diff --git a/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/browser_compatibility_test.go b/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/browser_compatibility_test.go
index a01753bf..ac1c3253 100644
--- a/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/browser_compatibility_test.go
+++ b/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/browser_compatibility_test.go
@@ -965,16 +965,20 @@ func TestStaleSourcesRemainVisibleButCannotBeSelected(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("fresh sources: enabled=%d want=%d staleIndicatorMissing=%v", enabledCount, sourceCount, staleIndicatorMissing)
 	}
 
-	var noInventoryText, noInventoryRole string
+	var emptyInventoryHidden, staleEmptyAnnounced bool
 	if err := chromedp.Run(ctx,
 		chromedp.Evaluate(`window.renderStatus('STANDBY', '', false, 'speaker', null, [])`, nil),
-		chromedp.WaitVisible(`#source-inventory-status`, chromedp.ByQuery),
-		chromedp.Text(`#source-inventory-status`, &noInventoryText, chromedp.ByQuery),
-		chromedp.AttributeValue(`#source-inventory-status`, "role", &noInventoryRole, nil, chromedp.ByQuery),
+		chromedp.Poll(`document.querySelector('.sources-section') === null`, nil),
+		chromedp.Evaluate(`document.querySelector('.sources-section') === null`, &emptyInventoryHidden),
+		// A stale empty inventory still has something to say: we know the list
+		// is untrustworthy, as opposed to simply not having read one yet.
+		chromedp.Evaluate(`window.renderStatus('STANDBY', '', true, 'speaker', null, [])`, nil),
+		chromedp.WaitVisible(`#source-stale-status`, chromedp.ByQuery),
+		chromedp.Evaluate(`document.querySelector('#source-stale-status').textContent.trim() === 'Source list out of date'`, &staleEmptyAnnounced),
 	); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("render missing source inventory: %v", err)
 	}
-	if noInventoryText != "Source list unavailable" || noInventoryRole != "status" {
-		t.Errorf("missing source inventory: text=%q role=%q", noInventoryText, noInventoryRole)
+	if !emptyInventoryHidden || !staleEmptyAnnounced {
+		t.Errorf("empty inventory: hidden=%v staleAnnounced=%v", emptyInventoryHidden, staleEmptyAnnounced)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/static/js/components/Sources.js b/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/static/js/components/Sources.js
index 2e4ccbc1..e75d269f 100644
--- a/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/static/js/components/Sources.js
+++ b/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/static/js/components/Sources.js
@@ -95,12 +95,15 @@ export function Sources({
     }, [command, currentSource, currentAccount, nowPlayingRevision]);
 
     const ready = items.filter(s => s.Status === 'READY');
+    // Nothing to show and nothing to say: a device that has not been polled
+    // yet has no inventory to call out of date. Only render once there is
+    // either a list to offer or a list we are refusing to act on.
+    if (ready.length === 0 && !sourcesStale) return null;
+
     const availabilityMessage = sourcesStale
         ? 'Source list out of date'
-        : (ready.length === 0 ? 'Source list unavailable' : '');
-    const availabilityId = sourcesStale
-        ? 'source-stale-status'
-        : (ready.length === 0 ? 'source-inventory-status' : null);
+        : '';
+    const availabilityId = sourcesStale ? 'source-stale-status' : null;
 
     async function select(src) {
         clearReadbacks();