diff --git a/src/features/packets/PacketList.tsx b/src/features/packets/PacketList.tsx
index 0340b6b..d57d480 100644
--- a/src/features/packets/PacketList.tsx
+++ b/src/features/packets/PacketList.tsx
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ export function PacketList({ wsManager, onAnalyze, onViewPath, selectedObservati
     acknowledgeNewPackets,
     fetchNextPage,
     hasNextPage,
+    isFetching,
     isFetchingNextPage,
     isLoading,
     isError,
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ export function PacketList({ wsManager, onAnalyze, onViewPath, selectedObservati
             key={listResetKey}
             packets={packets}
             hasNextPage={hasNextPage}
-            isFetchingNextPage={isFetchingNextPage}
+            isFetching={isFetching}
             fetchNextPage={fetchNextPage}
             onScrollAwayFromTop={setIsScrolledAway}
             onAtTopChange={setIsAtTop}
diff --git a/src/features/packets/PacketVirtualList.tsx b/src/features/packets/PacketVirtualList.tsx
index 4cc15ad..e2d64a2 100644
--- a/src/features/packets/PacketVirtualList.tsx
+++ b/src/features/packets/PacketVirtualList.tsx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import {
 interface PacketVirtualListProps {
   packets: PacketSummary[];
   hasNextPage: boolean;
-  isFetchingNextPage: boolean;
+  isFetching: boolean;
   fetchNextPage: () => void;
   onScrollAwayFromTop: (isAway: boolean) => void;
   onAtTopChange: (isAtTop: boolean) => void;
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ interface PacketVirtualListProps {
 export function PacketVirtualList({
   packets,
   hasNextPage,
-  isFetchingNextPage,
+  isFetching,
   fetchNextPage,
   onScrollAwayFromTop,
   onAtTopChange,
@@ -71,13 +71,13 @@ export function PacketVirtualList({
     onScrollAwayFromTop(el.scrollTop > SCROLL_TOP_THRESHOLD_PX);
     onAtTopChange(atTopRef.current);
 
-    if (hasNextPage && !isFetchingNextPage) {
+    if (hasNextPage && !isFetching) {
       const distFromBottom = el.scrollHeight - el.scrollTop - el.clientHeight;
       if (distFromBottom < SCROLL_BOTTOM_THRESHOLD_PX) {
         fetchNextPage();
       }
     }
-  }, [hasNextPage, isFetchingNextPage, fetchNextPage, onScrollAwayFromTop, onAtTopChange]);
+  }, [hasNextPage, isFetching, fetchNextPage, onScrollAwayFromTop, onAtTopChange]);
 
   // When rows are prepended at the top (a reveal on return-to-top, or a live packet while already
   // at the top), TanStack keeps the previously-top row anchored — which drifts the view off the
@@ -152,6 +152,21 @@ export function PacketVirtualList({
           );
         })}
       </div>
+      {packets.length === 0 && (
+        <p className="py-4 text-center text-xs font-mono text-text-muted">No matching packets loaded.</p>
+      )}
+      {hasNextPage && (
+        <div className="flex justify-center py-4">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            disabled={isFetching}
+            onClick={() => fetchNextPage()}
+            className="rounded border border-border px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-mono text-text-normal hover:bg-text-normal/3 disabled:opacity-40 disabled:cursor-not-allowed cursor-pointer"
+          >
+            {isFetching ? "Loading packets..." : "Load older packets"}
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      )}
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/features/packets/usePackets.ts b/src/features/packets/usePackets.ts
index 3b642a6..ef453ee 100644
--- a/src/features/packets/usePackets.ts
+++ b/src/features/packets/usePackets.ts
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ export function usePackets(frozen: boolean = false, serverFilter: PacketServerFi
     data: history,
     fetchNextPage,
     hasNextPage,
+    isFetching,
     isFetchingNextPage,
     isLoading,
     isError,
@@ -251,6 +252,7 @@ export function usePackets(frozen: boolean = false, serverFilter: PacketServerFi
     acknowledgeNewPackets,
     fetchNextPage,
     hasNextPage: hasNextPage ?? false,
+    isFetching,
     isFetchingNextPage,
     isLoading,
     isError,
diff --git a/tests/features/packets/PacketList.test.tsx b/tests/features/packets/PacketList.test.tsx
index d704489..8366c68 100644
--- a/tests/features/packets/PacketList.test.tsx
+++ b/tests/features/packets/PacketList.test.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const basePackets = () => ({
   acknowledgeNewPackets: () => {},
   fetchNextPage: () => {},
   hasNextPage: false,
+  isFetching: false,
   isFetchingNextPage: false,
   isLoading: false,
   isError: false,
diff --git a/tests/features/packets/PacketVirtualList.test.tsx b/tests/features/packets/PacketVirtualList.test.tsx
index 96f8028..8473f8b 100644
--- a/tests/features/packets/PacketVirtualList.test.tsx
+++ b/tests/features/packets/PacketVirtualList.test.tsx
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ const many = (n: number) => Array.from({ length: n }, (_, i) => pkt(`AA${i}`));
 function makeHandlers() {
   return {
     hasNextPage: false,
-    isFetchingNextPage: false,
+    isFetching: false,
     fetchNextPage: vi.fn(),
     onScrollAwayFromTop: vi.fn(),
     onAtTopChange: vi.fn(),
@@ -167,6 +167,51 @@ describe("PacketVirtualList header", () => {
 });
 
 describe("PacketVirtualList scrolling", () => {
+  it.each([0, 1])("can manually page with %i visible rows and no scrollbar", (count) => {
+    const handlers = makeHandlers();
+    const { rerender } = render(
+      <PacketVirtualList packets={many(count)} expandedHash={null} {...handlers} hasNextPage />,
+    );
+
+    expect(handlers.fetchNextPage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    if (count === 0) expect(screen.getByText("No matching packets loaded.")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Load older packets" }));
+    expect(handlers.fetchNextPage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    // A still-empty result after the page arrives must not start scanning further pages.
+    rerender(<PacketVirtualList packets={[]} expandedHash={null} {...handlers} hasNextPage />);
+    flushResize();
+    expect(handlers.fetchNextPage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Load older packets" }));
+    expect(handlers.fetchNextPage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it("disables manual paging during a request and allows retry afterward", () => {
+    const handlers = makeHandlers();
+    const { rerender } = render(
+      <PacketVirtualList packets={[]} expandedHash={null} {...handlers} hasNextPage isFetching />,
+    );
+    const pending = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Loading packets..." });
+    expect(pending).toBeDisabled();
+    fireEvent.click(pending);
+    expect(handlers.fetchNextPage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    rerender(<PacketVirtualList packets={[]} expandedHash={null} {...handlers} hasNextPage />);
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Load older packets" }));
+    expect(handlers.fetchNextPage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("removes manual paging when the history cursor is exhausted", () => {
+    const handlers = makeHandlers();
+    const { rerender } = render(
+      <PacketVirtualList packets={[]} expandedHash={null} {...handlers} hasNextPage />,
+    );
+    expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Load older packets" })).toBeEnabled();
+    rerender(<PacketVirtualList packets={[]} expandedHash={null} {...handlers} />);
+    expect(screen.queryByRole("button", { name: "Load older packets" })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(handlers.fetchNextPage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it("pages when scrolled near the bottom", () => {
     const handlers = makeHandlers();
     const { container } = render(
@@ -183,7 +228,7 @@ describe("PacketVirtualList scrolling", () => {
   it("does not page while a page is already in flight", () => {
     const handlers = makeHandlers();
     const { container } = render(
-      <PacketVirtualList packets={many(30)} expandedHash={null} {...handlers} hasNextPage isFetchingNextPage />,
+      <PacketVirtualList packets={many(30)} expandedHash={null} {...handlers} hasNextPage isFetching />,
     );
 
     const el = scroller(container);