diff --git a/frontend/src/components/maps/LocationMapStateViews.jsx b/frontend/src/components/maps/LocationMapStateViews.jsx
index 26dd0de..38acb07 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/maps/LocationMapStateViews.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/maps/LocationMapStateViews.jsx
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 import LocationMapTopbar from "./LocationMapTopbar";
 
-export function LocationMapMessageState({ message }) {
+export function LocationMapMessageState({ message, location, status = "Loading", onBack }) {
+  const showTopbar = Boolean(location && onBack);
+
   return (
     <div className="location-map-page">
-      <p className="location-map-loading">{message}</p>
+      {showTopbar ? (
+        <LocationMapTopbar location={location} status={status} onBack={onBack} />
+      ) : null}
+      <main className="location-map-workspace location-map-message-workspace">
+        <p className="location-map-loading">{message}</p>
+      </main>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/LocationMapManager.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/LocationMapManager.jsx
index 958b476..26ca2c2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/LocationMapManager.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/LocationMapManager.jsx
@@ -369,7 +369,14 @@ export default function LocationMapManager() {
   });
 
   if (!hasLoaded || householdLoading || loading) {
-    return <LocationMapMessageState message="Loading map..." />;
+    return (
+      <LocationMapMessageState
+        message="Loading map..."
+        location={location}
+        status="Loading"
+        onBack={requestBackNavigation}
+      />
+    );
   }
 
   if (!activeHousehold) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css b/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css
index 523d84d..4a878a5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@
   background: rgba(148, 163, 184, 0.16);
 }
 
+.location-map-status-loading {
+  background: rgba(148, 163, 184, 0.16);
+}
+
 .location-map-status-draft {
   background: rgba(245, 158, 11, 0.2);
   border-color: rgba(245, 158, 11, 0.36);
@@ -902,6 +906,12 @@
   color: #9fb3c8;
 }
 
+.location-map-message-workspace {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+}
+
 @media (min-width: 840px) {
   .location-map-workspace {
     grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 360px;
diff --git a/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts b/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts
index 40318d0..8301734 100644
--- a/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts
@@ -490,6 +490,68 @@ test("load failure shows retryable error instead of no-map setup", async ({ page
   expect(attempts).toBe(2);
 });
 
+test("loading map keeps location context visible", async ({ page }) => {
+  await mockMapShell(page);
+
+  const mapState = publishedMapState([
+    {
+      id: 461,
+      location_map_id: 901,
+      zone_id: 501,
+      zone_name: "Bakery",
+      type: "zone",
+      label: "Bakery",
+      x: 40,
+      y: 40,
+      width: 260,
+      height: 160,
+      rotation: 0,
+      locked: false,
+      visible: true,
+      sort_order: 1,
+    },
+  ], true);
+  let resolveMapRequestStarted: () => void = () => {};
+  let releaseMapResponse: () => void = () => {};
+  let resolveMapResponseSent: () => void = () => {};
+  const mapRequestStarted = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    resolveMapRequestStarted = resolve;
+  });
+  const mapResponseGate = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    releaseMapResponse = resolve;
+  });
+  const mapResponseSent = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    resolveMapResponseSent = resolve;
+  });
+
+  await page.route("**/households/1/locations/10/map", async (route) => {
+    resolveMapRequestStarted();
+    await mapResponseGate;
+    await route.fulfill({
+      status: 200,
+      contentType: "application/json",
+      body: JSON.stringify(mapState),
+    });
+    resolveMapResponseSent();
+  });
+
+  const navigation = page.goto("/stores/100/locations/10/map");
+  await mapRequestStarted;
+
+  await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Costco" })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText("Eastvale")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Back to grocery list" })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-status")).toHaveText("Loading");
+  await expect(page.getByText("Loading map...")).toBeVisible();
+
+  releaseMapResponse();
+  await mapResponseSent;
+  await navigation;
+
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-status")).toHaveText("Published");
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Map area Bakery" })).toBeVisible();
+});
+
 test("ignores stale map responses after switching locations", async ({ page }) => {
   await mockMapShell(page, adminHousehold, [storeLocation, secondStoreLocation]);