diff --git a/DivanRazor/Pages/Index.cshtml b/DivanRazor/Pages/Index.cshtml
index f77a6fa7..884ea5bf 100644
--- a/DivanRazor/Pages/Index.cshtml
+++ b/DivanRazor/Pages/Index.cshtml
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ else
                 <select name="author" id="author">
                     <option value="0" selected>تمام شعرا کے کلام میں</option>
                     @{
-                        foreach (RMuseum.Models.Divan.ViewModels.DivanPoetViewModel poet in Model.Poets)
+                        foreach (RMuseum.Models.Divan.ViewModels.DivanPoetViewModel poet in Model.Poets ?? new())
                         {
                             <option value="@poet.Id">@poet.Nickname</option>
                         }
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ else
             <div id="main">
                 <div id="guides">
 
+                    @if (Model.PoetGroups != null && Model.PoetGroups.Any(g => g.Id == 0))
+                    {
                     <div id="home-popular-poets-row">
                         <div class="century">
                             مقبول شعرا
@@ -112,8 +114,35 @@ else
                             </div>
                         }
                     </div>
+                    }
 
-                    @{
+                    @if (Model.NoContentYet)
+                    {
+                        <div class="notice">
+                            <p>دیوان کا مواد تیار کیا جا رہا ہے۔ براہِ کرم کچھ دیر بعد دوبارہ تشریف لائیں۔</p>
+                            @if (Model.LoggedIn)
+                            {
+                                <p><a href="/Admin/PublicDataImport">مواد درآمد کریں</a></p>
+                            }
+                        </div>
+                    }
+                    else if (!Model.PoetGroups.Any(g => g.Id != 0))
+                    {
+                        @* century groups are rebuilt when an import finishes; until then list all poets *@
+                        <div class="century">شعرا</div>
+                        <div class="spacer">
+                            @foreach (var poet in Model.Poets)
+                            {
+                                <div class="poet" data-value="@poet.Nickname">
+                                    <div class="caption">
+                                        <a href="@poet.FullUrl">@poet.Nickname</a>
+                                    </div>
+                                </div>
+                            }
+                        </div>
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
                         <div class="century" id="cl">
                             صدیوں کے لحاظ سے
                         </div>
diff --git a/DivanRazor/Pages/Index.cshtml.cs b/DivanRazor/Pages/Index.cshtml.cs
index ab599240..fc90f1f0 100644
--- a/DivanRazor/Pages/Index.cshtml.cs
+++ b/DivanRazor/Pages/Index.cshtml.cs
@@ -165,11 +165,9 @@ namespace DivanRazor.Pages
             // empty database instead of rendering something useful. Steer the visitor toward
             // fixing that instead of letting them hit an unhandled exception: log in first if
             // needed, then straight to the admin page that can seed real content.
-            if (IsDatabaseEffectivelyEmpty())
-            {
-                const string targetUrl = "/Admin/PublicDataImport";
-                return LoggedIn ? Redirect(targetUrl) : Redirect($"/login?redirect={targetUrl}");
-            }
+            // divan: the home page is public. No poets yet -> public "being prepared" notice (admins get an
+            // import link in the view); poets but no century groups yet (e.g. mid-import) -> one flat group.
+            NoContentYet = IsDatabaseEffectivelyEmpty();
 
             ViewData["Title"] = "دیوان";
 
@@ -177,15 +175,18 @@ namespace DivanRazor.Pages
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// true if there's nothing meaningful to show on the home page yet — no poets at all, or
-        /// no century grouping (the "popular poets" group with Id == 0 that the view relies on).
+        /// true if there are no poets to show yet
         /// </summary>
         private bool IsDatabaseEffectivelyEmpty()
         {
-            return Poets == null || Poets.Count == 0
-                || PoetGroups == null || !PoetGroups.Any(g => g.Id == 0);
+            return Poets == null || Poets.Count == 0 || PoetGroups == null;
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// true when there is nothing to list yet (fresh install or import not started)
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool NoContentYet { get; set; }
+
         public async Task<IActionResult> OnGetPoetInformationAsync(int id)
         {
             if (id == 0)
diff --git a/DivanRazor/Pages/Partials/DivanPage/PageTypes/_PoetPagePartial.cshtml b/DivanRazor/Pages/Partials/DivanPage/PageTypes/_PoetPagePartial.cshtml
index 46139499..90afd512 100644
--- a/DivanRazor/Pages/Partials/DivanPage/PageTypes/_PoetPagePartial.cshtml
+++ b/DivanRazor/Pages/Partials/DivanPage/PageTypes/_PoetPagePartial.cshtml
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#quoteds">مشقِ سخن</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#words" onclick="javascript:loadWordCounts(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id, @Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Poet.Id, false)">الفاظ</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#recitations" onclick="javascript:loadCatRecitations(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">قرأتیں</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#photos">تصاویر</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#papersources">مطبوعہ مآخذ</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#persongraph" onclick="javascript:loadPersonGraph(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">شخصیات</a></div>
     </div>
@@ -69,7 +68,6 @@
         <div class="poemtablinks active"><a href="#quoteds">مشقِ سخن</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#words" onclick="javascript:loadWordCounts(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id, @Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Poet.Id, false)">الفاظ</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#recitations" onclick="javascript:loadCatRecitations(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">قرأتیں</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#photos">تصاویر</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#papersources">مطبوعہ مآخذ</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#persongraph" onclick="javascript:loadPersonGraph(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">شخصیات</a></div>
     </div>
@@ -84,7 +82,6 @@
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#quoteds">مشقِ سخن</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks active"><a href="#words" onclick="javascript:loadWordCounts(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id, @Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Poet.Id, false)">الفاظ</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#recitations" onclick="javascript:loadCatRecitations(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">قرأتیں</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#photos">تصاویر</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#papersources">مطبوعہ مآخذ</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#persongraph" onclick="javascript:loadPersonGraph(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">شخصیات</a></div>
     </div>
@@ -107,7 +104,6 @@
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#quoteds">مشقِ سخن</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#words" onclick="javascript:loadWordCounts(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id, @Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Poet.Id, false)">الفاظ</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks active"><a href="#recitations" onclick="javascript:loadCatRecitations(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">قرأتیں</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#photos">تصاویر</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#papersources">مطبوعہ مآخذ</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#persongraph" onclick="javascript:loadPersonGraph(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">شخصیات</a></div>
     </div>
@@ -125,39 +121,6 @@
         }
     </div>
 
-    @* Photos Section *@
-    <div class="poempretab" id="photos"></div>
-    <div class="poemtab">
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#pretab">اعداد و شمار</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#quoteds">مشقِ سخن</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#words" onclick="javascript:loadWordCounts(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id, @Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Poet.Id, false)">الفاظ</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#recitations" onclick="javascript:loadCatRecitations(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">قرأتیں</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks active"><a href="#photos">تصاویر</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#papersources">مطبوعہ مآخذ</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#persongraph" onclick="javascript:loadPersonGraph(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">شخصیات</a></div>
-    </div>
-    <div class="poemtabcontent">
-        <div class="related-images-frame">
-            @if (Model.Photo != null)
-            {
-                <div class="century">
-                    @Model.Photo.Title
-                    @if (Model.Photo.ChosenOne)
-                    {
-                        <i class="notranslate noindent-info-button done-icon"></i>
-                    }
-                </div>
-                <div class="clear-both">
-                    <img src="@Html.Raw(Model.Photo.ExternalNormalSizeImageUrl.Replace("/norm/", "/orig/"))" alt="@Model.Photo.Title" class="max-width-100per">
-                </div>
-                <div class="comments-like-div">
-                    @Html.Raw(Model.Photo.Description)
-                </div>
-            }
-            <a href="/photos?p=@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.UrlSlug" role="button" class="pagebutton comments-link">تصاویر دیکھیں اور تجویز کریں: @Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Poet.Nickname</a>
-        </div>
-    </div>
-
     @* Paper Sources Section *@
     @if (Model.DivanPage.SecondPoet == null)
     {
@@ -167,7 +130,6 @@
             <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#quoteds">مشقِ سخن</a></div>
             <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#words" onclick="javascript:loadWordCounts(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id, @Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Poet.Id, false)">الفاظ</a></div>
             <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#recitations" onclick="javascript:loadCatRecitations(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">قرأتیں</a></div>
-            <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#photos">تصاویر</a></div>
             <div class="poemtablinks active"><a href="#papersources">مطبوعہ مآخذ</a></div>
             <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#persongraph" onclick="javascript:loadPersonGraph(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">شخصیات</a></div>
         </div>
@@ -208,7 +170,6 @@
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#quoteds">مشقِ سخن</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#words" onclick="javascript:loadWordCounts(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id, @Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Poet.Id, false)">الفاظ</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#recitations" onclick="javascript:loadCatRecitations(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">قرأتیں</a></div>
-        <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#photos">تصاویر</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks"><a href="#papersources">مطبوعہ مآخذ</a></div>
         <div class="poemtablinks active"><a href="#persongraph" onclick="javascript:loadPersonGraph(@Model.DivanPage.PoetOrCat.Cat.Id)">شخصیات</a></div>
     </div>
diff --git a/DivanRazor/Pages/Shared/_DivanHead.cshtml b/DivanRazor/Pages/Shared/_DivanHead.cshtml
index 85cbbd84..97237895 100644
--- a/DivanRazor/Pages/Shared/_DivanHead.cshtml
+++ b/DivanRazor/Pages/Shared/_DivanHead.cshtml
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
-@* divan: Urdu fonts (Nastaliq default / Naskh option) + overrides, included in every page <head> after p8.css *@
+@* divan: Urdu fonts (Naskh default / Nastaliq option) + overrides, included in every page <head> after p8.css *@
 <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com" />
 <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin />
 <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Noto+Nastaliq+Urdu:wght@400..700&family=Noto+Naskh+Arabic:wght@400..700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet" />
 <link href="~/css/divan.css" asp-append-version="true" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
 <script>
-    // divan: Nastaliq (default) / Naskh font choice, applied before render to avoid a flash
-    try { if (localStorage.getItem("divan-font") === "naskh") document.documentElement.classList.add("font-naskh"); } catch (e) { }
+    // divan: Naskh (default) / Nastaliq font choice, applied before render to avoid a flash
+    try { if (localStorage.getItem("divan-font") === "nastaliq") document.documentElement.classList.add("font-nastaliq"); } catch (e) { }
     function toggleDivanFont() {
-        var naskh = document.documentElement.classList.toggle("font-naskh");
-        try { localStorage.setItem("divan-font", naskh ? "naskh" : "nastaliq"); } catch (e) { }
+        var nastaliq = document.documentElement.classList.toggle("font-nastaliq");
+        try { localStorage.setItem("divan-font", nastaliq ? "nastaliq" : "naskh"); } catch (e) { }
         var t = document.getElementById("font-toggle");
-        if (t) t.textContent = naskh ? "نسخ" : "نستعلیق";
+        if (t) t.textContent = nastaliq ? "نستعلیق" : "نسخ";
     }
 </script>
diff --git a/DivanRazor/Pages/Shared/_FooterPartial.cshtml b/DivanRazor/Pages/Shared/_FooterPartial.cshtml
index 4d47925e..36a494e6 100644
--- a/DivanRazor/Pages/Shared/_FooterPartial.cshtml
+++ b/DivanRazor/Pages/Shared/_FooterPartial.cshtml
@@ -129,9 +129,9 @@
     }
 </script>
 
-<a href="javascript:toggleDivanFont();" id="font-toggle" title="خط بدلیں: نستعلیق / نسخ">نستعلیق</a>
+<a href="javascript:toggleDivanFont();" id="font-toggle" title="خط بدلیں: نسخ / نستعلیق">نسخ</a>
 <script>
-    if (document.documentElement.classList.contains("font-naskh")) document.getElementById("font-toggle").textContent = "نسخ";
+    if (document.documentElement.classList.contains("font-nastaliq")) document.getElementById("font-toggle").textContent = "نستعلیق";
 </script>
 
 <a href="javascript:toggleColorScheme();" id="theme-toggle" title="رنگ بدلیں">
diff --git a/DivanRazor/wwwroot/css/divan.css b/DivanRazor/wwwroot/css/divan.css
index b10f214c..a3fbeb34 100644
--- a/DivanRazor/wwwroot/css/divan.css
+++ b/DivanRazor/wwwroot/css/divan.css
@@ -1,12 +1,19 @@
-/* Divan overrides on top of Divan's p8.css: Urdu fonts (Nastaliq default, Naskh option) + wordmark. */
+/* Divan overrides on top of upstream's p8.css: Urdu fonts (Naskh default, Nastaliq option), wordmark,
+   no poet/writer photos for now. */
 :root {
+    --divan-font: 'Noto Naskh Arabic', 'Noto Nastaliq Urdu', serif;
+    --divan-line-height: 2;
+}
+
+html.font-nastaliq {
     --divan-font: 'Noto Nastaliq Urdu', 'Noto Naskh Arabic', serif;
     --divan-line-height: 2.6;
 }
 
-html.font-naskh {
-    --divan-font: 'Noto Naskh Arabic', 'Noto Nastaliq Urdu', serif;
-    --divan-line-height: 2;
+/* poet/writer photos are not shown for now (every portrait is served from the API's /poet/image/ endpoint) */
+img[src*="/poet/image/"],
+a:has(> img[src*="/poet/image/"]) {   /* also the oval portrait frame around it on poet tiles */
+    display: none !important;
 }
 
 /* poem lines, prose paragraphs, titles */
diff --git a/reader/index.html b/reader/index.html
index f0d09c5e..163a5f81 100644
--- a/reader/index.html
+++ b/reader/index.html
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@
   /* Divan static reader: no server, reads the divan-data static API (ganjoor-data layout). */
   :root {
     --bg: #faf7f0; --card: #ffffff; --ink: #2b2620; --muted: #7a6f60; --line: #e6dfd2; --accent: #8a5a19;
-    --font: 'Noto Nastaliq Urdu', 'Noto Naskh Arabic', serif; --lh: 2.5;
+    --font: 'Noto Naskh Arabic', 'Noto Nastaliq Urdu', serif; --lh: 2;
   }
   @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
     :root { --bg: #17140f; --card: #211d17; --ink: #ece4d6; --muted: #a89c88; --line: #3a3328; --accent: #d9a55a; }
   }
-  html.naskh { --font: 'Noto Naskh Arabic', 'Noto Nastaliq Urdu', serif; --lh: 2; }
+  html.nastaliq { --font: 'Noto Nastaliq Urdu', 'Noto Naskh Arabic', serif; --lh: 2.5; }
   * { box-sizing: border-box; }
   body { margin: 0; background: var(--bg); color: var(--ink); font-family: var(--font); line-height: var(--lh); }
   a { color: var(--accent); text-decoration: none; }
@@ -45,13 +45,13 @@
   @media (max-width: 600px) { .b { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } .b p:last-child { text-align: right; padding-right: 32px; } }
   .msg { color: var(--muted); text-align: center; padding: 32px; }
 </style>
-<script>try { if (localStorage.getItem('divan-font') === 'naskh') document.documentElement.classList.add('naskh'); } catch (e) {}</script>
+<script>try { if (localStorage.getItem('divan-font') === 'nastaliq') document.documentElement.classList.add('nastaliq'); } catch (e) {}</script>
 </head>
 <body>
 <header>
   <h1><a href="#/">دیوان</a></h1>
   <span class="grow"></span>
-  <button id="font" type="button" title="خط بدلیں">نستعلیق</button>
+  <button id="font" type="button" title="خط بدلیں">نسخ</button>
 </header>
 <main id="app"><p class="msg">لوڈ ہو رہا ہے…</p></main>
 <script>
@@ -140,11 +140,11 @@ window.addEventListener('hashchange', route);
 route();
 
 var fontBtn = document.getElementById('font');
-fontBtn.textContent = document.documentElement.classList.contains('naskh') ? 'نسخ' : 'نستعلیق';
+fontBtn.textContent = document.documentElement.classList.contains('nastaliq') ? 'نستعلیق' : 'نسخ';
 fontBtn.onclick = function () {
-  var naskh = document.documentElement.classList.toggle('naskh');
-  try { localStorage.setItem('divan-font', naskh ? 'naskh' : 'nastaliq'); } catch (e) {}
-  fontBtn.textContent = naskh ? 'نسخ' : 'نستعلیق';
+  var nastaliq = document.documentElement.classList.toggle('nastaliq');
+  try { localStorage.setItem('divan-font', nastaliq ? 'nastaliq' : 'naskh'); } catch (e) {}
+  fontBtn.textContent = nastaliq ? 'نستعلیق' : 'نسخ';
 };
 </script>
 </body>