diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index de5c52a..eedc5f6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
 ## Unreleased
 ### Added
 ### Changed
+
+* `river`: expand to an empty list of particles when river is not
+  running ([#384][384]).
+
+[384]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/yambar/issues/384
+
+
 ### Deprecated
 ### Removed
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/modules/river.c b/modules/river.c
index 2619c62..ec25f9f 100644
--- a/modules/river.c
+++ b/modules/river.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ struct seat {
 struct private
 {
     struct module *mod;
+    bool is_running;
     struct zxdg_output_manager_v1 *xdg_output_manager;
     struct zriver_status_manager_v1 *status_manager;
     struct particle *template;
@@ -88,6 +89,11 @@ content(struct module *mod)
 
     mtx_lock(&m->mod->lock);
 
+    if (!m->is_running) {
+        mtx_unlock(&m->mod->lock);
+        return dynlist_exposable_new(NULL, 0, 0, 0);
+    }
+
     uint32_t urgent = 0;
     uint32_t occupied = 0;
     uint32_t output_focused = 0;
@@ -685,6 +691,8 @@ run(struct module *mod)
         goto out;
     }
 
+    m->is_running = true;
+
     wl_display_roundtrip(display);
 
     while (true) {