diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/DownloadsSection.java b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/DownloadsSection.java
index 06de7803a..af497bbe8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/DownloadsSection.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/DownloadsSection.java
@@ -6,36 +6,39 @@ import android.view.ContextMenu;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
+
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
 import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.LinearLayoutManager;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.R;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.activity.MainActivity;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.episodeslist.EpisodeItemListAdapter;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.DownloadLogEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.MenuItemUtils;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.storage.database.DBReader;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.FeedItemEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.PlayerStatusEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.playback.PlaybackPositionEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.download.CompletedDownloadsFragment;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.swipeactions.SwipeActions;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.FeedItem;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.FeedItemFilter;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.SortOrder;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.storage.preferences.UserPreferences;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.home.HomeSection;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.episodeslist.EpisodeItemViewHolder;
-import io.reactivex.Observable;
-import io.reactivex.android.schedulers.AndroidSchedulers;
-import io.reactivex.disposables.Disposable;
-import io.reactivex.schedulers.Schedulers;
+
 import org.greenrobot.eventbus.Subscribe;
 import org.greenrobot.eventbus.ThreadMode;
 
 import java.util.List;
 
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.R;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.activity.MainActivity;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.DownloadLogEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.FeedItemEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.PlayerStatusEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.playback.PlaybackPositionEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.FeedItem;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.FeedItemFilter;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.SortOrder;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.storage.database.DBReader;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.storage.preferences.UserPreferences;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.MenuItemUtils;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.episodeslist.EpisodeItemListAdapter;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.episodeslist.EpisodeItemViewHolder;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.download.CompletedDownloadsFragment;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.home.HomeSection;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.swipeactions.SwipeActions;
+import io.reactivex.Observable;
+import io.reactivex.android.schedulers.AndroidSchedulers;
+import io.reactivex.disposables.Disposable;
+import io.reactivex.schedulers.Schedulers;
+
 public class DownloadsSection extends HomeSection {
     public static final String TAG = "DownloadsSection";
     private static final int NUM_EPISODES = 2;
@@ -63,6 +66,7 @@ public class DownloadsSection extends HomeSection {
         };
         adapter.setDummyViews(NUM_EPISODES);
         viewBinding.recyclerView.setAdapter(adapter);
+        viewBinding.emptyLabel.setText(R.string.home_downloads_empty_text);
 
         SwipeActions swipeActions = new SwipeActions(this, CompletedDownloadsFragment.TAG);
         swipeActions.attachTo(viewBinding.recyclerView);
@@ -133,6 +137,7 @@ public class DownloadsSection extends HomeSection {
                     items = downloads;
                     adapter.setDummyViews(0);
                     adapter.updateItems(items);
+                    viewBinding.emptyLabel.setVisibility(items.isEmpty() ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
                 }, error -> Log.e(TAG, Log.getStackTraceString(error)));
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/EpisodesSurpriseSection.java b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/EpisodesSurpriseSection.java
index 09f060f81..1f1a633c7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/EpisodesSurpriseSection.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/EpisodesSurpriseSection.java
@@ -6,27 +6,12 @@ import android.view.ContextMenu;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
+
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
 import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.LinearLayoutManager;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.R;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.activity.MainActivity;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.episodeslist.HorizontalItemListAdapter;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.MenuItemUtils;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.storage.database.DBReader;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.EpisodeDownloadEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.FeedItemEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.PlayerStatusEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.playback.PlaybackPositionEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.AllEpisodesFragment;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.FeedItem;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.home.HomeSection;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.episodeslist.HorizontalItemViewHolder;
-import io.reactivex.Observable;
-import io.reactivex.android.schedulers.AndroidSchedulers;
-import io.reactivex.disposables.Disposable;
-import io.reactivex.schedulers.Schedulers;
+
 import org.greenrobot.eventbus.Subscribe;
 import org.greenrobot.eventbus.ThreadMode;
 
@@ -34,6 +19,24 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Random;
 
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.R;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.activity.MainActivity;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.EpisodeDownloadEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.FeedItemEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.PlayerStatusEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.playback.PlaybackPositionEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.FeedItem;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.storage.database.DBReader;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.MenuItemUtils;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.episodeslist.HorizontalItemListAdapter;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.episodeslist.HorizontalItemViewHolder;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.AllEpisodesFragment;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.home.HomeSection;
+import io.reactivex.Observable;
+import io.reactivex.android.schedulers.AndroidSchedulers;
+import io.reactivex.disposables.Disposable;
+import io.reactivex.schedulers.Schedulers;
+
 public class EpisodesSurpriseSection extends HomeSection {
     public static final String TAG = "EpisodesSurpriseSection";
     private static final int NUM_EPISODES = 8;
@@ -69,6 +72,7 @@ public class EpisodesSurpriseSection extends HomeSection {
         if (seed == 0) {
             seed = new Random().nextInt();
         }
+        viewBinding.emptyLabel.setText(R.string.home_no_recent_unplayed_episodes_text);
         return view;
     }
 
@@ -149,6 +153,11 @@ public class EpisodesSurpriseSection extends HomeSection {
                     this.episodes = episodes;
                     listAdapter.setDummyViews(0);
                     listAdapter.updateData(episodes);
+
+                    boolean isShuffleable = !episodes.isEmpty();
+                    viewBinding.shuffleButton.setVisibility(isShuffleable ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
+                    viewBinding.recyclerView.setVisibility(isShuffleable ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
+                    viewBinding.emptyLabel.setVisibility(!isShuffleable ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
                 }, error -> Log.e(TAG, Log.getStackTraceString(error)));
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/InboxSection.java b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/InboxSection.java
index d30fa85bc..7bb791746 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/InboxSection.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/InboxSection.java
@@ -6,30 +6,13 @@ import android.view.ContextMenu;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
+
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
 import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 import androidx.core.util.Pair;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.LinearLayoutManager;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.R;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.activity.MainActivity;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.episodeslist.EpisodeItemListAdapter;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.MenuItemUtils;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.storage.database.DBReader;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.EpisodeDownloadEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.FeedItemEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.FeedListUpdateEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.UnreadItemsUpdateEvent;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.InboxFragment;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.swipeactions.SwipeActions;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.FeedItem;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.FeedItemFilter;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.storage.preferences.UserPreferences;
-import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.home.HomeSection;
-import io.reactivex.Observable;
-import io.reactivex.android.schedulers.AndroidSchedulers;
-import io.reactivex.disposables.Disposable;
-import io.reactivex.schedulers.Schedulers;
+
 import org.greenrobot.eventbus.Subscribe;
 import org.greenrobot.eventbus.ThreadMode;
 
@@ -37,6 +20,26 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Locale;
 
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.R;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.activity.MainActivity;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.EpisodeDownloadEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.FeedItemEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.FeedListUpdateEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.event.UnreadItemsUpdateEvent;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.FeedItem;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.model.feed.FeedItemFilter;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.storage.database.DBReader;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.storage.preferences.UserPreferences;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.MenuItemUtils;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.episodeslist.EpisodeItemListAdapter;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.InboxFragment;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.screen.home.HomeSection;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.ui.swipeactions.SwipeActions;
+import io.reactivex.Observable;
+import io.reactivex.android.schedulers.AndroidSchedulers;
+import io.reactivex.disposables.Disposable;
+import io.reactivex.schedulers.Schedulers;
+
 public class InboxSection extends HomeSection {
     public static final String TAG = "InboxSection";
     private static final int NUM_EPISODES = 2;
@@ -53,7 +56,7 @@ public class InboxSection extends HomeSection {
         viewBinding.recyclerView.setOverScrollMode(RecyclerView.OVER_SCROLL_NEVER);
         viewBinding.recyclerView.setLayoutManager(new LinearLayoutManager(getContext(), RecyclerView.VERTICAL, false));
         viewBinding.recyclerView.setRecycledViewPool(((MainActivity) requireActivity()).getRecycledViewPool());
-        adapter = new EpisodeItemListAdapter((MainActivity) requireActivity()) {
+        adapter = new EpisodeItemListAdapter(requireActivity()) {
             @Override
             public void onCreateContextMenu(ContextMenu menu, View v, ContextMenu.ContextMenuInfo menuInfo) {
                 super.onCreateContextMenu(menu, v, menuInfo);
@@ -62,6 +65,7 @@ public class InboxSection extends HomeSection {
         };
         adapter.setDummyViews(NUM_EPISODES);
         viewBinding.recyclerView.setAdapter(adapter);
+        viewBinding.emptyLabel.setText(R.string.home_new_empty_text);
 
         SwipeActions swipeActions = new SwipeActions(this, InboxFragment.TAG);
         swipeActions.attachTo(viewBinding.recyclerView);
@@ -129,7 +133,8 @@ public class InboxSection extends HomeSection {
                     items = data.first;
                     adapter.setDummyViews(0);
                     adapter.updateItems(items);
-                    viewBinding.numNewItemsLabel.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+                    viewBinding.emptyLabel.setVisibility(items.isEmpty() ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
+                    viewBinding.numNewItemsLabel.setVisibility(!items.isEmpty() ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
                     if (data.second >= 100) {
                         viewBinding.numNewItemsLabel.setText(String.format(Locale.getDefault(), "%d+", 99));
                     } else {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/QueueSection.java b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/QueueSection.java
index 790992420..a06f4baba 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/QueueSection.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/ui/screen/home/sections/QueueSection.java
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ public class QueueSection extends HomeSection {
         viewBinding.recyclerView.setAdapter(listAdapter);
         int paddingHorizontal = (int) (12 * getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density);
         viewBinding.recyclerView.setPadding(paddingHorizontal, 0, paddingHorizontal, 0);
+        viewBinding.emptyLabel.setText(R.string.home_continue_empty_text);
         return view;
     }
 
@@ -156,6 +157,7 @@ public class QueueSection extends HomeSection {
                     this.queue = queue;
                     listAdapter.setDummyViews(0);
                     listAdapter.updateData(queue);
+                    viewBinding.emptyLabel.setVisibility(queue.isEmpty() ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
                 }, error -> Log.e(TAG, Log.getStackTraceString(error)));
 
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/home_section.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/home_section.xml
index f8379b0ff..3064b7d44 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/home_section.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/home_section.xml
@@ -106,4 +106,14 @@
         tools:listitem="@layout/horizontal_itemlist_item"
         tools:itemCount="1" />
 
+    <TextView
+        android:id="@+id/emptyLabel"
+        android:layout_width="match_parent"
+        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+        android:visibility="gone"
+        android:paddingHorizontal="32dp"
+        android:paddingVertical="8dp"
+        android:textAlignment="center"
+        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/barrier" />
+
 </androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>
diff --git a/ui/i18n/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/ui/i18n/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index ea9d23fb0..8b0fbf25b 100644
--- a/ui/i18n/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/ui/i18n/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@
     <string name="home_continue_title">Continue listening</string>
     <string name="home_new_title">See what\'s new</string>
     <string name="home_downloads_title">Manage downloads</string>
+    <string name="home_no_recent_unplayed_episodes_text">You already played all recent episodes. Nothing to be surprised here ;)</string>
+    <string name="home_continue_empty_text">You can add episodes by downloading them or long-pressing them and selecting \"Add to queue\".</string>
+    <string name="home_new_empty_text">New episodes will show up here. You can then decide whether you are interested in them.</string>
+    <string name="home_downloads_empty_text">You can download any episode to listen to it offline.</string>
     <string name="home_welcome_title">Welcome to AntennaPod!</string>
     <string name="home_welcome_text">You are not subscribed to any podcasts yet. Open the side menu to add a podcast.</string>
     <string name="notification_permission_text">AntennaPod needs your permission to show notifications. By default, AntennaPod only shows notifications while something is being downloaded or when something goes wrong.</string>