diff --git a/client/src/App.vue b/client/src/App.vue
index 712b802..6c80a96 100644
--- a/client/src/App.vue
+++ b/client/src/App.vue
@@ -2381,17 +2381,35 @@ async function openVCenterImport() {
 async function previewVCenterImport(payload) {
   vcenterImportLoading.value = true;
   vcenterImportError.value = '';
+  vcenterTraceEntries.value = [{
+    info: true,
+    message: 'vCenter preview request is running.',
+    details: {
+      filter: payload.filter,
+      limit: payload.limit,
+      startedAt: new Date().toISOString()
+    }
+  }];
+  vcenterTraceOpen.value = true;
   try {
     const result = await api.post('/api/hosts/import/vcenter/preview', payload);
     vcenterImportStatus.value = result.status;
     vcenterImportDiagnostics.value = result.diagnostics || null;
-    vcenterTraceEntries.value = result.trace || [];
+    vcenterTraceEntries.value = result.trace?.length ? result.trace : [{
+      info: true,
+      message: 'Preview completed, but the API returned no trace entries.',
+      details: { count: result.count || 0, diagnostics: result.diagnostics || null }
+    }];
     vcenterPreviewRows.value = result.candidates || [];
-    if (vcenterTraceEntries.value.length) vcenterTraceOpen.value = true;
+    vcenterTraceOpen.value = true;
     notify(`Found ${result.count || 0} vCenter host candidate(s) from ${result.diagnostics?.totalFromVCenter ?? 'unknown'} VM(s)`);
   } catch (err) {
-    vcenterTraceEntries.value = err.payload?.trace || [];
-    if (vcenterTraceEntries.value.length) vcenterTraceOpen.value = true;
+    vcenterTraceEntries.value = err.payload?.trace?.length ? err.payload.trace : [{
+      info: true,
+      message: 'Preview failed before a vCenter HTTP trace could be captured.',
+      details: { error: err.message, status: err.status || null }
+    }];
+    vcenterTraceOpen.value = true;
     vcenterImportError.value = err.message;
     notify(err.message, 'error');
   } finally {
@@ -2402,9 +2420,15 @@ async function previewVCenterImport(payload) {
 async function importVCenterHosts(payload) {
   vcenterImportLoading.value = true;
   vcenterImportError.value = '';
+  vcenterTraceEntries.value = [{
+    info: true,
+    message: 'vCenter import request is running.',
+    details: { vmIds: payload.vmIds, startedAt: new Date().toISOString() }
+  }];
+  vcenterTraceOpen.value = true;
   try {
     const result = await api.post('/api/hosts/import/vcenter', payload);
-    vcenterTraceEntries.value = result.trace || vcenterTraceEntries.value;
+    vcenterTraceEntries.value = result.trace?.length ? result.trace : vcenterTraceEntries.value;
     await refreshAll();
     vcenterPreviewRows.value = [];
     vcenterImportDiagnostics.value = null;
@@ -2413,8 +2437,12 @@ async function importVCenterHosts(payload) {
     const skipped = result.skipped?.length || 0;
     notify(`Imported ${result.imported?.length || 0} host(s)${skipped ? `, skipped ${skipped} duplicate(s)` : ''}`);
   } catch (err) {
-    vcenterTraceEntries.value = err.payload?.trace || [];
-    if (vcenterTraceEntries.value.length) vcenterTraceOpen.value = true;
+    vcenterTraceEntries.value = err.payload?.trace?.length ? err.payload.trace : [{
+      info: true,
+      message: 'Import failed before a vCenter HTTP trace could be captured.',
+      details: { error: err.message, status: err.status || null }
+    }];
+    vcenterTraceOpen.value = true;
     vcenterImportError.value = err.message;
     notify(err.message, 'error');
   } finally {
diff --git a/client/src/style.css b/client/src/style.css
index 34c6f45..92c136e 100644
--- a/client/src/style.css
+++ b/client/src/style.css
@@ -6212,6 +6212,10 @@ input:read-only {
   animation: modalBackdropIn .18s ease both;
 }
 
+.modal-backdrop:has(.vcenter-trace-modal) {
+  z-index: 120;
+}
+
 .form-modal {
   background:
     linear-gradient(145deg, rgba(25, 29, 63, .995), rgba(5, 13, 32, .995));