diff --git a/classifier/css/spreadsheet.css b/classifier/css/spreadsheet.css
index c568b77..0341c6d 100644
--- a/classifier/css/spreadsheet.css
+++ b/classifier/css/spreadsheet.css
@@ -411,14 +411,16 @@
     color: var(--danger);
 }
 
-/* Empty State */
-.empty-state {
+/* Inline tree-empty placeholder — shown by tree.js when the folder
+   list is empty. Distinct from the top-level .empty-state overlay
+   (shared/base.css) which is the welcome screen. */
+.tree-empty {
     padding: 3rem;
     text-align: center;
     color: var(--text-muted);
 }
 
-.empty-state h3 {
+.tree-empty h3 {
     margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
 }
 
diff --git a/classifier/js/tree.js b/classifier/js/tree.js
index 8a886ec..ffceed3 100644
--- a/classifier/js/tree.js
+++ b/classifier/js/tree.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
         container.innerHTML = '';
 
         if (window.app.folderTree.length === 0) {
-            container.innerHTML = '<div class="empty-state">No folders found</div>';
+            container.innerHTML = '<div class="tree-empty">No folders found</div>';
             return;
         }