diff --git a/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/Reader.tsx b/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/Reader.tsx
index 76349784e7..f981394036 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/Reader.tsx
+++ b/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/Reader.tsx
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@ export const Reader = ({ entityId, onReady }: Props) => {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!rawPage || !shadowDomRef.current) {
+      // clear the shadow dom if no content is available
+      if (shadowDomRef.current?.shadowRoot) {
+        shadowDomRef.current.shadowRoot.innerHTML = '';
+      }
       return;
     }
     if (onReady) {
diff --git a/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/useReaderState.test.tsx b/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/useReaderState.test.tsx
index ebc9277096..b0d4e0326a 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/useReaderState.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/useReaderState.test.tsx
@@ -102,11 +102,13 @@ describe('useReaderState', () => {
     });
 
     it.each`
-      type         | oldActiveSyncState      | newActiveSyncState
-      ${'content'} | ${'BUILD_READY'}        | ${'UP_TO_DATE'}
-      ${'content'} | ${'BUILD_READY_RELOAD'} | ${'UP_TO_DATE'}
-      ${'sync'}    | ${'BUILD_READY'}        | ${undefined}
-      ${'sync'}    | ${'BUILD_READY_RELOAD'} | ${undefined}
+      type                | oldActiveSyncState      | newActiveSyncState
+      ${'contentLoading'} | ${'BUILD_READY'}        | ${'UP_TO_DATE'}
+      ${'contentLoading'} | ${'BUILD_READY_RELOAD'} | ${'UP_TO_DATE'}
+      ${'content'}        | ${'BUILD_READY'}        | ${'UP_TO_DATE'}
+      ${'content'}        | ${'BUILD_READY_RELOAD'} | ${'UP_TO_DATE'}
+      ${'sync'}           | ${'BUILD_READY'}        | ${undefined /* undefined, because we don't set an input */}
+      ${'sync'}           | ${'BUILD_READY_RELOAD'} | ${undefined /* undefined, because we don't set an input */}
     `(
       'should, when type=$type and activeSyncState=$oldActiveSyncState, set activeSyncState=$newActiveSyncState',
       ({ type, oldActiveSyncState, newActiveSyncState }) => {
@@ -122,18 +124,45 @@ describe('useReaderState', () => {
       },
     );
 
-    describe('"content" action', () => {
+    describe('"contentLoading" action', () => {
       it('should set loading', () => {
+        expect(
+          reducer(oldState, {
+            type: 'contentLoading',
+          }),
+        ).toEqual({
+          ...oldState,
+          contentLoading: true,
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('should keep content', () => {
         expect(
           reducer(
             {
               ...oldState,
               content: 'some-old-content',
+            },
+            {
+              type: 'contentLoading',
+            },
+          ),
+        ).toEqual({
+          ...oldState,
+          contentLoading: true,
+          content: 'some-old-content',
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('should reset errors', () => {
+        expect(
+          reducer(
+            {
+              ...oldState,
               contentError: new Error(),
             },
             {
-              type: 'content',
-              contentLoading: true,
+              type: 'contentLoading',
             },
           ),
         ).toEqual({
@@ -141,7 +170,9 @@ describe('useReaderState', () => {
           contentLoading: true,
         });
       });
+    });
 
+    describe('"content" action', () => {
       it('should set content', () => {
         expect(
           reducer(
@@ -457,7 +488,7 @@ describe('useReaderState', () => {
         expect(result.current).toEqual({
           state: 'CHECKING',
           path: '/example',
-          content: undefined,
+          content: 'my content',
           contentErrorMessage: undefined,
           syncErrorMessage: undefined,
           buildLog: [],
@@ -538,7 +569,7 @@ describe('useReaderState', () => {
         expect(result.current).toEqual({
           state: 'CHECKING',
           path: '/example',
-          content: undefined,
+          content: 'my content',
           contentErrorMessage: undefined,
           syncErrorMessage: undefined,
           buildLog: [],
diff --git a/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/useReaderState.ts b/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/useReaderState.ts
index fabcfa2687..07bd338de9 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/useReaderState.ts
+++ b/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/useReaderState.ts
@@ -131,11 +131,11 @@ type ReducerActions =
       state: SyncStates;
       syncError?: Error;
     }
+  | { type: 'contentLoading' }
   | {
       type: 'content';
       path?: string;
       content?: string;
-      contentLoading?: true;
       contentError?: Error;
     }
   | { type: 'buildLog'; log: string };
@@ -186,13 +186,21 @@ export function reducer(
       newState.syncError = action.syncError;
       break;
 
+    case 'contentLoading':
+      newState.contentLoading = true;
+
+      // only reset errors but keep the old content until it is replaced by the 'content' action
+      newState.contentError = undefined;
+      break;
+
     case 'content':
+      // only override the path if it is part of the action
       if (typeof action.path === 'string') {
         newState.path = action.path;
       }
 
+      newState.contentLoading = false;
       newState.content = action.content;
-      newState.contentLoading = action.contentLoading ?? false;
       newState.contentError = action.contentError;
       break;
 
@@ -204,10 +212,10 @@ export function reducer(
       throw new Error();
   }
 
-  // a navigation or a content update loads fresh content so the build is updated to being up-to-date
+  // a content update loads fresh content so the build is updated to being up-to-date
   if (
     ['BUILD_READY', 'BUILD_READY_RELOAD'].includes(newState.activeSyncState) &&
-    ['content'].includes(action.type)
+    ['contentLoading', 'content'].includes(action.type)
   ) {
     newState.activeSyncState = 'UP_TO_DATE';
     newState.buildLog = [];
@@ -241,7 +249,7 @@ export function useReaderState(
 
   // try to load the content. the function will fire events and we don't care for the return values
   const { retry: contentReload } = useAsyncRetry(async () => {
-    dispatch({ type: 'content', contentLoading: true });
+    dispatch({ type: 'contentLoading' });
 
     try {
       const entityDocs = await techdocsStorageApi.getEntityDocs(