diff --git a/doc/sandbox-work-folders.md b/doc/sandbox-work-folders.md
index 6f5b0963c3..4e39225aeb 100644
--- a/doc/sandbox-work-folders.md
+++ b/doc/sandbox-work-folders.md
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ are unchanged.
 CLI state is separate from the four shared collections. A change of task,
 agent, responsible user, or project cannot reuse a sandbox with another binding.
 
+The cache inspector shows “Waiting for first save” until an active run has a
+completed checkpoint. Missing or unavailable sync status is never labeled saved.
+
 ## Storage and synchronization
 
 Postgres stores company/owner bindings, paths, executable bits, current object
diff --git a/ui/src/components/WorkFolderBrowser.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/WorkFolderBrowser.test.tsx
index d872086dee..ed1ed61d54 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/WorkFolderBrowser.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/WorkFolderBrowser.test.tsx
@@ -10,16 +10,32 @@ vi.mock("@/context/CompanyContext", () => ({ useCompany: () => ({ selectedCompan
 
 const owner = { companyId: "company", scope: "task" as const, ownerId: "task" };
 const key = ["work-folders", owner.companyId, owner.scope, owner.ownerId];
-function render(statuses: WorkFolderSyncStatus[], lastOperationAt: string | null, readOnly = false) {
+function render(statuses: WorkFolderSyncStatus[], lastOperationAt: string | null, readOnly = false, queryState?: "loading" | "error") {
   const client = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false, staleTime: Infinity } } });
   client.setQueryData([...key, "files", false], { files: [], lastOperationAt });
   client.setQueryData([...key, "sync"], statuses);
+  if (queryState === "loading") client.removeQueries({ queryKey: [...key, "sync"] });
+  if (queryState === "error") client.getQueryCache().find({ queryKey: [...key, "sync"] })!
+    .setState({ status: "error", error: new Error("Save service unavailable") });
   return renderToStaticMarkup(<MemoryRouter initialEntries={["/STG/issues/task"]}><QueryClientProvider client={client}><TooltipProvider><WorkFolderBrowser owner={owner} readOnly={readOnly} /></TooltipProvider></QueryClientProvider></MemoryRouter>);
 }
 const checkpoint: WorkFolderSyncStatus = { runId: "run", state: "saved", active: false,
   lastSavedAt: "2026-09-07T12:00:00.000Z", error: null, refreshRequested: false };
 
 describe("work folder save feedback", () => {
+  it("does not claim a save before the first checkpoint", () => {
+    const pending = render([{ ...checkpoint, state: "starting", active: true, lastSavedAt: null }], null, true);
+    expect(pending).toContain('role="status">Waiting for first save');
+    expect(pending).not.toContain("Last agent save");
+    expect(render([], null, true)).toContain('role="status">No saved files');
+  });
+  it("does not report success while save status is unknown", () => {
+    expect(render([], null, true, "loading")).toContain('role="status">Loading save status…');
+    const unavailable = render([checkpoint], null, true, "error");
+    expect(unavailable).toContain('role="status">Save status unavailable');
+    expect(unavailable).toContain("Last agent save");
+    expect(unavailable).toContain("Save service unavailable");
+  });
   it("keeps inspection free of controls that mutate the cache or refresh the sandbox", () => {
     const html = render([checkpoint], null, true);
     for (const action of ["Upload", "Create folder", "Refresh sandbox", "Delete", "Restore", "Purge"]) expect(html).not.toContain(action);
diff --git a/ui/src/components/WorkFolderBrowser.tsx b/ui/src/components/WorkFolderBrowser.tsx
index 2675a58bd3..2040c6143e 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/WorkFolderBrowser.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/WorkFolderBrowser.tsx
@@ -75,6 +75,15 @@ export function WorkFolderBrowser({ owner, exampleFiles, readOnly = false, fillH
   const lastSaved = statuses.map((status) => status.lastSavedAt)
     .filter((value): value is string => Boolean(value)).sort().at(-1);
   const lastOperation = filesQuery.data?.lastOperationAt;
+  const saveLabel = mutation.isPending ? "Saving…"
+    : mutation.isError ? "Save failed"
+    : syncQuery.isError || filesQuery.isError ? "Save status unavailable"
+    : !exampleFiles && (syncQuery.isPending || filesQuery.isPending) ? "Loading save status…"
+    : saving ? "Saving…"
+    : failures.length > 0 ? "Run save failed"
+    : !lastSaved && statuses.some((status) => status.active) ? "Waiting for first save"
+    : lastSaved || lastOperation || files.length > 0 ? "Saved"
+    : "No saved files";
   const disabled = mutation.isPending || Boolean(exampleFiles);
   return <Tabs value={trash ? "trash" : "files"} onValueChange={(value) => { setTrash(value === "trash"); setSelectedPath(null); setCheckedFiles(new Set()); }} className={cn("flex min-h-0 flex-col gap-3", fillHeight && "flex-1")}>
     <div className="flex shrink-0 flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
@@ -89,7 +98,7 @@ export function WorkFolderBrowser({ owner, exampleFiles, readOnly = false, fillH
       </TabsList>
       {!trash && canManageTrash && checkedPaths.length > 0 && <Button variant="outline" size="sm" disabled={disabled} onClick={() => mutation.mutate({ type: "deleteSelected", paths: checkedPaths })}><Trash2 aria-hidden />Move {checkedPaths.length} {checkedPaths.length === 1 ? "file" : "files"} to trash</Button>}
       {!readOnly && <Button variant="outline" size="sm" disabled={disabled || !statuses.some((status) => status.active)} onClick={() => mutation.mutate({ type: "refresh" })}><RefreshCw aria-hidden />Refresh sandbox</Button>}
-      <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground" role="status">{saving ? "Saving…" : mutation.isError ? "Save failed" : failures.length > 0 ? "Run save failed" : "Saved"}</span>
+      <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground" role="status">{saveLabel}</span>
       {lastSaved && <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Last agent save {new Date(lastSaved).toLocaleTimeString()}</span>}
       {lastOperation && (!lastSaved || lastOperation > lastSaved) && <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Files updated {new Date(lastOperation).toLocaleTimeString()}</span>}
     </div>
diff --git a/ui/storybook/fixtures/workFolders.ts b/ui/storybook/fixtures/workFolders.ts
index f90402e6fe..3b6a4a6fa1 100644
--- a/ui/storybook/fixtures/workFolders.ts
+++ b/ui/storybook/fixtures/workFolders.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import type {
 export type WorkFolderScenario =
   | "saved"
   | "saving"
+  | "waiting"
   | "failed"
   | "olderFailure"
   | "multipleFailures"
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ export function createWorkFolderFixture(
       });
       contents.set(path, blob);
     }
-    if (scenario !== "empty") {
+    if (scenario !== "empty" && scenario !== "waiting") {
       add(
         "README.md",
         `# ${workFolderLabels[scope as WorkFolderScope]}\n\nFiles available to this ${scope}'s sandbox runs.\n\n## Current work\n\n- Review the launch brief\n- Keep the original uploads\n- Share the final report\n`,
@@ -151,13 +152,13 @@ export function createWorkFolderFixture(
         runId: "run-storybook",
         agentId: workFolderOwners.agent.ownerId,
         state:
-          scenario === "saving"
+          scenario === "waiting" ? "starting" : scenario === "saving"
             ? "saving"
             : scenario === "failed"
               ? "failed"
               : "saved",
-        lastSavedAt: savedAt,
-        active: scenario === "saving" || scenario === "failed",
+        lastSavedAt: scenario === "waiting" ? null : savedAt,
+        active: scenario === "waiting" || scenario === "saving" || scenario === "failed",
         refreshRequested: false,
         error:
           scenario === "failed"
diff --git a/ui/storybook/stories/work-folders.stories.tsx b/ui/storybook/stories/work-folders.stories.tsx
index 33e3814f5d..947c24a808 100644
--- a/ui/storybook/stories/work-folders.stories.tsx
+++ b/ui/storybook/stories/work-folders.stories.tsx
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ const meta = {
       options: [
         "saved",
         "saving",
+        "waiting",
         "failed",
         "olderFailure",
         "multipleFailures",
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ export const LargeFilePreview: Story = {
 };
 export const EmptyFolder: Story = { args: { scenario: "empty" } };
 export const Loading: Story = { args: { scenario: "loading" } };
+export const WaitingForFirstSave: Story = { args: { scenario: "waiting" } };
 export const Saving: Story = { args: { scenario: "saving" } };
 export const SaveFailed: Story = { args: { scenario: "failed" } };
 export const SharedFolderWithEarlierFailure: Story = { args: { scope: "agent", scenario: "olderFailure" } };