diff --git a/apps/client/src/common/components/state/EmptyTableBody.module.scss b/apps/client/src/common/components/state/EmptyTableBody.module.scss
index 678dd083f..b2288ffef 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/common/components/state/EmptyTableBody.module.scss
+++ b/apps/client/src/common/components/state/EmptyTableBody.module.scss
@@ -8,9 +8,12 @@
     padding-top: 10vh;
   }
 
-  .empty {
-    width: 100%;
-    opacity: 0.8;
+  .inline {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+    gap: 1rem;
+    margin-top: 1em;
   }
 
   .text {
diff --git a/apps/client/src/common/components/state/EmptyTableBody.tsx b/apps/client/src/common/components/state/EmptyTableBody.tsx
index 98a771d4f..0edd2a22c 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/common/components/state/EmptyTableBody.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/common/components/state/EmptyTableBody.tsx
@@ -1,18 +1,33 @@
-import EmptyImage from '../../../assets/images/empty.svg?react';
+import { SupportedEntry } from 'ontime-types';
+import { IoAdd } from 'react-icons/io5';
+
+import { useTranslation } from '../../../translation/TranslationProvider';
+import Button from '../buttons/Button';
+import Empty from './Empty';
 
 import style from './EmptyTableBody.module.scss';
 
 interface EmptyTableBodyProps {
-  text: string;
+  handleAddNew?: (type: SupportedEntry) => void;
 }
 
-export default function EmptyTableBody({ text }: EmptyTableBodyProps) {
+export default function EmptyTableBody({ handleAddNew }: EmptyTableBodyProps) {
+  const { getLocalizedString } = useTranslation();
+  const text = getLocalizedString('common.no_data');
   return (
     <tbody className={style.emptyContainer}>
       <tr>
         <td colSpan={99} className={style.emptyCell}>
-          <EmptyImage className={style.empty} />
-          {text && <span className={style.text}>{text}</span>}
+          <Empty injectedStyles={{ marginTop: '5vh' }} />
+          <span className={style.text}>{text}</span>
+          {handleAddNew && (
+            <div className={style.inline}>
+              <Button onClick={() => handleAddNew(SupportedEntry.Event)} variant='primary' size='large'>
+                <IoAdd />
+                Create Event
+              </Button>
+            </div>
+          )}
         </td>
       </tr>
     </tbody>
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/manage-panel/ManageRundowns.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/manage-panel/ManageRundowns.tsx
index 3018cd916..0bc3e6c9b 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/manage-panel/ManageRundowns.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/manage-panel/ManageRundowns.tsx
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ export default function ManageRundowns() {
                       </td>
                       <td>
                         <DropdownMenu
-                          render={<IconButton variant='ghosted-white' />}
+                          render={<IconButton variant='ghosted-white' data-testId='rundown_menu' />}
                           items={[
                             {
                               type: 'item',
diff --git a/apps/client/src/views/cuesheet/cuesheet-table/CuesheetTable.tsx b/apps/client/src/views/cuesheet/cuesheet-table/CuesheetTable.tsx
index 89b155c68..32c3f60ac 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/views/cuesheet/cuesheet-table/CuesheetTable.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/views/cuesheet/cuesheet-table/CuesheetTable.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useTableNav } from '@table-nav/react';
 import { ColumnDef, Table, getCoreRowModel, useReactTable } from '@tanstack/react-table';
-import { OntimeEntry, TimeField, isOntimeDelay, isOntimeGroup, isOntimeMilestone } from 'ontime-types';
+import { OntimeEntry, SupportedEntry, TimeField, isOntimeDelay, isOntimeGroup, isOntimeMilestone } from 'ontime-types';
 import { ComponentProps, ReactNode, memo, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
 import {
   ContextProp,
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import { usePersistedRundownOptions } from '../../../features/rundown/rundown.op
 import { useEventSelection } from '../../../features/rundown/useEventSelection';
 import { AppMode } from '../../../ontimeConfig';
 import { usePersistedCuesheetOptions } from '../cuesheet.options';
+import { useCuesheetPermissions } from '../useTablePermissions';
 import { CuesheetHeader, SortableCuesheetHeader } from './cuesheet-table-elements/CuesheetHeader';
 import DelayRow from './cuesheet-table-elements/DelayRow';
 import EventRow from './cuesheet-table-elements/EventRow';
@@ -62,7 +63,8 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({
   insertElement,
 }: CuesheetTableProps) {
   const { flatRundown, status, selectedEventId } = source;
-  const { updateEntry, updateTimer } = useEntryActionsContext();
+  const { updateEntry, updateTimer, addEntry } = useEntryActionsContext();
+  const canCreateEntries = useCuesheetPermissions((state) => state.canCreateEntries) && cuesheetMode === AppMode.Edit;
 
   const useOptions = tableRoot === 'editor' ? usePersistedRundownOptions : usePersistedCuesheetOptions;
   const optionsStore = useOptions();
@@ -202,8 +204,9 @@ export default function CuesheetTable({
       listeners,
       rows,
       table,
+      handleAddNew: canCreateEntries ? (type: SupportedEntry) => addEntry({ type }) : undefined,
     }),
-    [columnSizeVars, cursor, listeners, rows, table],
+    [columnSizeVars, cursor, listeners, rows, table, addEntry, canCreateEntries],
   );
 
   const computeItemKey = useCallback((_: number, item: ExtendedEntry) => item.id, []);
@@ -273,10 +276,13 @@ interface CuesheetVirtuosoContext {
   listeners: ReturnType<typeof useTableNav>['listeners'];
   rows: ReturnType<Table<ExtendedEntry>['getRowModel']>['rows'];
   table: Table<ExtendedEntry>;
+  handleAddNew?: (type: SupportedEntry) => void;
 }
 
-const EmptyPlaceholder = memo(function EmptyPlaceholder() {
-  return <EmptyTableBody text='No data in rundown' />;
+const EmptyPlaceholder = memo(function EmptyPlaceholder({
+  context,
+}: TableProps & ContextProp<CuesheetVirtuosoContext>) {
+  return <EmptyTableBody handleAddNew={context.handleAddNew} />;
 });
 
 const CuesheetTableElement = memo(function CuesheetTableElement({
diff --git a/e2e/tests/features/202-cuesheet.spec.ts b/e2e/tests/features/202-cuesheet.spec.ts
index bb186c6df..a40112136 100644
--- a/e2e/tests/features/202-cuesheet.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/tests/features/202-cuesheet.spec.ts
@@ -108,3 +108,27 @@ test('cuesheet datagrid keeps keyboard focus flow while editing text cells', asy
   await expect(cueCell).toContainText(cueBeforeCancel);
   await expect(cueCell).toBeFocused();
 });
+
+test('cuesheet background edit from empty state', async ({ page }) => {
+  // create an empty rundown
+  await page.goto('/editor');
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Toggle settings' }).click();
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Manage rundowns' }).click();
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'New' }).nth(1).click();
+  const emptyName = `empty-${Date.now()}`;
+  await page.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Rundown title' }).fill(emptyName);
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Create rundown' }).click();
+
+  // edit it in the cuesheet
+  await page.getByRole('row', { name: '0 empty-' }).getByTestId('rundown_menu').click();
+  await page.getByText('Edit in cuesheet').click();
+
+  // expect to see and empty screen
+  await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Create Event' })).toBeVisible();
+
+  // create 1 event
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Create Event' }).click();
+
+  // and expect to find it
+  await expect(page.getByTestId('cuesheet-event')).toBeVisible();
+});