diff --git a/src/components/admin/__tests__/recovery-readiness-card.test.tsx b/src/components/admin/__tests__/recovery-readiness-card.test.tsx
index 3d130ed3b..ac09f58fa 100644
--- a/src/components/admin/__tests__/recovery-readiness-card.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/admin/__tests__/recovery-readiness-card.test.tsx
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ import type {
   ReadinessSignal,
   RecoveryReadiness,
 } from "@/components/admin/use-recovery-readiness";
-import { READINESS_FIX_PATHS } from "@/lib/recovery/readiness-model";
+import {
+  READINESS_FIX_PATHS,
+  READINESS_SIGNALS,
+} from "@/lib/recovery/readiness-model";
 import { primeLocales } from "@/__tests__/helpers/prime-locales";
 
 primeLocales("de");
@@ -97,6 +100,23 @@ function row(html: string, id: string): string {
 }
 
 describe("RecoveryReadinessCard", () => {
+  it("holds one row per signal while it loads, so the cards below stay put", () => {
+    // A read that has not answered: no data, no error.
+    const client = new QueryClient();
+    const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <QueryClientProvider client={client}>
+        <I18nProvider initialLocale="en">
+          <RecoveryReadinessCard />
+        </I18nProvider>
+      </QueryClientProvider>,
+    );
+    const start = html.indexOf('data-testid="recovery-readiness-loading"');
+    expect(start).toBeGreaterThan(-1);
+    expect(html.slice(start).match(/<li/g)?.length).toBe(
+      READINESS_SIGNALS.length,
+    );
+  });
+
   it("renders every signal with its state and sentence", () => {
     pathname.current = "/admin";
     const html = render(READINESS);
diff --git a/src/components/admin/recovery-readiness-card.tsx b/src/components/admin/recovery-readiness-card.tsx
index d77ae64d1..34189912b 100644
--- a/src/components/admin/recovery-readiness-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/admin/recovery-readiness-card.tsx
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import {
   CheckCircle2,
   Clock,
   LifeBuoy,
-  Loader2,
   MinusCircle,
   XCircle,
 } from "lucide-react";
@@ -34,6 +33,7 @@ import { SettingsCard } from "@/components/settings/settings-card";
 import { Badge } from "@/components/ui/badge";
 import { InlineAction } from "@/components/ui/inline-action";
 import { QueryErrorRow } from "@/components/ui/query-error-row";
+import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
 import { useFormatters, useTranslations } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
@@ -44,6 +44,17 @@ import {
   type RecoveryReadiness,
 } from "./use-recovery-readiness";
 
+/** One placeholder row per readiness signal the card always lists. */
+const READINESS_SIGNAL_SLOTS = [
+  "database_dump",
+  "weekly_copy",
+  "offhost_copies",
+  "restore_drill",
+  "offhost_setup",
+  "dump_retention",
+  "recovery_kit",
+] as const satisfies readonly ReadinessSignal["id"][];
+
 const STATE_ICON: Record<
   ReadinessState,
   React.ComponentType<{ className?: string; "aria-hidden"?: boolean }>
@@ -194,14 +205,27 @@ export function RecoveryReadinessCard() {
           onRetry={() => void refetch()}
         />
       ) : (
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-          <Loader2
-            className="text-muted-foreground size-4 animate-spin motion-reduce:animate-none"
-            aria-hidden="true"
-          />
-          <span className="text-muted-foreground text-sm">
+        // Holds the list's height while it loads. The card opens the backups
+        // page, and a one-line spinner here pushed every card below it down
+        // by the whole list once the signals landed.
+        <div data-testid="recovery-readiness-loading">
+          <span className="sr-only">
             {t("admin.recoveryReadiness.loading")}
           </span>
+          <ul className="divide-border divide-y" aria-hidden="true">
+            {READINESS_SIGNAL_SLOTS.map((slot) => (
+              <li
+                key={slot}
+                className="flex items-start gap-3 py-3 first:pt-0 last:pb-0"
+              >
+                <Skeleton className="mt-0.5 size-4 shrink-0 rounded-full" />
+                <div className="min-w-0 flex-1 space-y-1">
+                  <Skeleton className="h-5 w-40 max-w-full" />
+                  <Skeleton className="h-5 w-full" />
+                </div>
+              </li>
+            ))}
+          </ul>
         </div>
       )}
     </SettingsCard>