diff --git a/public/index.php b/public/index.php
index 92240fa..abf573b 100644
--- a/public/index.php
+++ b/public/index.php
@@ -1229,7 +1229,7 @@ if (str_starts_with($route, '/api/')) {
             </div>
             <div id="board-preview-empty" class="flex-1 flex flex-col items-center justify-center text-t-dim">
                 <i class="ph ph-article text-3xl mb-2"></i>
-                <p class="font-pixel text-[10px]">click a card to preview</p>
+                <p class="font-pixel text-[10px] cursor-blink">click a card to preview</p>
             </div>
             <div id="board-preview-content" class="hidden flex-1 flex flex-col min-h-0">
                 <div id="board-preview-body" class="flex-1 overflow-y-auto p-5 prose text-sm text-t-text"></div>
@@ -1826,7 +1826,7 @@ if (str_starts_with($route, '/api/')) {
             <div class="flex flex-1 min-h-0">
                 <div id="search-results" class="overflow-y-auto w-2/5 min-w-[220px] border-r border-t-border"></div>
                 <div class="flex-1 overflow-y-auto p-5">
-                    <div id="search-preview-empty" class="flex flex-col items-center justify-center h-full text-t-dim"><i class="ph ph-article text-3xl mb-2"></i><p class="font-pixel text-[10px]">select a card</p></div>
+                    <div id="search-preview-empty" class="flex flex-col items-center justify-center h-full text-t-dim"><i class="ph ph-article text-3xl mb-2"></i><p class="font-pixel text-[10px] cursor-blink">select a card</p></div>
                     <div id="search-preview-content" class="hidden">
                         <div class="card-bar w-16 mb-4 rounded-sm" id="search-preview-color"></div>
                         <h2 id="search-preview-title" class="font-pixel text-t-bright text-sm mb-4 leading-relaxed"></h2>
diff --git a/public/js/modules/calendar.js b/public/js/modules/calendar.js
index 5dab3ea..24b8e60 100644
--- a/public/js/modules/calendar.js
+++ b/public/js/modules/calendar.js
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ function openDayPopup(ds, cellEl) {
             </div>`;
         }).join('');
     } else {
-        list.innerHTML = '<div style="padding:16px 12px;text-align:center;font-family:var(--t-font-pixel);font-size:9px;color:var(--t-dim);">no cards</div>';
+        list.innerHTML = '<div class="cursor-blink" style="padding:16px 12px;text-align:center;font-family:var(--t-font-pixel);font-size:9px;color:var(--t-dim);">no cards</div>';
     }
     dayPopup.appendChild(list);
 
diff --git a/public/js/modules/detail.js b/public/js/modules/detail.js
index 18e0c1b..b0ae324 100644
--- a/public/js/modules/detail.js
+++ b/public/js/modules/detail.js
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ function renderSplitGroup(cards, label) {
 
 function renderSplitPicks(cards, label) {
     if (!cards.length) {
-        splitPicks.innerHTML = `<div class="px-3 py-4 text-center text-t-dim font-pixel text-[9px]">no matches</div>`;
+        splitPicks.innerHTML = `<div class="px-3 py-4 text-center text-t-dim font-pixel text-[9px] cursor-blink">no matches</div>`;
         return;
     }
     splitPicks.innerHTML = renderSplitGroup(cards, label);
@@ -819,7 +819,7 @@ function renderSplitPicks(cards, label) {
 function renderSplitGroups(groups) {
     const html = groups.filter(g => g.cards.length).map(g => renderSplitGroup(g.cards, g.label)).join('');
     if (!html) {
-        splitPicks.innerHTML = `<div class="px-3 py-4 text-center text-t-dim font-pixel text-[9px]">no matches</div>`;
+        splitPicks.innerHTML = `<div class="px-3 py-4 text-center text-t-dim font-pixel text-[9px] cursor-blink">no matches</div>`;
         return;
     }
     splitPicks.innerHTML = html;
diff --git a/public/js/modules/notifications.js b/public/js/modules/notifications.js
index 1650101..c02e068 100644
--- a/public/js/modules/notifications.js
+++ b/public/js/modules/notifications.js
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ function renderStream() {
     const all = getAllItems();
 
     if (!all.length) {
-        stream.innerHTML = '<div class="text-xs text-t-dim font-pixel text-center py-4">no notifications</div>';
+        stream.innerHTML = '<div class="text-xs text-t-dim font-pixel text-center py-4 cursor-blink">no notifications</div>';
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/public/js/modules/search.js b/public/js/modules/search.js
index fb37b46..6ab7d29 100644
--- a/public/js/modules/search.js
+++ b/public/js/modules/search.js
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ function updatePreview() {
 
 function renderHome() {
     const recent = [...getPool()].sort((a, b) => (b.updated_at || '').localeCompare(a.updated_at || '')).slice(0, 6);
-    if (!recent.length) { results.innerHTML = `<div class="px-4 py-8 text-center text-t-dim text-xs font-pixel">no cards yet</div>`; return; }
+    if (!recent.length) { results.innerHTML = `<div class="px-4 py-8 text-center text-t-dim text-xs font-pixel cursor-blink">no cards yet</div>`; return; }
     results.innerHTML = `<div class="px-4 pt-3 pb-1"><span class="font-pixel text-[9px] text-t-dim uppercase tracking-wider">recent</span></div>` +
         recent.map((c, i) => hitHtml(c, i, null)).join('');
     hits = recent; active = recent.length ? 0 : -1;
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ function search(query) {
     // Tag-only search (no words)
     if (!words.length) {
         hits = pool; active = pool.length ? 0 : -1;
-        if (!pool.length) { results.innerHTML = `<div class="px-4 py-8 text-center"><i class="ph ph-hash text-2xl text-t-dim mb-2 block"></i><p class="text-xs text-t-dim font-pixel">no cards with ${tagFilters.map(t => '#' + t).join(' + ')}</p></div>`; footer.classList.add('hidden'); clearPreview(); return; }
+        if (!pool.length) { results.innerHTML = `<div class="px-4 py-8 text-center"><i class="ph ph-hash text-2xl text-t-dim mb-2 block"></i><p class="text-xs text-t-dim font-pixel cursor-blink">no cards with ${tagFilters.map(t => '#' + t).join(' + ')}</p></div>`; footer.classList.add('hidden'); clearPreview(); return; }
         results.innerHTML = `<div class="px-4 pt-3 pb-1"><span class="font-pixel text-[9px] text-t-dim uppercase tracking-wider">${pool.length} tagged</span></div>` +
             pool.map((c, i) => hitHtml(c, i, null)).join('');
         footer.classList.remove('hidden'); bindHits(); updateActive(); updatePreview(); return;
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ function search(query) {
     }).filter(Boolean).sort((a, b) => b.score - a.score);
 
     hits = scored.map(s => s.card); active = scored.length ? 0 : -1;
-    if (!scored.length) { results.innerHTML = `<div class="px-4 py-8 text-center"><i class="ph ph-magnifying-glass text-2xl text-t-dim mb-2 block"></i><p class="text-xs text-t-dim font-pixel">no results for "${esc(query)}"</p></div>`; footer.classList.add('hidden'); clearPreview(); return; }
+    if (!scored.length) { results.innerHTML = `<div class="px-4 py-8 text-center"><i class="ph ph-magnifying-glass text-2xl text-t-dim mb-2 block"></i><p class="text-xs text-t-dim font-pixel cursor-blink">no results for "${esc(query)}"</p></div>`; footer.classList.add('hidden'); clearPreview(); return; }
     results.innerHTML = `<div class="px-4 pt-3 pb-1"><span class="font-pixel text-[9px] text-t-dim uppercase tracking-wider">${scored.length} result${scored.length > 1 ? 's' : ''}</span></div>` +
         scored.map((s, i) => hitHtml(s.card, i, words)).join('');
     footer.classList.remove('hidden'); bindHits(); updateActive(); updatePreview();
diff --git a/public/plugins/chat/chat.html b/public/plugins/chat/chat.html
index 1a85b73..9b96c0c 100644
--- a/public/plugins/chat/chat.html
+++ b/public/plugins/chat/chat.html
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
         <div id="chat-list" class="chat-list"></div>
         <div id="chat-empty" class="hidden chat-empty">
             <i class="ph ph-chats text-2xl text-t-dim mb-2"></i>
-            <p class="font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-dim">no conversations yet</p>
+            <p class="font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-dim cursor-blink">no conversations yet</p>
             <button id="chat-empty-start" class="mt-3 px-2 py-1 text-[10px] font-pixel border border-t-accent text-t-accent hover:bg-t-accent/10 transition-colors">Start chat</button>
         </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/public/plugins/chat/chat.js b/public/plugins/chat/chat.js
index 6cef9f0..39428f2 100644
--- a/public/plugins/chat/chat.js
+++ b/public/plugins/chat/chat.js
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ async function openPickView() {
     const self = recipientCache.self;
     const others = tenants.filter(t => t.username !== self);
     if (!others.length) {
-        list.innerHTML = '<div class="px-3 py-3 text-[10px] text-t-dim font-pixel">no other users on the relay</div>';
+        list.innerHTML = '<div class="px-3 py-3 text-[10px] text-t-dim font-pixel cursor-blink">no other users on the relay</div>';
         return;
     }
     list.innerHTML = others.map(t => `
diff --git a/public/plugins/email/email.html b/public/plugins/email/email.html
index 8d738a6..2db8fd6 100644
--- a/public/plugins/email/email.html
+++ b/public/plugins/email/email.html
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
                 <div id="email-body-empty" class="flex items-center justify-center flex-1 text-t-dim text-xs font-pixel">
                     <div class="text-center">
                         <i class="ph ph-envelope-open text-3xl mb-2 block"></i>
-                        select a message
+                        <span class="cursor-blink">select a message</span>
                     </div>
                 </div>
                 <div id="email-body" class="hidden flex flex-col flex-1 min-h-0">
diff --git a/public/plugins/email/email.js b/public/plugins/email/email.js
index 5acdaaa..1378d6b 100644
--- a/public/plugins/email/email.js
+++ b/public/plugins/email/email.js
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ function gotoNextPage() {
 function renderMessageList() {
     const list = $('email-list');
     if (!currentMessages.length) {
-        list.innerHTML = '<div class="p-4 text-xs text-t-dim italic">no messages</div>';
+        list.innerHTML = '<div class="p-4 text-xs text-t-dim italic cursor-blink">no messages</div>';
         renderSelectionBar();
         renderSpamToolbar();
         return;
diff --git a/public/plugins/gitea/gitea.html b/public/plugins/gitea/gitea.html
index f9c260d..45918df 100644
--- a/public/plugins/gitea/gitea.html
+++ b/public/plugins/gitea/gitea.html
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
                 <div id="gitea-detail-empty" class="flex items-center justify-center flex-1 text-t-dim text-xs font-pixel">
                     <div class="text-center">
                         <i class="ph ph-list-bullets text-3xl mb-2 block"></i>
-                        select an issue
+                        <span class="cursor-blink">select an issue</span>
                     </div>
                 </div>
                 <!-- ── Create issue form ── -->
diff --git a/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.js b/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.js
index b4a193a..cbb065d 100644
--- a/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.js
+++ b/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.js
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ async function refreshGalleryPicker() {
     if (!images.length) {
         gp.grid.innerHTML = `<div class="col-span-full text-center py-16" style="grid-column:1/-1;">
             <i class="ph ph-image text-4xl text-t-dim mb-2 block"></i>
-            <p class="font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-dim">no images yet — upload above</p>
+            <p class="font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-dim cursor-blink">no images yet — upload above</p>
         </div>`;
         return;
     }
@@ -705,7 +705,7 @@ function renderPickerList(query) {
     picker.list.innerHTML = filtered.map(c => {
         const col = c.color ? `background:${c.color};` : '';
         return `<button class="slideshow-pick-row" data-pick-target="card:${escHtml(c.id)}"><span style="display:inline-block;width:8px;height:8px;${col}"></span><span style="flex:1;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap;">${escHtml(c.title || '(untitled)')}</span></button>`;
-    }).join('') || `<div class="font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-dim px-2 py-2">no matches</div>`;
+    }).join('') || `<div class="font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-dim px-2 py-2 cursor-blink">no matches</div>`;
 }
 
 picker.search?.addEventListener('input', () => renderPickerList(picker.search.value));