diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus/invoke.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus/invoke.rs
index a0e7acae6..ee8e4c593 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus/invoke.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus/invoke.rs
@@ -109,7 +109,11 @@ pub fn invoke(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, id: &str, p: Value) {
     if waits_for_ime(app, id) {
         return;
     }
-    if SUBJECT_COMMANDS.contains(&id) && p.get("ids").is_none() && p.get("id").is_none() && !has_subject(app) {
+    if SUBJECT_COMMANDS.contains(&id)
+        && p.get("ids").is_none_or(|ids| ids.as_array().is_some_and(Vec::is_empty))
+        && p.get("id").is_none()
+        && !has_subject(app)
+    {
         return;
     }
     // Params first: some dialogs' fields take a look through the session (Move's last move).
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus/state.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus/state.rs
index 0c6bb8206..cffd3747d 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus/state.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus/state.rs
@@ -156,8 +156,9 @@ pub(crate) fn waits_for_ime(app: &VectorcraftApp, id: &str) -> bool {
 }
 
 /// Engine commands that take `ids` and otherwise act on the Appearance panel's subject (the
-/// targeted layer, group or object, else the selection). Without `ids` and without a subject they
-/// are off, as the panel's buttons are: in menus, in the command palette and on their keys.
+/// targeted layer, group or object, else the selection). Without `ids` (or with an empty list) and
+/// without a subject they are off, as the panel's buttons are: in menus, in the command palette and
+/// on their keys.
 pub(super) const SUBJECT_COMMANDS: [&str; 2] = ["appearance.addFill", "appearance.addStroke"];
 
 /// Is there an Appearance panel subject: a targeted layer, group or object, or a selected one?
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/tests_appearance.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/tests_appearance.rs
index ed3e26892..82c2b9f20 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/tests_appearance.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/tests_appearance.rs
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ fn cmd_slash_adds_a_fill_and_cmd_alt_slash_a_stroke_as_the_panel_buttons_do() {
 }
 
 /// With nothing selected, Add New Fill and Add New Stroke are off in menus and the command palette
-/// as the Appearance panel's buttons are, and their keys run nothing (no error in the status bar).
-/// Given ids, they still add to those objects.
+/// as the Appearance panel's buttons are, and their keys run nothing (no error in the status bar);
+/// an empty `ids` list runs nothing either. Given ids, they still add to those objects.
 #[test]
 fn add_new_fill_and_stroke_are_off_without_a_selection() {
     let mut app = app_with_rect();
@@ -223,6 +223,8 @@ fn add_new_fill_and_stroke_are_off_without_a_selection() {
         out.textures_delta.clear();
         crate::menus::invoke(&mut app, id, json!({}));
         assert_eq!((items(&app), app.ui.status.as_str()), (before, ""), "{id} ran nothing");
+        crate::menus::invoke(&mut app, id, json!({"ids": []}));
+        assert_eq!((items(&app), app.ui.status.as_str()), (before, ""), "{id} with no ids ran nothing");
     }
     crate::menus::invoke(&mut app, "appearance.addFill", json!({"ids": [rect.0]}));
     assert_eq!((items(&app), app.ui.status.as_str()), (before + 1, ""), "given ids, it adds a fill");