diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/workorders/_components/list/table/wo-table-body.tsx b/src/app/(protected)/workorders/_components/list/table/wo-table-body.tsx
index 65f49dbd..7e51c960 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/workorders/_components/list/table/wo-table-body.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/workorders/_components/list/table/wo-table-body.tsx
@@ -23,8 +23,14 @@ export function WoTableBody({ tableData, renderRow, renderInlineRow }: WoTableBo
   const unassignedRows = tableData.unassigned ?? [];
   const showUnscheduled =
     (tableData.unscheduled?.length ?? 0) > 0 || tableData.draftDayKey === UNSCHEDULED_DAY_KEY;
+  // SH-165: "still loading" and "zero unassigned" are distinct states. Without
+  // this split the pin announced "No unassigned work orders." while the queue
+  // was still paging board/search on first mount.
   const showUnassignedLoading =
-    tableData.unassignedOpen && Boolean(tableData.unassignedLoading) && !tableData.unassignedError;
+    tableData.unassignedOpen &&
+    unassignedRows.length === 0 &&
+    !tableData.unassignedError &&
+    tableData.unassignedLoading;
   const showUnassignedEmpty =
     tableData.unassignedOpen &&
     unassignedRows.length === 0 &&
@@ -53,10 +59,10 @@ export function WoTableBody({ tableData, renderRow, renderInlineRow }: WoTableBo
             </tr>
           )}
           {showUnassignedLoading && (
-            <tr>
+            <tr aria-busy="true">
               <td colSpan={WO_TABLE_COLS.length} style={{ padding: "8px 14px" }}>
                 <Text variant="feedback" tone="muted">
-                  Loading unassigned work orders.
+                  Loading unassigned work orders…
                 </Text>
               </td>
             </tr>
diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/workorders/_hooks/use-work-orders-board-source.ts b/src/app/(protected)/workorders/_hooks/use-work-orders-board-source.ts
index 2227e3f9..914bf835 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/workorders/_hooks/use-work-orders-board-source.ts
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/workorders/_hooks/use-work-orders-board-source.ts
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export function useWorkOrdersBoardSource(filters: FiltersReturn): WorkOrdersBoar
   } = useWorkOrdersBoardSearch(resolvedSearchParams ?? { datePreset: "ThisWeek" }, advActive);
   const {
     data: queueData,
-    isPending: queuePending,
+    isLoading: queueLoading,
     isFetching: queueFetching,
     error: queueError,
     refetch: refetchQueue,
@@ -96,7 +96,10 @@ export function useWorkOrdersBoardSource(filters: FiltersReturn): WorkOrdersBoar
     data: advActive ? searchData : boardData,
     unassignedQueue: advActive ? EMPTY_UNASSIGNED_QUEUE : (queueData ?? EMPTY_UNASSIGNED_QUEUE),
     unassignedError: advActive ? null : (queueError ?? null),
-    unassignedLoading: advActive ? false : queuePending,
+    // SH-165: the pinned queue has its own first-load state. Folding it into
+    // isFetching only made "still paging board/search" indistinguishable from
+    // "zero unassigned", so the pin announced an empty queue while loading.
+    unassignedLoading: advActive ? false : queueLoading,
     isLoading: advActive ? searchLoading : boardLoading,
     isFetching: advActive ? searchFetching : boardFetching || queueFetching,
     error: advActive ? searchError : boardError,
diff --git a/src/test/app/(protected)/workorders/wo-table-unassigned-queue.test.tsx b/src/test/app/(protected)/workorders/wo-table-unassigned-queue.test.tsx
index a3461cd9..66a61208 100644
--- a/src/test/app/(protected)/workorders/wo-table-unassigned-queue.test.tsx
+++ b/src/test/app/(protected)/workorders/wo-table-unassigned-queue.test.tsx
@@ -309,6 +309,36 @@ describe("WoTableBody Unassigned queue (SH-165)", () => {
     expect(screen.queryByText("WED · 07/15")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
+  it("distinguishes a still-loading queue from an empty one", () => {
+    render(
+      <table>
+        <WoTableBody
+          tableData={baseTableData({ unassignedLoading: true })}
+          renderRow={() => null}
+          renderInlineRow={() => null}
+        />
+      </table>,
+    );
+
+    expect(screen.getByText(/Loading unassigned work orders/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("No unassigned work orders.")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("announces an empty queue only once loading has settled", () => {
+    render(
+      <table>
+        <WoTableBody
+          tableData={baseTableData({ unassignedLoading: false })}
+          renderRow={() => null}
+          renderInlineRow={() => null}
+        />
+      </table>,
+    );
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("No unassigned work orders.")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/Loading unassigned work orders/)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
   it("keeps the Unassigned pin visible when the queue query fails", () => {
     render(
       <table>
@@ -351,25 +381,6 @@ describe("WoTableBody Unassigned queue (SH-165)", () => {
     expect(screen.queryByTestId(/row-/)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
-  it("shows a loading state instead of empty while the unassigned queue is pending", () => {
-    render(
-      <table>
-        <WoTableBody
-          tableData={baseTableData({ unassignedLoading: true })}
-          renderRow={(row) => (
-            <tr key={String(row.id)} data-testid={`row-${row.id}`}>
-              <td>{row.woNumber}</td>
-            </tr>
-          )}
-          renderInlineRow={() => null}
-        />
-      </table>,
-    );
-
-    expect(screen.getByText("Loading unassigned work orders.")).toBeInTheDocument();
-    expect(screen.queryByText("No unassigned work orders.")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
-  });
-
   it("removes a pinned row immediately after assigning through the board PATCH path", async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
     const pinned = makeRow({