diff --git a/config.php b/config.php
index 2ff0140..7d7576b 100644
--- a/config.php
+++ b/config.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 
 define('APP_NAME', 'hyprcrd');
-define('APP_VERSION', '0.9.18');
+define('APP_VERSION', '0.9.19');
 
 // Database path — writable directory, outside webroot
 define('DB_PATH', __DIR__ . '/data/hyprcrd.db');
diff --git a/public/js/modules/gallery.js b/public/js/modules/gallery.js
index d9aa251..b0919c9 100644
--- a/public/js/modules/gallery.js
+++ b/public/js/modules/gallery.js
@@ -118,12 +118,35 @@ export async function openGallery() {
         document.querySelectorAll('#gallery-tabs .gallery-tab').forEach(t => {
             t.classList.toggle('active', t.dataset.filter === filter);
         });
+        let visibleCount = 0;
         grid.querySelectorAll('.gallery-item').forEach(item => {
             const url = item.dataset.url || '';
             const type = fileType(url);
             const show = filter === 'all' || type === filter;
             item.style.display = show ? '' : 'none';
+            if (show) visibleCount++;
         });
+        // Hide section headers when no items in that section are visible
+        grid.querySelectorAll('[data-section]:not(.gallery-item)').forEach(hdr => {
+            const section = hdr.dataset.section;
+            const hasVisible = !!grid.querySelector(`.gallery-item[data-section="${section}"]:not([style*="display: none"])`);
+            hdr.style.display = hasVisible ? '' : 'none';
+        });
+        // Show/hide the empty-filter placeholder
+        let placeholder = grid.querySelector('.gallery-filter-empty');
+        if (visibleCount === 0 && total > 0) {
+            if (!placeholder) {
+                placeholder = document.createElement('div');
+                placeholder.className = 'gallery-filter-empty col-span-full text-center py-16';
+                const icons = { image: 'ph-image', audio: 'ph-music-note', pdf: 'ph-file-pdf' };
+                const icon = icons[filter] || 'ph-folder-open';
+                placeholder.innerHTML = `<i class="ph ${icon} text-4xl text-t-dim mb-2 block"></i><p class="font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-dim">no ${filter} assets</p>`;
+                grid.appendChild(placeholder);
+            }
+            placeholder.style.display = '';
+        } else if (placeholder) {
+            placeholder.style.display = 'none';
+        }
     };
     document.querySelectorAll('#gallery-tabs .gallery-tab').forEach(t => {
         t.onclick = () => applyFilter(t.dataset.filter);
@@ -137,15 +160,11 @@ export async function openGallery() {
         let html = '';
 
         if (orphaned.length) {
-            html += `<div class="col-span-full font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-danger flex items-center gap-1.5 pt-2"><i class="ph ph-warning text-xs"></i>orphaned (not used by any card)</div>`;
+            html += `<div class="col-span-full font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-danger flex items-center gap-1.5 pt-2" data-section="orphaned"><i class="ph ph-warning text-xs"></i>orphaned (not used by any card)</div>`;
             html += orphaned.map(f => `
-                <div class="gallery-item group cursor-pointer" data-orphan="${f.name}" data-url="${esc(f.url)}">
-                    <div class="relative aspect-square bg-t-bg border border-t-danger/30 rounded overflow-visible">
-                        ${fileType(f.url) === 'pdf'
-                            ? `<div class="w-full h-full flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1 opacity-60"><i class="ph ph-file-pdf text-3xl text-t-danger"></i><span class="font-pixel text-[8px] text-t-dim">${esc(f.name)}</span></div>`
-                            : fileType(f.url) === 'audio'
-                                ? `<div class="w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center opacity-60"><i class="ph ph-music-note text-3xl text-t-dim"></i></div>`
-                                : `<img src="${f.url}" class="w-full h-full object-cover opacity-60 rounded" loading="lazy">`}
+                <div class="gallery-item group cursor-pointer" data-orphan="${f.name}" data-url="${esc(f.url)}" data-section="orphaned">
+                    <div class="relative">
+                        ${mediaTile(f.url, 'border-t-danger/30 opacity-60')}
                         <div style="position:absolute;top:4px;right:4px;display:flex;gap:4px;" class="opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity">
                             <button class="w-6 h-6 flex items-center justify-center bg-black/80 text-t-accent rounded border-0 cursor-pointer hover:bg-t-accent hover:text-t-bg transition-colors" data-new-orphan="${f.name}" title="new card"><i class="ph ph-plus text-sm"></i></button>
                             <button class="w-6 h-6 flex items-center justify-center bg-black/80 text-t-accent rounded border-0 cursor-pointer hover:bg-t-accent hover:text-t-bg transition-colors" data-new-slide="${f.name}" title="new slide (background)"><i class="ph ph-image-square text-sm"></i></button>
@@ -157,9 +176,9 @@ export async function openGallery() {
         }
 
         if (linked.length) {
-            if (orphaned.length) html += `<div class="col-span-full font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-muted flex items-center gap-1.5 pt-3"><i class="ph ph-link text-xs"></i>linked to cards</div>`;
+            if (orphaned.length) html += `<div class="col-span-full font-pixel text-[10px] text-t-muted flex items-center gap-1.5 pt-3" data-section="linked"><i class="ph ph-link text-xs"></i>linked to cards</div>`;
             html += linked.map(img => `
-                <div class="gallery-item group relative cursor-pointer" data-card-id="${img.cardId}" data-gallery-origin="${encodeURIComponent(img.url)}" data-url="${esc(img.url)}">
+                <div class="gallery-item group relative cursor-pointer" data-card-id="${img.cardId}" data-gallery-origin="${encodeURIComponent(img.url)}" data-url="${esc(img.url)}" data-section="linked">
                     ${mediaTile(img.url, 'border-t-border')}
                     <div class="absolute inset-0 bg-black/60 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity rounded flex flex-col justify-end p-2">
                         <div class="flex items-center gap-1.5">