diff --git a/vue/src/components/AppNav.vue b/vue/src/components/AppNav.vue
index 67a2451..ea1cfcb 100644
--- a/vue/src/components/AppNav.vue
+++ b/vue/src/components/AppNav.vue
@@ -162,8 +162,8 @@ function handleToggleLayout() {
     <div class="app-nav__wrapper">
       <span class="app-nav__title">RSS Reader<span v-if="unreadCount" class="app-nav__unread"> ({{ unreadCount }})</span></span>
       <span
+        v-if="isSyncing"
         class="app-nav__sync-spinner"
-        :class="{ 'app-nav__sync-spinner--active': isSyncing }"
         aria-hidden="true"
       ></span>
       <select
@@ -268,11 +268,6 @@ function handleToggleLayout() {
   border-radius: 50%;
   opacity: 0.6;
   flex-shrink: 0;
-  visibility: hidden;
-}
-
-.app-nav__sync-spinner--active {
-  visibility: visible;
   animation: app-nav-spin 0.8s linear infinite;
 }
 
@@ -283,7 +278,7 @@ function handleToggleLayout() {
 }
 
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-  .app-nav__sync-spinner--active {
+  .app-nav__sync-spinner {
     animation: none;
   }
 }
diff --git a/vue/src/components/__tests__/AppNav.spec.js b/vue/src/components/__tests__/AppNav.spec.js
index ce9dad6..44d4e28 100644
--- a/vue/src/components/__tests__/AppNav.spec.js
+++ b/vue/src/components/__tests__/AppNav.spec.js
@@ -311,16 +311,14 @@ describe('AppNav', () => {
   })
 
   describe('sync spinner', () => {
-    it('always renders the spinner, inactive, when idle', async () => {
+    it('does not render the spinner, and reserves no space for it, when idle', async () => {
       const wrapper = mountNav()
       await flushPromises()
 
-      const spinner = wrapper.find('.app-nav__sync-spinner')
-      expect(spinner.exists()).toBe(true)
-      expect(spinner.classes()).not.toContain('app-nav__sync-spinner--active')
+      expect(wrapper.find('.app-nav__sync-spinner').exists()).toBe(false)
     })
 
-    it('activates while a sync triggered through the composable is in flight, and deactivates once it resolves', async () => {
+    it('renders while a sync triggered through the composable is in flight, and disappears once it resolves', async () => {
       const wrapper = mountNav()
       await flushPromises()
 
@@ -330,25 +328,35 @@ describe('AppNav', () => {
       const syncPromise = sync(true)
       await nextTick()
 
-      expect(wrapper.find('.app-nav__sync-spinner').classes()).toContain('app-nav__sync-spinner--active')
+      expect(wrapper.find('.app-nav__sync-spinner').exists()).toBe(true)
 
       axios.get.mockResolvedValueOnce({ data: { feeds: [] } })
       resolvePost({ status: 200 })
       await syncPromise
       await nextTick()
 
-      expect(wrapper.find('.app-nav__sync-spinner').classes()).not.toContain('app-nav__sync-spinner--active')
+      expect(wrapper.find('.app-nav__sync-spinner').exists()).toBe(false)
     })
 
-    it('renders even on a page where the feed filter itself does not render', async () => {
+    it('renders while syncing even on a page where the feed filter itself does not render', async () => {
       await router.push('/login')
       await router.isReady()
 
       const wrapper = mountNav()
       await flushPromises()
 
+      let resolvePost
+      axios.post.mockReturnValueOnce(new Promise(resolve => { resolvePost = resolve }))
+      const { sync } = useFeeds()
+      const syncPromise = sync(true)
+      await nextTick()
+
       expect(wrapper.find('.app-nav__filter').exists()).toBe(false)
       expect(wrapper.find('.app-nav__sync-spinner').exists()).toBe(true)
+
+      axios.get.mockResolvedValueOnce({ data: { feeds: [] } })
+      resolvePost({ status: 200 })
+      await syncPromise
     })
   })