diff --git a/src/components/BookmarkList.tsx b/src/components/BookmarkList.tsx
index e8f7ecd4..43ff516d 100644
--- a/src/components/BookmarkList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/BookmarkList.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import React from 'react'
 import { FontAwesomeIcon } from '@fortawesome/react-fontawesome'
-import { faChevronLeft, faBookmark } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons'
+import { faChevronLeft, faBookmark, faSpinner } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons'
 import { Bookmark } from '../types/bookmarks'
 import { BookmarkItem } from './BookmarkItem'
 import { formatDate, renderParsedContent } from '../utils/bookmarkUtils'
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ interface BookmarkListProps {
   onOpenSettings: () => void
   onRefresh?: () => void
   isRefreshing?: boolean
+  loading?: boolean
 }
 
 export const BookmarkList: React.FC<BookmarkListProps> = ({
@@ -32,7 +33,8 @@ export const BookmarkList: React.FC<BookmarkListProps> = ({
   selectedUrl,
   onOpenSettings,
   onRefresh,
-  isRefreshing
+  isRefreshing,
+  loading = false
 }) => {
   if (isCollapsed) {
     // Check if the selected URL is in bookmarks
@@ -68,7 +70,11 @@ export const BookmarkList: React.FC<BookmarkListProps> = ({
         isRefreshing={isRefreshing}
       />
       
-      {bookmarks.length === 0 ? (
+      {loading ? (
+        <div className="loading">
+          <FontAwesomeIcon icon={faSpinner} spin />
+        </div>
+      ) : bookmarks.length === 0 ? (
         <div className="empty-state">
           <p>No bookmarks found.</p>
           <p>Add bookmarks using your nostr client to see them here.</p>
diff --git a/src/components/Bookmarks.tsx b/src/components/Bookmarks.tsx
index fdd7cc93..a8b8d814 100644
--- a/src/components/Bookmarks.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Bookmarks.tsx
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ interface BookmarksProps {
 const Bookmarks: React.FC<BookmarksProps> = ({ relayPool, onLogout }) => {
   const { naddr } = useParams<{ naddr?: string }>()
   const [bookmarks, setBookmarks] = useState<Bookmark[]>([])
+  const [bookmarksLoading, setBookmarksLoading] = useState(true)
   const [highlights, setHighlights] = useState<Highlight[]>([])
   const [highlightsLoading, setHighlightsLoading] = useState(true)
   const [selectedUrl, setSelectedUrl] = useState<string | undefined>(undefined)
@@ -102,8 +103,13 @@ const Bookmarks: React.FC<BookmarksProps> = ({ relayPool, onLogout }) => {
 
   const handleFetchBookmarks = async () => {
     if (!relayPool || !activeAccount) return
-    const fullAccount = accountManager.getActive()
-    await fetchBookmarks(relayPool, fullAccount || activeAccount, setBookmarks)
+    setBookmarksLoading(true)
+    try {
+      const fullAccount = accountManager.getActive()
+      await fetchBookmarks(relayPool, fullAccount || activeAccount, setBookmarks)
+    } finally {
+      setBookmarksLoading(false)
+    }
   }
 
   const handleFetchHighlights = async () => {
@@ -200,6 +206,7 @@ const Bookmarks: React.FC<BookmarksProps> = ({ relayPool, onLogout }) => {
             }}
             onRefresh={handleRefreshBookmarks}
             isRefreshing={isRefreshing}
+            loading={bookmarksLoading}
           />
         </div>
       <div className="pane main">