diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesSection.integration.test.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesSection.integration.test.tsx
index ed5c7a1016e..175783b382b 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesSection.integration.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesSection.integration.test.tsx
@@ -581,9 +581,10 @@ describe("AgentTracesSection", () => {
   it("plots every loaded run on the timeline", async () => {
     serve(runs);
     renderWindowed();
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("traces-timeline")).toHaveAttribute("aria-busy", "true");
     await screen.findAllByTestId("agent-trace-row");
 
-    expect(screen.getByTestId("traces-timeline")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByTestId("traces-timeline")).toHaveAttribute("aria-busy", "false"));
     const counts = bucketRunCounts();
     expect(counts).toHaveLength(60);
     expect(counts.reduce((a, b) => a + b, 0)).toBe(runs.length);
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesSection.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesSection.tsx
index fb66f473984..61fd228cec6 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesSection.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesSection.tsx
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ export function AgentTracesSection({
     () => ({ startMs: traceWindowStartMs(startTime, endTime, isCustomDate, endMs), endMs }),
     [startTime, endTime, isCustomDate, endMs],
   );
-  const buckets = useTraceHistogram(accessToken, range, query, isActive);
+  const histogram = useTraceHistogram(accessToken, range, query, isActive);
   const runs = traces.traces;
   const runRefs = useMemo(() => runs.map(traceRefOf), [runs]);
 
@@ -191,7 +191,13 @@ export function AgentTracesSection({
             />
           )}
         </RunsToolbar>
-        <TracesTimeline buckets={buckets} range={range} selection={zoom} onSelect={setZoom} />
+        <TracesTimeline
+          buckets={histogram.buckets}
+          loading={histogram.isLoading}
+          range={range}
+          selection={zoom}
+          onSelect={setZoom}
+        />
         <AgentTracesTable
           traces={runs}
           isLoading={traces.isLoading || (checkHistory && history.isLoading)}
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesTable.test.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesTable.test.tsx
index 946244ab1bb..52f8544b351 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesTable.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesTable.test.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { fireEvent, render, screen, within } from "@testing-library/react";
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 import { renderWithProviders } from "../../../../../tests/test-utils";
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ describe("AgentTracesTable empty state", () => {
 });
 
 describe("AgentTracesTable loading state", () => {
-  it("announces the first page load instead of an empty table", () => {
+  it("fills the first page load with skeleton rows instead of an empty table", () => {
     render(
       inList(
         <AgentTracesTable
@@ -66,7 +66,11 @@ describe("AgentTracesTable loading state", () => {
         />,
       ),
     );
-    expect(screen.getByRole("status", { name: "Loading runs…" })).toBeVisible();
+    expect(screen.getByRole("status")).toHaveTextContent("Loading runs…");
+    const placeholders = screen.getAllByTestId("runs-placeholder");
+    expect(placeholders.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(8);
+    const columnCount = screen.getAllByRole("columnheader").length;
+    expect(within(placeholders[0]).getAllByRole("cell", { hidden: true })).toHaveLength(columnCount);
     expect(screen.queryByText(/No runs/)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 });
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesTable.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesTable.tsx
index fd0aeb0d350..d1d645d0446 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesTable.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/AgentTracesTable.tsx
@@ -7,12 +7,12 @@ import { useInView } from "react-intersection-observer";
 
 import { InspectorTable, useInspectorTable } from "@/components/shared/InspectorTable";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
 import { formatActivityTimestamp, formatRunTimestamp, localTimeZoneAbbreviation } from "@/utils/activityTimestamp";
 
 import { SpanIcon } from "../ui/SpanIcon";
 import { StatusMark } from "../ui/StatusMark";
 import { FrameworkLogo, traceFramework } from "../ui/TraceFramework";
-import { LoadingState } from "../../ui/LoadingState";
 import type { TraceSummary } from "../types";
 import { traceRefOf } from "../routing";
 import { fmtMs, previewText, traceDisplayName, traceAgentNames } from "../utils";
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ const runKey = (run: TraceSummary): string => run.trace_ref || run.trace_id;
 
 const PREFETCH_MARGIN = "0px 0px 480px 0px";
 const PLACEHOLDER_ROWS = [0, 1, 2];
+const SKELETON_ROWS = Array.from({ length: 12 }, (_, i) => i);
 const ROW_HEIGHT = 36;
 const MUTED_NUM = "font-mono text-muted-foreground";
 const NUM = "font-mono text-foreground";
@@ -93,9 +94,25 @@ const RUN_COLUMNS: ColumnDef<TraceSummary>[] = [
         {formatRunTimestamp(row.original.start_time)}
       </span>
     ),
-    meta: { className: "font-mono tabular-nums text-muted-foreground" },
+    meta: {
+      className: "font-mono tabular-nums text-muted-foreground",
+      renderSkeleton: () => <Skeleton className="h-3 w-24" />,
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    id: "agent",
+    size: 160,
+    header: "Agent",
+    cell: ({ row }) => <AgentCell run={row.original} />,
+    meta: {
+      renderSkeleton: () => (
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+          <Skeleton className="size-3.5 rounded-full" />
+          <Skeleton className="h-3 w-20" />
+        </div>
+      ),
+    },
   },
-  { id: "agent", size: 160, header: "Agent", cell: ({ row }) => <AgentCell run={row.original} /> },
   { id: "input", header: "Input", cell: ({ row }) => <InputCell run={row.original} /> },
   {
     id: "agents",
@@ -142,24 +159,12 @@ const RUN_COLUMNS: ColumnDef<TraceSummary>[] = [
     size: 32,
     header: "",
     cell: () => <ChevronRight className="size-3 text-muted-foreground/60" />,
-    meta: { className: "px-0" },
+    meta: { className: "px-0", renderSkeleton: () => null },
   },
 ];
 
-function PlaceholderRow({ rowRef }: { rowRef?: (node: Element | null) => void }) {
-  return (
-    <tr ref={rowRef} aria-hidden data-testid="runs-placeholder" className="h-9 border-b border-border/60">
-      <td className="px-3">
-        <div className="h-2.5 w-28 animate-pulse rounded-sm bg-muted motion-reduce:animate-none" />
-      </td>
-      <td className="px-3">
-        <div className="h-2.5 w-24 animate-pulse rounded-sm bg-muted motion-reduce:animate-none" />
-      </td>
-      <td className="px-3" colSpan={7}>
-        <div className="h-2.5 w-2/5 animate-pulse rounded-sm bg-muted motion-reduce:animate-none" />
-      </td>
-    </tr>
-  );
+function PlaceholderRow({ index, rowRef }: { index: number; rowRef?: (node: Element | null) => void }) {
+  return <InspectorTable.SkeletonRow ref={rowRef} index={index} data-testid="runs-placeholder" className="h-9" />;
 }
 
 function LoadMoreRows({ isFetching, onLoadMore }: { isFetching: boolean; onLoadMore: () => void }) {
@@ -168,7 +173,9 @@ function LoadMoreRows({ isFetching, onLoadMore }: { isFetching: boolean; onLoadM
   useEffect(() => {
     if (nearTail && !isFetching) onLoadMore();
   }, [nearTail, isFetching, onLoadMore]);
-  return PLACEHOLDER_ROWS.map((row) => <PlaceholderRow key={row} rowRef={row === 0 ? tailRef : undefined} />);
+  return PLACEHOLDER_ROWS.map((row) => (
+    <PlaceholderRow key={row} index={row} rowRef={row === 0 ? tailRef : undefined} />
+  ));
 }
 
 function EmptyRuns({ rangeEmpty, onSetUpTracing }: { rangeEmpty: boolean; onSetUpTracing: () => void }) {
@@ -216,12 +223,17 @@ export function AgentTracesTable({
   };
   const table = useReactTable(tableOptions);
   return (
-    <InspectorTable.Root table={table} data-testid="runs-table" className="flex flex-col">
+    <InspectorTable.Root table={table} data-testid="runs-table">
       <InspectorTable.Grid aria-label="Agent runs" aria-busy={isFetching} className="min-w-[900px] text-xs">
         <InspectorTable.Header />
         <InspectorTable.Body<TraceSummary>
           rowHeight={() => ROW_HEIGHT}
-          after={autoContinue && <LoadMoreRows isFetching={isFetching} onLoadMore={onLoadMore} />}
+          after={
+            <>
+              {isLoading && SKELETON_ROWS.map((row) => <PlaceholderRow key={row} index={row} />)}
+              {autoContinue && <LoadMoreRows isFetching={isFetching} onLoadMore={onLoadMore} />}
+            </>
+          }
         >
           {(row) => (
             <InspectorTable.Row
@@ -233,7 +245,11 @@ export function AgentTracesTable({
           )}
         </InspectorTable.Body>
       </InspectorTable.Grid>
-      {isLoading && <LoadingState title="Loading runs…" description="Fetching agent runs for this time range." />}
+      {isLoading && (
+        <p role="status" className="sr-only">
+          Loading runs…
+        </p>
+      )}
       {error && (
         <div role="alert" className="flex items-center justify-center gap-3 py-6 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
           <span>
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/TracesTimeline.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/TracesTimeline.tsx
index 43e1441ef4a..39f92475ef4 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/TracesTimeline.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/TracesTimeline.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { useRef, useState, type RefObject } from "react";
 import { useResizeObserver } from "usehooks-ts";
 
 import { DotFieldCanvas, DotFieldRoot } from "@/components/shared/dotField/DotField";
-import type { DotBand, DotColumn } from "@/components/shared/dotField/dots";
+import { type DotBand, type DotColumn, skeletonColumns } from "@/components/shared/dotField/dots";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/cva.config";
 
 export const BUCKETS = 60;
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ const MINUTE_MS = 60 * 1000;
 const HOUR_MS = 60 * MINUTE_MS;
 const DAY_MS = 24 * HOUR_MS;
 const EDGE_FORMAT = "MMM DD, HH:mm";
+const SKELETON_COLUMNS = skeletonColumns(BUCKETS);
 
 import type { TimeRange as TimeWindow } from "../api";
 
@@ -52,6 +53,8 @@ interface TracesTimelineProps {
   range: TimeWindow;
   selection: TimeWindow | null;
   onSelect: (selection: TimeWindow | null) => void;
+  /** Paint a muted placeholder profile until the first histogram arrives. */
+  loading?: boolean;
 }
 
 function BucketBar({ bucket }: { bucket: Bucket }) {
@@ -208,7 +211,7 @@ function TickAxis({ range }: { range: TimeWindow }) {
 }
 
 /** Histogram of runs over the window. Drag to select; drag the bracket or its edges to adjust; Esc clears. */
-export function TracesTimeline({ buckets, range, selection, onSelect }: TracesTimelineProps) {
+export function TracesTimeline({ buckets, range, selection, onSelect, loading = false }: TracesTimelineProps) {
   const [hover, setHover] = useState<number | null>(null);
   const [drag, setDrag] = useState<DragState | null>(null);
   const [draft, setDraft] = useState<Band | null>(null);
@@ -262,17 +265,19 @@ export function TracesTimeline({ buckets, range, selection, onSelect }: TracesTi
   };
 
   const labelFormat = edgeFormat(range);
+  const showTooltip = hover !== null && !drag && !loading;
 
   return (
     <div
       className="relative shrink-0 border-b border-border bg-card px-3 pt-2 pb-1 outline-none select-none"
       data-testid="traces-timeline"
+      aria-busy={loading}
       tabIndex={0}
       onKeyDown={onKeyDown}
     >
       <DotFieldRoot
         ref={areaRef}
-        columns={buckets}
+        columns={loading ? SKELETON_COLUMNS : buckets}
         band={band}
         hover={hover}
         role="presentation"
@@ -291,7 +296,7 @@ export function TracesTimeline({ buckets, range, selection, onSelect }: TracesTi
             data-testid="timeline-cursor"
           />
         )}
-        <DotFieldCanvas />
+        <DotFieldCanvas className={loading ? "animate-pulse motion-reduce:animate-none" : undefined} />
         <NowEdge />
         {buckets.map((b) => (
           <BucketBar key={b.startMs} bucket={b} />
@@ -309,7 +314,7 @@ export function TracesTimeline({ buckets, range, selection, onSelect }: TracesTi
       <div className="mt-1">
         <TickAxis range={range} />
       </div>
-      {hover !== null && !drag && <BucketTooltip bucket={buckets[hover]} index={hover} />}
+      {showTooltip && <BucketTooltip bucket={buckets[hover]} index={hover} />}
       {selection && (
         <button
           type="button"
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/useTraceHistogram.ts b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/useTraceHistogram.ts
index 623445e00e6..7d192eedb17 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/useTraceHistogram.ts
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/lens/traces/list/useTraceHistogram.ts
@@ -26,8 +26,19 @@ const emptyBuckets = (range: TimeRange): Bucket[] => {
   }));
 };
 
+export interface TraceHistogramResult {
+  buckets: Bucket[];
+  /** True until the first histogram for this scope arrives; a range change keeps the previous one instead. */
+  isLoading: boolean;
+}
+
 /** Matching runs per bucket across the whole range, counted by the server so every run is plotted, not just loaded ones. */
-export function useTraceHistogram(accessToken: string, range: TimeRange, q: string, enabled: boolean): Bucket[] {
+export function useTraceHistogram(
+  accessToken: string,
+  range: TimeRange,
+  q: string,
+  enabled: boolean,
+): TraceHistogramResult {
   const traces = useTracesApi(accessToken);
   const histogram = useQuery({
     queryKey: ["agentTraceHistogram", traces.scope, range.startMs, range.endMs, q],
@@ -36,5 +47,5 @@ export function useTraceHistogram(accessToken: string, range: TimeRange, q: stri
     placeholderData: keepPreviousData,
     select: toBuckets,
   });
-  return histogram.data ?? emptyBuckets(range);
+  return { buckets: histogram.data ?? emptyBuckets(range), isLoading: histogram.isLoading };
 }
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/InspectorTable.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/InspectorTable.tsx
index d5443fe9ac1..059ad1673ee 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/InspectorTable.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/InspectorTable.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { ChevronRight } from "lucide-react";
 import { createContext, Fragment, useContext, useState, type ComponentProps, type ReactNode } from "react";
 
 import { Inspector } from "@/components/shared/Inspector";
+import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
 import { TableBody, TableCell, TableHead, TableHeader } from "@/components/ui/table";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/cva.config";
 
@@ -137,6 +138,37 @@ function Row<T>({ row, item, className, ...props }: RowProps<T>) {
   );
 }
 
+const SKELETON_WIDTHS = ["w-[58%]", "w-[44%]", "w-[70%]", "w-[50%]", "w-[64%]", "w-[48%]"] as const;
+
+type SkeletonRowProps = ComponentProps<"tr"> & { readonly index: number };
+
+/** One placeholder row shaped by the visible columns: `meta.renderSkeleton` wins, numeric cells right-align. */
+function SkeletonRow({ index, className, ...props }: SkeletonRowProps) {
+  const { table } = useInspectorTable();
+  return (
+    <tr aria-hidden data-slot="table-skeleton-row" className={cn("border-b border-border/60", className)} {...props}>
+      {table.getVisibleLeafColumns().map((column, position) => {
+        const meta = column.columnDef.meta;
+        return (
+          <TableCell key={column.id} className={cn("px-3 py-0", meta?.numeric && NUMERIC, meta?.className)}>
+            {meta?.renderSkeleton ? (
+              meta.renderSkeleton()
+            ) : (
+              <Skeleton
+                className={cn(
+                  "h-3",
+                  SKELETON_WIDTHS[(index + position) % SKELETON_WIDTHS.length],
+                  meta?.numeric && "ml-auto",
+                )}
+              />
+            )}
+          </TableCell>
+        );
+      })}
+    </tr>
+  );
+}
+
 interface IndentProps<T> {
   readonly row: TanStackRow<T>;
   readonly toggleLabel?: (expanded: boolean) => string;
@@ -176,4 +208,4 @@ function Indent<T>({ row, toggleLabel = (expanded) => (expanded ? "Collapse" : "
   );
 }
 
-export const InspectorTable = { Root, Grid, Header, Body, Row, Indent } as const;
+export const InspectorTable = { Root, Grid, Header, Body, Row, SkeletonRow, Indent } as const;
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/dotField/dots.test.ts b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/dotField/dots.test.ts
index a3471f0b02d..d6dc822ae0d 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/dotField/dots.test.ts
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/dotField/dots.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
-import { DOT_COLS, DOT_ROWS, NEUTRAL_COLOR, SERIES_COLORS, columnDots, litDots, seriesColor } from "./dots";
+import {
+  DOT_COLS,
+  DOT_ROWS,
+  NEUTRAL_COLOR,
+  SERIES_COLORS,
+  columnDots,
+  litDots,
+  seriesColor,
+  skeletonColumns,
+} from "./dots";
 
 const capacity = DOT_ROWS * DOT_COLS;
 const column = (total: number, failed = 0, series: string[] = []) => ({ total, failed, series });
@@ -66,3 +75,20 @@ describe("seriesColor", () => {
     expect(SERIES_COLORS).not.toContain(seriesColor(""));
   });
 });
+
+describe("skeletonColumns", () => {
+  it("fills every column with muted, varied, failure-free placeholders", () => {
+    const columns = skeletonColumns(60);
+    expect(columns).toHaveLength(60);
+    expect(columns.every((column) => column.total > 0 && column.failed === 0)).toBe(true);
+    expect(new Set(columns.map((column) => column.total)).size).toBeGreaterThan(3);
+    const max = Math.max(...columns.map((column) => column.total));
+    const dots = columnDots(columns[0], max, 0);
+    expect(dots.filter((dot) => dot.kind === "series").every((dot) => dot.color === NEUTRAL_COLOR)).toBe(true);
+    expect(columns.every((column) => (column.opacity ?? 1) < 1)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("is deterministic so the placeholder does not jump between renders", () => {
+    expect(skeletonColumns(60)).toEqual(skeletonColumns(60));
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/dotField/dots.ts b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/dotField/dots.ts
index 5cfc4cf75af..9dd2440dbd5 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/dotField/dots.ts
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/shared/dotField/dots.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,18 @@ export interface DotBand {
 
 const hash = (seed: number, value: number): number => Math.imul(seed ^ Math.imul(value, 0x9e3779b1), 0x85ebca6b) >>> 0;
 
+const SKELETON_OPACITY = 0.35;
+
+/** Muted placeholder columns to paint while the real ones load: a gentle swell with per-column jitter. */
+export function skeletonColumns(count: number): readonly DotColumn[] {
+  return Array.from({ length: count }, (_, i) => ({
+    total: 1 + Math.round(3 * (1 + Math.sin(i / 3.5))) + (hash(29, i) % 3),
+    failed: 0,
+    series: [],
+    opacity: SKELETON_OPACITY,
+  }));
+}
+
 export function seriesColor(name: string): string {
   if (!name) return NEUTRAL_COLOR;
   const code = Array.from(name).reduce((total, char) => hash(total, char.charCodeAt(0)), 7);