diff --git a/src/core/components/layouts/base.jsx b/src/core/components/layouts/base.jsx
index 1f5a0788..235366f7 100644
--- a/src/core/components/layouts/base.jsx
+++ b/src/core/components/layouts/base.jsx
@@ -61,7 +61,18 @@ export default class BaseLayout extends React.Component {
     const isSpecEmpty = !specSelectors.specStr()
 
     if(isSpecEmpty) {
-      return <h4>No spec provided.</h4>
+      let loadingMessage
+      if(isLoading) {
+        loadingMessage = <div className="loading"></div>
+      } else {
+        loadingMessage = <h4>No API definition provided.</h4>
+      }
+
+      return <div className="swagger-ui">
+        <div className="loading-container">
+          {loadingMessage}
+        </div>
+      </div>
     }
 
     return (
diff --git a/src/standalone/layout.jsx b/src/standalone/layout.jsx
index dc36b46e..30e46ccc 100644
--- a/src/standalone/layout.jsx
+++ b/src/standalone/layout.jsx
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+
+
 import React from "react"
 import PropTypes from "prop-types"
 
@@ -32,17 +34,21 @@ export default class StandaloneLayout extends React.Component {
         { Topbar ? <Topbar /> : null }
         { loadingStatus === "loading" &&
           <div className="info">
-            <h4 className="title">Loading...</h4>
+            <div className="loading-container">
+              <div className="loading"></div>
+            </div>
           </div>
         }
         { loadingStatus === "failed" &&
           <div className="info">
-            <h4 className="title">Failed to load spec.</h4>
+            <div className="loading-container">
+              <h4 className="title">Failed to load API definition.</h4>
+            </div>
           </div>
         }
         { loadingStatus === "failedConfig" &&
           <div className="info" style={{ maxWidth: "880px", marginLeft: "auto", marginRight: "auto", textAlign: "center" }}>
-            <h4 className="title">Failed to load config.</h4>
+            <h4 className="title">Failed to load remote configuration.</h4>
           </div>
         }
         { !loadingStatus || loadingStatus === "success" && <BaseLayout /> }
diff --git a/src/style/_layout.scss b/src/style/_layout.scss
index 1d399f76..72109a73 100644
--- a/src/style/_layout.scss
+++ b/src/style/_layout.scss
@@ -653,6 +653,11 @@
 .loading-container
 {
     padding: 40px 0 60px;
+    margin-top: 1em;
+    min-height: 1px;
+    display: flex;
+    justify-content: center;
+
     .loading
     {
         position: relative;