView()
+                    let document = try XCTUnwrap(scroll.documentView)
+                    let context = "\(language) \(scenario) allowance=\(allowance)"
+                    XCTAssertEqual(document.bounds.height, scroll.contentView.bounds.height, accuracy: 1, context)
+                    XCTAssertGreaterThan(document.bounds.height, 300, context)
+                    XCTAssertEqual(host.model.activeTimedAllowances().count, allowance ? 1 : 0, context)
+                    try host.assertCentredEmptyState(allowance: allowance, context: context)
+                    XCTAssertFalse(host.window.isVisible, context)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    func testNewAllowanceAppearsOnTheNextRefreshWithoutAnotherViewChange() throws {
+        let previousLanguage = AppLanguage.current
+        defer { AppLanguage.current = previousLanguage }
+        for language in ["en", "zh-Hans"] {
+            for scenario in [CredentialEmptyLayoutHost.Scenario.group, .search] {
+                let host = try CredentialEmptyLayoutHost(language: language, scenario: scenario, allowance: false)
+                defer { host.close() }
+                try host.assertCentredEmptyState(allowance: false, context: "before grant")
+                host.grantAllowance()
+                // Only the non-observable Broker projection changes. The mounted
+                // one-second timeline must discover it without navigation or search.
+                let deadline = Date().addingTimeInterval(1.2)
+                while Date() < deadline { host.layout() }
+                try host.assertCentredEmptyState(allowance: true, context: "\(language) \(scenario) after grant")
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    func testNonEmptyListKeepsItsNaturalHeight() throws {
+        let previousLanguage = AppLanguage.current
+        defer { AppLanguage.current = previousLanguage }
+        for allowance in [false, true] {
+            let host = try CredentialEmptyLayoutHost(language: "en", scenario: .library, allowance: allowance, populated: true)
+            defer { host.close() }
+            let scroll = try host.scrollView()
+            let document = try XCTUnwrap(scroll.documentView)
+            XCTAssertLessThan(document.bounds.height, scroll.contentView.bounds.height / 2)
+            XCTAssertFalse(host.window.isVisible)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+@MainActor
+final class CredentialEmptyLayoutHost {
+    enum Scenario: String, CaseIterable {
+        case library, group, search
+    }
+
+    let model: VaultViewModel
+    let window: NSWindow
+    private let defaults: UserDefaults
+    private let suite = "CredentialEmptyLayout-\(UUID().uuidString)"
+    private let section: CredentialWorkspaceSection
+    private let query: String
+    private let syntheticAllowance: BrokerTimedAllowance
+    private let allowanceStore: CredentialEmptyAllowanceStore
+
+    init(language: String, scenario: Scenario, allowance: Bool, populated: Bool = false) throws {
+        defaults = try XCTUnwrap(UserDefaults(suiteName: suite))
+        defaults.set(language, forKey: "languageMode")
+        defaults.set("light", forKey: "appearanceMode")
+        defaults.set(true, forKey: "hasCompletedOnboarding")
+        let credential = ManagedTextCredential(
+            id: "synthetic-layout", name: "Synthetic API", value: nil, usageInstructions: "Synthetic fixture",
+            privateNotes: nil, groupName: nil, environmentVariable: "API_KEY", permission: .ask, expiresAt: nil,
+            payloadKind: .text, originalFilename: nil, byteSize: nil, contentDigest: nil, fileBytes: nil, components: []
+        )
+        let credentials = scenario == .library && !populated ? [] : [credential]
+        syntheticAllowance = BrokerTimedAllowance(members: [
+            .init(credentialID: credential.id, name: credential.name, metadataDigest: String(repeating: "a", count: 64))
+        ], expiresAt: Date().addingTimeInterval(1_800))
+        let store = CredentialEmptyAllowanceStore()
+        store.records = allowance ? [syntheticAllowance] : []
+        allowanceStore = store
+        var mutations = CredentialWorkspaceMutations.readOnly { (credentials, [], ["Empty group"], false) }
+        mutations.activeTimedAllowances = { store.records }
+        let policy = AgentAccessPolicyTestState()
+        model = VaultViewModel(
+            runtimeFileCleanupFailures: { false }, accessRecords: .empty,
+            eraseLocalLibrary: { _, _, _ in XCTFail("Layout must not erase a library") },
+            unlockVault: { XCTFail("Layout must not unlock a library") },
+            beginManagementSession: { _ in XCTFail("Layout must not authenticate") },
+            authenticateDeviceOwner: { _ in XCTFail("Layout must not authenticate"); return .cancelled },
+            preferences: AppPreferences(defaults: defaults),
+            loginItem: LoginItemController(isEnabled: { false }, setEnabled: { _ in }),
+            agentAccessPolicyOperations: policy.operations,
+            credentialMutations: mutations
+        )
+        model.isLocked = false
+        model.hasManagementSession = true
+        model.reloadCredentials()
+        section = scenario == .group ? .named("Empty group") : .all
+        query = scenario == .search ? "no matching credential" : ""
+        let root = SettingsView()
+        root.navigation.section = section
+        root.navigation.interaction.searchText = query
+        _ = NSApplication.shared
+        window = ManagementWindowConfiguration.makeWindow(rootView: root.environment(model))
+        window.appearance = NSAppearance(named: .aqua)
+        layout()
+        XCTAssertFalse(window.isVisible)
+    }
+
+    func layout() {
+        for _ in 0..<8 {
+            window.layoutIfNeeded()
+            window.contentView?.layoutSubtreeIfNeeded()
+            RunLoop.current.run(mode: .default, before: Date(timeIntervalSinceNow: 0.01))
+        }
+        XCTAssertFalse(window.isVisible)
+    }
+
+    func grantAllowance() { allowanceStore.records = [syntheticAllowance] }
+
+    func assertCentredEmptyState(allowance: Bool, context: String) throws {
+        let scroll = try scrollView()
+        let document = try XCTUnwrap(scroll.documentView)
+        let viewport = scroll.convert(scroll.bounds, to: nil)
+        let actual = try NoticeLayoutFixtures.render(XCTUnwrap(window.contentView))
+        let raster = try NoticeRaster(actual)
+        let width = document.bounds.width
+        let template = try renderTemplate(WorkspaceEmptyState(
+            title: CredentialEmptyPresentation.title(section: section, searchText: query),
+            message: CredentialEmptyPresentation.message(section: section, searchText: query),
+            systemImage: "archivebox",
+            actionTitle: CredentialEmptyPresentation.action(section: section, searchText: query)
+        ), width: width)
+        // Exclude hidden-window edges symmetrically; the content's measured
+        // vertical centre stays the same, including its title, icon and action.
+        let emptyPixels = try crop(template, to: CGRect(origin: .zero, size: template.size).insetBy(dx: 20, dy: 20))
+        let emptyMatch = try raster.find(NoticeRaster(emptyPixels), atX: viewport.minX + 20)
+        let emptyFrame = try XCTUnwrap(emptyMatch, "Missing empty-state pixels: \(context)")
+
+        let card = try renderTemplate(FrozenTimedAllowanceList(
+            allowances: [syntheticAllowance], now: Date(), revoke: { _ in XCTFail("Must not revoke") }
+        ), width: width - 2 * Theme.Spacing.xxl)
+        // Match the heading and the top of the member/action row. Exclude the
+        // ticking countdown so a second boundary cannot change the reference.
+        let cardTop = try crop(card, to: CGRect(x: 2, y: 2, width: card.size.width - 4, height: 48))
+        let cardMatch = try raster.find(NoticeRaster(cardTop), atX: viewport.minX + Theme.Spacing.xxl + 2)
+        XCTAssertEqual(cardMatch != nil, allowance, "timed-allowance-list presence: \(context)")
+        let contentTop: CGFloat
+        if allowance {
+            let match = try XCTUnwrap(cardMatch, "Missing timed-allowance-list: \(context)")
+            XCTAssertEqual(match.maxY + 2, viewport.maxY, accuracy: 1, context)
+            contentTop = match.maxY + 2 - card.size.height - Theme.Spacing.md
+            XCTAssertLessThanOrEqual(emptyFrame.maxY, contentTop, context)
+        } else {
+            contentTop = viewport.maxY
+        }
+        XCTAssertEqual(emptyFrame.midY, (viewport.minY + contentTop) / 2, accuracy: 1,
+                       "Empty state must be centred below the card: \(context)")
+        XCTAssertFalse(window.isVisible)
+    }
+
+    private func crop(_ bitmap: NSBitmapImageRep, to rect: CGRect) throws -> NSBitmapImageRep {
+        let scale = CGFloat(bitmap.pixelsWide) / bitmap.size.width
+        let image = try XCTUnwrap(bitmap.cgImage?.cropping(to: rect.applying(CGAffineTransform(scaleX: scale, y: scale))))
+        let result = NSBitmapImageRep(cgImage: image)
+        result.size = rect.size
+        return result
+    }
+
+    private func renderTemplate<V: View>(_ content: V, width: CGFloat) throws -> NSBitmapImageRep {
+        let host = NSHostingView(rootView: content
+            .environment(model).environment(\.locale, model.appLocale)
+            .tint(Theme.accent).preferredColorScheme(.light)
+            .frame(width: width).fixedSize(horizontal: false, vertical: true)
+            .background(Theme.windowBackground))
+        host.appearance = NSAppearance(named: .aqua)
+        host.frame.size = host.fittingSize
+        host.sizingOptions = []
+        let window = NSWindow(contentRect: host.frame, styleMask: .borderless, backing: .buffered, defer: false)
+        window.isReleasedWhenClosed = false
+        window.appearance = NSAppearance(named: .aqua)
+        window.contentView = host
+        defer { window.close() }
+        return try NoticeLayoutFixtures.render(host)
+    }
+
+    func scrollView() throws -> NSScrollView {
+        var pending = [try XCTUnwrap(window.contentView)]
+        var matches: [NSScrollView] = []
+        while let view = pending.popLast() {
+            if let scroll = view as? NSScrollView,
+               scroll.convert(scroll.bounds, to: nil).midX > WorkspaceVisualContract.sidebarWidth {
+                matches.append(scroll)
+            }
+            pending.append(contentsOf: view.subviews)
+        }
+        XCTAssertEqual(matches.count, 1)
+        return try XCTUnwrap(matches.first)
+    }
+
+    func close() {
+        window.close()
+        defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: suite)
+    }
+}
+
+@MainActor
+private final class CredentialEmptyAllowanceStore {
+    var records: [BrokerTimedAllowance] = []
+}