diff --git a/frontend/src/App.vue b/frontend/src/App.vue
index 327b6e3..066830e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/App.vue
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ import { householdAPI } from './services/api'
 
 type Tab = 'inventory' | 'receipts' | 'recipes' | 'settings'
 
-const currentTab = ref<Tab>('inventory')
+const currentTab = ref<Tab>('recipes')
 const sidebarCollapsed = ref(false)
 const inventoryStore = useInventoryStore()
 const { kiwiVisible, kiwiDirection } = useEasterEggs()
@@ -198,6 +198,11 @@ async function switchTab(tab: Tab) {
 }
 
 onMounted(async () => {
+  // Pre-fetch inventory so Recipes tab has data on first load
+  if (inventoryStore.items.length === 0) {
+    await inventoryStore.fetchItems()
+  }
+
   // Handle household invite links: /#/join?household_id=xxx&token=yyy
   const hash = window.location.hash
   if (hash.includes('/join')) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/BuildYourOwnTab.vue b/frontend/src/components/BuildYourOwnTab.vue
index d2b8071..108f8b7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/BuildYourOwnTab.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/BuildYourOwnTab.vue
@@ -132,14 +132,24 @@
         </div>
       </template>
 
-      <!-- No-match state -->
-      <p
-        v-if="!candidatesLoading && !candidatesError && filteredCompatible.length === 0 && filteredOther.length === 0"
-        class="text-sm text-secondary mb-sm"
-      >
-        Nothing in your pantry fits this role yet. You can skip it or
-        <button class="btn-link" @click="recipesStore.missingIngredientMode = 'greyed'">show options to add.</button>
-      </p>
+      <!-- No-match state: nothing compatible AND nothing visible in other section.
+           filteredOther items are hidden when mode is 'hidden', so check visibility too. -->
+      <template v-if="!candidatesLoading && !candidatesError && filteredCompatible.length === 0 && (filteredOther.length === 0 || recipesStore.missingIngredientMode === 'hidden')">
+        <!-- Custom freeform input: text filter with no matches → offer "use anyway" -->
+        <div v-if="recipesStore.builderFilterMode === 'text' && filterText.trim().length > 0" class="custom-ingredient-prompt mb-sm">
+          <p class="text-sm text-secondary mb-xs">
+            No match for "{{ filterText.trim() }}" in your pantry.
+          </p>
+          <button class="btn btn-secondary" @click="useCustomIngredient">
+            Use "{{ filterText.trim() }}" anyway
+          </button>
+        </div>
+        <!-- No pantry items at all for this role -->
+        <p v-else class="text-sm text-secondary mb-sm">
+          Nothing in your pantry fits this role yet. You can skip it or
+          <button class="btn-link" @click="recipesStore.missingIngredientMode = 'greyed'">show options to add.</button>
+        </p>
+      </template>
 
       <!-- Skip / Next -->
       <div class="byo-actions">
@@ -273,6 +283,17 @@ function toggleIngredient(name: string) {
   roleOverrides.value = { ...roleOverrides.value, [role]: [...current] }
 }
 
+function useCustomIngredient() {
+  const name = filterText.value.trim()
+  if (!name) return
+  const role = currentRole.value?.display
+  if (!role) return
+  const current = new Set(roleOverrides.value[role] ?? [])
+  current.add(name)
+  roleOverrides.value = { ...roleOverrides.value, [role]: [...current] }
+  filterText.value = ''
+}
+
 async function selectTemplate(tmpl: AssemblyTemplateOut) {
   selectedTemplate.value = tmpl
   wizardStep.value = 0
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/RecipesView.vue b/frontend/src/components/RecipesView.vue
index ab8ca89..0c4f579 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/RecipesView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/RecipesView.vue
@@ -595,9 +595,10 @@
 </template>
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref, computed, onMounted, nextTick } from 'vue'
+import { ref, computed, onMounted, nextTick, watch } from 'vue'
 import { useRecipesStore } from '../stores/recipes'
 import { useInventoryStore } from '../stores/inventory'
+import { useSavedRecipesStore } from '../stores/savedRecipes'
 import RecipeDetailPanel from './RecipeDetailPanel.vue'
 import RecipeBrowserPanel from './RecipeBrowserPanel.vue'
 import SavedRecipesPanel from './SavedRecipesPanel.vue'
@@ -613,18 +614,19 @@ const inventoryStore = useInventoryStore()
 // Tab state
 type TabId = 'find' | 'browse' | 'saved' | 'community' | 'build'
 const tabs: Array<{ id: TabId; label: string }> = [
+  { id: 'saved',     label: 'Saved' },
+  { id: 'build',     label: 'Build Your Own' },
+  { id: 'community', label: 'Community' },
   { id: 'find',      label: 'Find' },
   { id: 'browse',    label: 'Browse' },
-  { id: 'saved',     label: 'Saved' },
-  { id: 'community', label: 'Community' },
-  { id: 'build',     label: 'Build Your Own' },
 ]
-const activeTab = ref<TabId>('find')
+const activeTab = ref<TabId>('saved')
+const savedStore = useSavedRecipesStore()
 // Template ref for the Find-tab panel div (used for focus management on tab switch)
 const findPanelRef = ref<HTMLElement | null>(null)
 
 function onTabKeydown(e: KeyboardEvent) {
-  const tabIds: TabId[] = ['find', 'browse', 'saved', 'community', 'build']
+  const tabIds: TabId[] = ['saved', 'build', 'community', 'find', 'browse']
   const current = tabIds.indexOf(activeTab.value)
   if (e.key === 'ArrowRight') {
     e.preventDefault()
@@ -919,7 +921,20 @@ onMounted(async () => {
   if (inventoryStore.items.length === 0) {
     await inventoryStore.fetchItems()
   }
+  // Pre-load saved recipes so we know immediately whether to redirect
+  await savedStore.load()
 })
+
+// If Saved tab is empty after loading, bounce to Build Your Own
+watch(
+  () => ({ loading: savedStore.loading, count: savedStore.saved.length }),
+  ({ loading, count }) => {
+    if (!loading && count === 0 && activeTab.value === 'saved') {
+      activeTab.value = 'build'
+    }
+  },
+  { immediate: true },
+)
 </script>
 
 <style scoped>