diff --git a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/ConfigModal/SharedStyles.tsx b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/ConfigModal/SharedStyles.tsx
index b51ac560722..eccae1077d9 100644
--- a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/ConfigModal/SharedStyles.tsx
+++ b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/ConfigModal/SharedStyles.tsx
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ export const BaseModalWrapper = styled(StyledModal)<BaseModalWrapperProps>`
 export const BaseModalBody = styled.div<BaseModalBodyProps>`
   display: flex;
   height: 100%;
+  min-height: 500px;
   flex-direction: row;
   flex: 1;
 
diff --git a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx
index 2ece961fd33..d00093f0c51 100644
--- a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx
+++ b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx
@@ -17,7 +17,13 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
-import { act, render, screen, userEvent } from 'spec/helpers/testing-library';
+import {
+  act,
+  fireEvent,
+  render,
+  screen,
+  userEvent,
+} from 'spec/helpers/testing-library';
 import { stateWithoutNativeFilters } from 'spec/fixtures/mockStore';
 import { testWithId } from 'src/utils/testUtils';
 import { Preset, makeApi } from '@superset-ui/core';
@@ -387,6 +393,15 @@ test('FilterBar apply button is disabled after creating a filter', async () => {
   userEvent.click(screen.getByTestId(getTestId('collapsable')));
   userEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText('setting'));
   userEvent.click(screen.getByText('Add or edit filters and controls'));
+
+  // First add a filter via the dropdown (modal now shows empty state by default)
+  const dropdownButton = screen.getByTestId('new-item-dropdown-button');
+  fireEvent.mouseEnter(dropdownButton);
+  const addFilterMenuItem = await screen.findByRole('menuitem', {
+    name: /add filter/i,
+  });
+  fireEvent.click(addFilterMenuItem);
+
   userEvent.click(screen.getByText('Value'));
   userEvent.click(screen.getByText('Time range'));
   userEvent.type(
diff --git a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FilterBar/FilterBarSettings/index.tsx b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FilterBar/FilterBarSettings/index.tsx
index 199287e678d..018c8dd14b3 100644
--- a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FilterBar/FilterBarSettings/index.tsx
+++ b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FilterBar/FilterBarSettings/index.tsx
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ const FilterBarSettings = () => {
 
   const { openFilterConfigModal, FilterConfigModalComponent } =
     useFilterConfigModal({
-      createNewOnOpen: filterValues.length === 0,
+      createNewOnOpen: false,
       dashboardId,
     });
 
diff --git a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/ConfigModalContent/ConfigModalContent.tsx b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/ConfigModalContent/ConfigModalContent.tsx
index 156a710e498..8bbd7fd8b96 100644
--- a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/ConfigModalContent/ConfigModalContent.tsx
+++ b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/ConfigModalContent/ConfigModalContent.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ import {
 } from '@superset-ui/core';
 import type { FormInstance } from '@superset-ui/core/components';
 import { styled } from '@apache-superset/core/theme';
-import { Flex } from '@superset-ui/core/components';
+import { EmptyState, Flex } from '@superset-ui/core/components';
+import { t } from '@apache-superset/core/translation';
 import FilterContentRenderer from './FilterContentRenderer';
 import CustomizationContentRenderer from './CustomizationContentRenderer';
 import { FiltersConfigFormHandle } from '../FiltersConfigForm/FiltersConfigForm';
@@ -105,6 +106,28 @@ function ConfigModalContent({
     isChartCustomizationId(currentItemId) &&
     chartCustomizationIds.includes(currentItemId);
 
+  const hasNoItems =
+    filterState.orderedIds.length === 0 &&
+    customizationState.orderedIds.length === 0;
+  const showEmptyState = hasNoItems || !currentItemId;
+
+  if (showEmptyState) {
+    return (
+      <StyledContentFlex vertical>
+        <Flex flex={1}>
+          <EmptyState
+            size="small"
+            title=""
+            image="empty.svg"
+            description={t(
+              'Manage filters and customizations to set scoping, descriptions, and limitations. Create new elements for better dashboard insights.',
+            )}
+          />
+        </Flex>
+      </StyledContentFlex>
+    );
+  }
+
   return (
     <StyledContentFlex vertical>
       <div
diff --git a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/ConfigModalSidebar/ConfigModalSidebar.tsx b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/ConfigModalSidebar/ConfigModalSidebar.tsx
index 03f07951594..b46a59215ff 100644
--- a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/ConfigModalSidebar/ConfigModalSidebar.tsx
+++ b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/ConfigModalSidebar/ConfigModalSidebar.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { FC, ReactNode, useCallback, useState } from 'react';
 import { t } from '@apache-superset/core/translation';
 import { NativeFilterType, ChartCustomizationType } from '@superset-ui/core';
 import { styled } from '@apache-superset/core/theme';
-import { Collapse, Flex } from '@superset-ui/core/components';
+import { Collapse, EmptyState, Flex } from '@superset-ui/core/components';
 import type { DragEndEvent } from '@dnd-kit/core';
 import {
   DndContext,
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ const StyledSidebarFlex = styled(Flex)`
 
 const StyledHeaderFlex = styled(Flex)`
   padding: ${({ theme }) => theme.sizeUnit * 3}px;
+
+  & button {
+    width: 100%;
+  }
 `;
 
 // min-height: 0 lets the flex item shrink below its content size so that
@@ -264,6 +268,9 @@ const ConfigModalSidebar: FC<ConfigModalSidebarProps> = ({
     </div>
   );
 
+  const hasNoItems =
+    filterOrderedIds.length === 0 && customizationOrderedIds.length === 0;
+
   return (
     <DndContext
       sensors={sensors}
@@ -279,54 +286,65 @@ const ConfigModalSidebar: FC<ConfigModalSidebarProps> = ({
             onAddCustomization={onAddCustomization}
           />
         </StyledHeaderFlex>
-        <StyledCollapse
-          key={formValuesVersion}
-          activeKey={activeCollapseKeys}
-          onChange={keys => onCollapseChange(keys as string[])}
-          ghost
-          isDragging={isDragging}
-        >
-          <StyledCollapse.Panel key="filters" header={filtersHeader}>
-            <ItemSectionContent
-              currentItemId={currentItemId}
-              items={filterOrderedIds}
-              removedItems={filterRemovedItems}
-              erroredItems={filterErroredItems}
-              getItemTitle={getTitle}
-              onChange={onChange}
-              onRearrange={onRearrange}
-              onRemove={onRemove}
-              restoreItem={restoreItem}
-              dataTestId="filter-title-container"
-              deleteAltText={t('Remove filter')}
-              dragType={FILTER_TYPE}
-              isCurrentSection={isFilterId(currentItemId)}
-              onCrossListDrop={handleFilterCrossListDrop}
+        {hasNoItems ? (
+          <Flex>
+            <EmptyState
+              size="small"
+              title=""
+              image="empty.svg"
+              description={t('No filters or customizations created yet')}
             />
-          </StyledCollapse.Panel>
-
-          <StyledCollapse.Panel
-            key="chartCustomizations"
-            header={customizationsHeader}
+          </Flex>
+        ) : (
+          <StyledCollapse
+            key={formValuesVersion}
+            activeKey={activeCollapseKeys}
+            onChange={keys => onCollapseChange(keys as string[])}
+            ghost
+            isDragging={isDragging}
           >
-            <ItemSectionContent
-              currentItemId={currentItemId}
-              items={customizationOrderedIds}
-              removedItems={customizationRemovedItems}
-              erroredItems={customizationErroredItems}
-              getItemTitle={getTitle}
-              onChange={onChange}
-              onRearrange={onRearrange}
-              onRemove={onRemove}
-              restoreItem={restoreItem}
-              dataTestId="customization-title-container"
-              deleteAltText={t('Remove customization')}
-              dragType={CUSTOMIZATION_TYPE}
-              isCurrentSection={isChartCustomizationId(currentItemId)}
-              onCrossListDrop={handleCustomizationCrossListDrop}
-            />
-          </StyledCollapse.Panel>
-        </StyledCollapse>
+            <StyledCollapse.Panel key="filters" header={filtersHeader}>
+              <ItemSectionContent
+                currentItemId={currentItemId}
+                items={filterOrderedIds}
+                removedItems={filterRemovedItems}
+                erroredItems={filterErroredItems}
+                getItemTitle={getTitle}
+                onChange={onChange}
+                onRearrange={onRearrange}
+                onRemove={onRemove}
+                restoreItem={restoreItem}
+                dataTestId="filter-title-container"
+                deleteAltText={t('Remove filter')}
+                dragType={FILTER_TYPE}
+                isCurrentSection={isFilterId(currentItemId)}
+                onCrossListDrop={handleFilterCrossListDrop}
+              />
+            </StyledCollapse.Panel>
+
+            <StyledCollapse.Panel
+              key="chartCustomizations"
+              header={customizationsHeader}
+            >
+              <ItemSectionContent
+                currentItemId={currentItemId}
+                items={customizationOrderedIds}
+                removedItems={customizationRemovedItems}
+                erroredItems={customizationErroredItems}
+                getItemTitle={getTitle}
+                onChange={onChange}
+                onRearrange={onRearrange}
+                onRemove={onRemove}
+                restoreItem={restoreItem}
+                dataTestId="customization-title-container"
+                deleteAltText={t('Remove customization')}
+                dragType={CUSTOMIZATION_TYPE}
+                isCurrentSection={isChartCustomizationId(currentItemId)}
+                onCrossListDrop={handleCustomizationCrossListDrop}
+              />
+            </StyledCollapse.Panel>
+          </StyledCollapse>
+        )}
       </StyledSidebarFlex>
     </DndContext>
   );
diff --git a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/FiltersConfigModal.test.tsx b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/FiltersConfigModal.test.tsx
index 36f9977c2ce..3583671ad59 100644
--- a/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/FiltersConfigModal.test.tsx
+++ b/superset-frontend/src/dashboard/components/nativeFilters/FiltersConfigModal/FiltersConfigModal.test.tsx
@@ -772,3 +772,58 @@ test('renders a filter with a chart containing BigInt values', async () => {
 
   expect(screen.getByText(FILTER_TYPE_REGEX)).toBeInTheDocument();
 });
+
+test('displays empty state when modal opens with no filters and createNewOnOpen is false', () => {
+  defaultRender(defaultState(), { ...props, createNewOnOpen: false });
+
+  // Check left panel empty state
+  expect(
+    screen.getByText('No filters or customizations created yet'),
+  ).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+  // Check right panel empty state
+  expect(
+    screen.getByText(
+      /Manage filters and customizations to set scoping, descriptions, and limitations/,
+    ),
+  ).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+  // Verify no filter form is rendered (no "Untitled" filter created)
+  expect(screen.queryByText(FILTER_TYPE_REGEX)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+});
+
+test('does not auto-create a filter when createNewOnOpen is false', () => {
+  defaultRender(defaultState(), { ...props, createNewOnOpen: false });
+
+  // The filter configuration form should not be visible
+  expect(screen.queryByText(FILTER_NAME_REGEX)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  expect(screen.queryByText(DATASET_REGEX)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+});
+
+test('empty state disappears when a filter is added via dropdown', async () => {
+  defaultRender(defaultState(), {
+    ...props,
+    createNewOnOpen: false,
+  });
+
+  // Verify empty state is shown initially
+  expect(
+    screen.getByText('No filters or customizations created yet'),
+  ).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+  // Add a filter via the dropdown
+  const dropdownButton = screen.getByTestId('new-item-dropdown-button');
+  fireEvent.mouseEnter(dropdownButton);
+  const addFilterMenuItem = await screen.findByRole('menuitem', {
+    name: /add filter/i,
+  });
+  fireEvent.click(addFilterMenuItem);
+
+  // Verify empty state is gone and filter form is shown
+  await waitFor(() => {
+    expect(
+      screen.queryByText('No filters or customizations created yet'),
+    ).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+  expect(screen.getByText(FILTER_TYPE_REGEX)).toBeInTheDocument();
+});