diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index b5d5b59..9e2f382 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -179,7 +179,13 @@ export default function App() {
           ) : page === "stats" && meQuery.data!.role === "admin" ? (
             <Stats />
           ) : (
-            <Feed filters={filters} setFilters={setFilters} view={view} />
+            <Feed
+              filters={filters}
+              setFilters={setFilters}
+              view={view}
+              canRead={meQuery.data!.can_read}
+              onOpenWizard={() => setWizardOpen(true)}
+            />
           )}
         </main>
       </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Feed.tsx b/frontend/src/components/Feed.tsx
index b7d7a35..b29955d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Feed.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Feed.tsx
@@ -26,10 +26,14 @@ export default function Feed({
   filters,
   setFilters,
   view,
+  canRead,
+  onOpenWizard,
 }: {
   filters: FeedFilters;
   setFilters: (f: FeedFilters) => void;
   view: "grid" | "list";
+  canRead: boolean;
+  onOpenWizard: () => void;
 }) {
   const [overrides, setOverrides] = useState<Record<string, string>>({});
   const [activeVideo, setActiveVideo] = useState<Video | null>(null);
@@ -125,8 +129,26 @@ export default function Feed({
 
   if (query.isLoading) return <div className="p-8 text-muted">Loading feed…</div>;
   if (query.isError) return <div className="p-8 text-muted">Couldn't load the feed.</div>;
-  if (items.length === 0)
+  if (items.length === 0) {
+    if (!canRead)
+      return (
+        <div className="p-8 grid place-items-center text-center">
+          <div className="max-w-sm">
+            <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">Your feed is empty</h2>
+            <p className="text-sm text-muted mt-2 mb-4">
+              Connect your YouTube account to import your subscriptions and build your feed.
+            </p>
+            <button
+              onClick={onOpenWizard}
+              className="inline-flex items-center justify-center gap-2 px-5 py-2.5 rounded-xl font-semibold bg-accent text-accent-fg hover:opacity-90 transition"
+            >
+              Set up my feed
+            </button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      );
     return <div className="p-8 text-muted">No videos match these filters.</div>;
+  }
 
   return (
     <div className="p-4">
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/OnboardingWizard.tsx b/frontend/src/components/OnboardingWizard.tsx
index 2bc6981..51ac1dd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/OnboardingWizard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/OnboardingWizard.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import { useEffect } from "react";
-import { AlertTriangle, Check, ShieldCheck, X, Youtube } from "lucide-react";
-import type { Me } from "../lib/api";
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+import { useMutation, useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { AlertTriangle, Check, Loader2, RefreshCw, ShieldCheck, X, Youtube } from "lucide-react";
+import { api, type Me } from "../lib/api";
 import { beginGrant, endOnboarding } from "../lib/onboarding";
 
 // A first-login wizard that walks the user through granting YouTube access one scope at a
@@ -10,6 +11,8 @@ import { beginGrant, endOnboarding } from "../lib/onboarding";
 //
 // The visible step is derived from what's already granted, so the wizard resumes correctly
 // after each redirect: no read -> "read", read but no write -> "write", both -> "done".
+// Right after read is granted, it auto-imports the user's subscriptions so they land on a
+// populated feed (channels already in the shared catalog appear instantly).
 
 // A small reusable heads-up so the Google consent warning never feels like a surprise.
 function ConsentHeadsUp() {
@@ -52,6 +55,42 @@ function Dots({ index, total }: { index: number; total: number }) {
 }
 
 export default function OnboardingWizard({ me, onClose }: { me: Me; onClose: () => void }) {
+  const qc = useQueryClient();
+  const importTriggered = useRef(false);
+
+  // Once we have read access, find out whether any subscriptions are imported yet.
+  const myStatus = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ["my-status"],
+    queryFn: api.myStatus,
+    enabled: me.can_read,
+  });
+
+  const importSubs = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: () => api.syncSubscriptions(),
+    onSuccess: () => {
+      // Feed/channels/status now have content — refresh the app behind the wizard.
+      qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["feed"] });
+      qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["feed-count"] });
+      qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["channels"] });
+      qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["my-status"] });
+    },
+  });
+
+  // First time we see read access with zero imported channels, pull the user's
+  // subscriptions automatically so they don't have to hunt for a button.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (
+      me.can_read &&
+      myStatus.data &&
+      myStatus.data.channels_total === 0 &&
+      !importTriggered.current
+    ) {
+      importTriggered.current = true;
+      importSubs.mutate();
+    }
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [me.can_read, myStatus.data?.channels_total]);
+
   // Closing without finishing the essential read step suppresses future auto-popups
   // (it stays reachable from Settings). Once read is granted, closing is just "done".
   const close = () => {
@@ -68,6 +107,15 @@ export default function OnboardingWizard({ me, onClose }: { me: Me; onClose: ()
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, [me.can_read]);
 
+  // Are we currently importing (or about to)? Show a progress screen instead of the
+  // "you're connected" step until the first import settles.
+  const importing =
+    me.can_read &&
+    !importSubs.isError &&
+    (importSubs.isPending ||
+      (importTriggered.current && !importSubs.isSuccess) ||
+      (myStatus.data?.channels_total === 0 && !importSubs.isSuccess));
+
   const step = !me.can_read ? "read" : !me.can_write ? "write" : "done";
   const stepIndex = step === "read" ? 0 : step === "write" ? 1 : 2;
 
@@ -112,18 +160,53 @@ export default function OnboardingWizard({ me, onClose }: { me: Me; onClose: ()
           </>
         )}
 
-        {step === "write" && (
+        {/* Read granted: show import progress before the optional write step. */}
+        {me.can_read && importing && (
+          <>
+            <div className="mx-auto mb-4 grid place-items-center w-12 h-12 rounded-2xl bg-accent/15 text-accent">
+              <Loader2 className="w-6 h-6 animate-spin" />
+            </div>
+            <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">Building your feed…</h2>
+            <p className="text-sm text-muted leading-relaxed mt-2 mb-2">
+              Importing your YouTube subscriptions. Channels already in Siftlode show up
+              instantly; any new ones fill in automatically in the background.
+            </p>
+          </>
+        )}
+
+        {step === "write" && !importing && (
           <>
             <div className="mx-auto mb-4 grid place-items-center w-12 h-12 rounded-2xl bg-accent/15 text-accent">
               <Check className="w-6 h-6" />
             </div>
             <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">You're connected</h2>
             <p className="text-sm text-muted leading-relaxed mt-2 mb-4">
-              Your feed is ready. Optionally, you can let Siftlode{" "}
-              <span className="text-fg/90">unsubscribe</span> from channels on YouTube for you —
-              this needs an extra write permission. Skip it to stay read-only; you can always
-              enable it later in Settings.
+              {importSubs.isError ? (
+                <>Your YouTube account is connected, but importing subscriptions failed — you
+                can retry from Settings → Sync. </>
+              ) : (
+                <>
+                  Your feed is ready
+                  {myStatus.data ? ` (${myStatus.data.channels_total} channels)` : ""}. Optionally,
+                  let Siftlode{" "}
+                </>
+              )}
+              {!importSubs.isError && (
+                <>
+                  <span className="text-fg/90">unsubscribe</span> from channels on YouTube for you
+                  — this needs an extra write permission. Skip it to stay read-only; you can
+                  always enable it later in Settings.
+                </>
+              )}
             </p>
+            {importSubs.isError && (
+              <button
+                onClick={() => importSubs.mutate()}
+                className="mb-3 inline-flex items-center justify-center gap-2 px-4 py-2 rounded-xl text-sm bg-card border border-border hover:border-accent transition"
+              >
+                <RefreshCw className="w-4 h-4" /> Retry import
+              </button>
+            )}
             <ConsentHeadsUp />
             <div className="mt-5 flex flex-col gap-2">
               <button
@@ -145,7 +228,7 @@ export default function OnboardingWizard({ me, onClose }: { me: Me; onClose: ()
           </>
         )}
 
-        {step === "done" && (
+        {step === "done" && !importing && (
           <>
             <div className="mx-auto mb-4 grid place-items-center w-12 h-12 rounded-2xl bg-accent/15 text-accent">
               <Check className="w-6 h-6" />