diff --git a/ui/ui.go b/ui/ui.go
index 3537d3f..d216b43 100644
--- a/ui/ui.go
+++ b/ui/ui.go
@@ -124,7 +124,9 @@ func (m *model) unloadDocument() []tea.Cmd {
 		batch = append(batch, tea.ClearScrollArea) //nolint:staticcheck
 	}
 
-	if !m.stash.shouldSpin() {
+	if !m.stash.loadingDone() && m.localFileFinder == nil {
+		batch = append(batch, findLocalFiles(*m.common), m.stash.spinner.Tick)
+	} else if !m.stash.shouldSpin() {
 		batch = append(batch, m.stash.spinner.Tick)
 	}
 	return batch
@@ -362,15 +364,7 @@ func findLocalFiles(m commonModel) tea.Cmd {
 			err error
 		)
 
-		if cwd == "" {
-			cwd, err = os.Getwd()
-		} else {
-			var info os.FileInfo
-			info, err = os.Stat(cwd)
-			if err == nil && info.IsDir() {
-				cwd, err = filepath.Abs(cwd)
-			}
-		}
+		cwd, err = localFileSearchRoot(cwd)
 
 		// Note that this is one error check for both cases above
 		if err != nil {
@@ -397,6 +391,21 @@ func findLocalFiles(m commonModel) tea.Cmd {
 	}
 }
 
+func localFileSearchRoot(path string) (string, error) {
+	if path == "" {
+		return os.Getwd()
+	}
+
+	info, err := os.Stat(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if !info.IsDir() {
+		path = filepath.Dir(path)
+	}
+	return filepath.Abs(path)
+}
+
 func findNextLocalFile(m model) tea.Cmd {
 	return func() tea.Msg {
 		res, ok := <-m.localFileFinder
diff --git a/ui/ui_test.go b/ui/ui_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..367aa4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/ui_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+package ui
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	tea "github.com/charmbracelet/bubbletea"
+)
+
+func TestLocalFileSearchRootUsesParentDirectoryForFiles(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "index.md")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte("# Test\n"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	got, err := localFileSearchRoot(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if got != dir {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %q, got %q", dir, got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestUnloadDocumentStartsSearchWhenListingWasNotLoaded(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "index.md")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte("# Test\n"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	initSections()
+	common := &commonModel{
+		cfg: Config{
+			Path:         path,
+			ShowAllFiles: true,
+		},
+	}
+	m := model{
+		common: common,
+		state:  stateShowDocument,
+		stash:  newStashModel(common),
+		pager:  newPagerModel(common),
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		if err := m.pager.watcher.Close(); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	})
+
+	cmds := m.unloadDocument()
+	if len(cmds) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("expected unload to start a local file search")
+	}
+
+	var msg tea.Msg
+	for _, cmd := range cmds {
+		msg = cmd()
+		if _, ok := msg.(initLocalFileSearchMsg); ok {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	got, ok := msg.(initLocalFileSearchMsg)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("expected initLocalFileSearchMsg, got %T", msg)
+	}
+	if got.cwd != dir {
+		t.Fatalf("expected search cwd %q, got %q", dir, got.cwd)
+	}
+	for range got.ch {
+	}
+}