diff --git a/frontend/src/components/maps/LocationMapBottomSheet.jsx b/frontend/src/components/maps/LocationMapBottomSheet.jsx
index 3995588..ac6090f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/maps/LocationMapBottomSheet.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/maps/LocationMapBottomSheet.jsx
@@ -46,7 +46,13 @@ export default function LocationMapBottomSheet({
   onDeleteObject,
 }) {
   const selectedTitle = selectedObject?.label || selectedObject?.zone_name || "Map Area";
-  const selectedItemCountLabel = `${selectedZoneItems.length} item${selectedZoneItems.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}`;
+  const selectedAssignedItems = selectedObject?.zone_id
+    ? (mapState?.items || []).filter((item) => String(item.zone_id || "") === objectZoneId(selectedObject))
+    : [];
+  const hasHiddenSelectedItems = selectedAssignedItems.length > 0 && selectedZoneItems.length === 0;
+  const selectedItemCountLabel = hasHiddenSelectedItems
+    ? "0 shown"
+    : `${selectedZoneItems.length} item${selectedZoneItems.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}`;
   const sheetTitle = mode === "edit"
     ? selectedObject && editorTool === "edit"
       ? "Object Settings"
@@ -58,6 +64,14 @@ export default function LocationMapBottomSheet({
       : "Map Details";
   const showEditorControls = mode === "edit" && canManage;
   const showSelectedObjectForm = Boolean(mode === "edit" && editorTool === "edit" && selectedObject);
+  const showSelectedZoneItems = () => {
+    setFilters((current) => ({
+      ...current,
+      showMyItems: true,
+      showOtherItems: true,
+      showCompleted: true,
+    }));
+  };
   const editorActions = showEditorControls ? (
     <div className="location-map-editor-actions location-map-primary-actions">
       <button type="button" onClick={onAddObject}>Add Area</button>
@@ -218,7 +232,18 @@ export default function LocationMapBottomSheet({
             <span>{selectedItemCountLabel}</span>
           </div>
           {selectedZoneItems.length === 0 ? (
-            <p className="location-map-muted">No visible items assigned to this zone.</p>
+            <div className="location-map-zone-empty">
+              <p className="location-map-muted">
+                {hasHiddenSelectedItems
+                  ? "Items are assigned here, but hidden by layer filters."
+                  : "No items assigned to this zone yet."}
+              </p>
+              {hasHiddenSelectedItems ? (
+                <button type="button" onClick={showSelectedZoneItems}>
+                  Show Zone Items
+                </button>
+              ) : null}
+            </div>
           ) : (
             <ul>
               {selectedZoneItems.map((item) => (
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css b/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css
index e8c23db..a3c7ee5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css
@@ -477,6 +477,23 @@
   text-align: center;
 }
 
+.location-map-zone-empty {
+  display: grid;
+  gap: 0.55rem;
+}
+
+.location-map-zone-empty button {
+  min-height: 40px;
+  width: fit-content;
+  padding: 0.45rem 0.7rem;
+  border: 1px solid var(--color-border-light);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  background: #15283b;
+  color: #f8fafc;
+  font-weight: 800;
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+
 .location-map-zone-items ul,
 .location-map-unmapped-list ul {
   display: grid;
diff --git a/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts b/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts
index c53f187..e7cdd44 100644
--- a/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts
@@ -480,6 +480,128 @@ test("viewer wraps long zone labels and keeps item counts visible", async ({ pag
   await expect(produceArea.locator(".location-map-count")).toHaveAttribute("y", "92");
 });
 
+test("viewer explains when selected zone items are hidden by filters", async ({ page }) => {
+  await mockMapShell(page);
+
+  const mapState = publishedMapState([
+    {
+      id: 1551,
+      location_map_id: 901,
+      zone_id: 502,
+      zone_name: "Frozen Foods",
+      type: "zone",
+      label: "Frozen Foods",
+      x: 40,
+      y: 40,
+      width: 260,
+      height: 160,
+      rotation: 0,
+      locked: false,
+      visible: true,
+      sort_order: 1,
+    },
+  ], true);
+
+  await page.route("**/households/1/locations/10/map", async (route) => {
+    await route.fulfill({
+      status: 200,
+      contentType: "application/json",
+      body: JSON.stringify(mapState),
+    });
+  });
+
+  await page.goto("/stores/100/locations/10/map");
+
+  const frozenArea = page.locator('[data-object-key="1551"]');
+  await expect(frozenArea.locator(".location-map-count")).toHaveText("0 items");
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-pin")).toHaveCount(0);
+
+  await frozenArea.locator("rect").first().click();
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-zone-items-title span")).toHaveText("0 shown");
+  await expect(page.getByText("Items are assigned here, but hidden by layer filters.")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText("frozen salmon")).toHaveCount(0);
+
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Show Zone Items" }).click();
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-zone-items-title span")).toHaveText("1 item");
+  await expect(page.getByText("frozen salmon")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(frozenArea.locator(".location-map-count")).toHaveText("1 item");
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-pin")).toHaveCount(0);
+});
+
+test("viewer handles empty and many-item zone panels without default pins", async ({ page }) => {
+  await mockMapShell(page);
+
+  const manyItems = Array.from({ length: 14 }, (_, index) => ({
+    id: 3000 + index,
+    item_name: `bulk item ${index + 1}`,
+    quantity: index + 1,
+    bought: false,
+    zone_id: 501,
+    zone: "Bakery",
+    added_by_users: ["map-user"],
+  }));
+  const mapState = {
+    ...publishedMapState([
+      {
+        id: 1561,
+        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,
+      },
+      {
+        id: 1562,
+        location_map_id: 901,
+        zone_id: 502,
+        zone_name: "Frozen Foods",
+        type: "zone",
+        label: "Frozen Foods",
+        x: 340,
+        y: 40,
+        width: 260,
+        height: 160,
+        rotation: 0,
+        locked: false,
+        visible: true,
+        sort_order: 2,
+      },
+    ], true),
+    items: manyItems,
+    unmapped_count: 0,
+  };
+
+  await page.route("**/households/1/locations/10/map", async (route) => {
+    await route.fulfill({
+      status: 200,
+      contentType: "application/json",
+      body: JSON.stringify(mapState),
+    });
+  });
+
+  await page.goto("/stores/100/locations/10/map");
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-pin")).toHaveCount(0);
+
+  await page.locator('[data-object-key="1562"]').locator("rect").first().click();
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-zone-items-title span")).toHaveText("0 items");
+  await expect(page.getByText("No items assigned to this zone yet.")).toBeVisible();
+
+  await page.locator('[data-object-key="1561"]').locator("rect").first().click();
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-zone-items-title span")).toHaveText("14 items");
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-zone-items li")).toHaveCount(14);
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-zone-items li").first()).toContainText("bulk item 1");
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-zone-items li").last()).toContainText("bulk item 14");
+  await expect(page.locator(".location-map-pin")).toHaveCount(0);
+});
+
 test("mobile editor uses bottom sheet controls instead of desktop object toolbar", async ({ page }) => {
   await page.setViewportSize({ width: 390, height: 844 });
   await mockMapShell(page);