diff --git a/frontend/e2e/history.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/history.spec.ts
index dbe62b9616..18e7ef09fc 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/history.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/history.spec.ts
@@ -344,3 +344,34 @@ test.describe("Attack History Filters", () => {
     await expect(page.getByTestId("attack-row-atk-page-000")).toBeVisible({ timeout: 5_000 });
   });
 });
+
+test.describe("Attack History empty state", () => {
+  test("guides keyboard users to target configuration and preserves Back navigation", async ({ page }) => {
+    await mockHistoryAPIs(page, { attacks: [] });
+    await page.route(/\/api\/targets(?:\?|$)/, async (route) => {
+      await route.fulfill({
+        status: 200,
+        contentType: "application/json",
+        body: JSON.stringify({
+          items: [],
+          pagination: { limit: 200, has_more: false, next_cursor: null, prev_cursor: null },
+        }),
+      });
+    });
+
+    await page.goto("/history");
+
+    const configureTargetButton = page.getByRole("button", { name: "Configure target" });
+    await expect(configureTargetButton).toBeVisible();
+    await configureTargetButton.focus();
+    await expect(configureTargetButton).toBeFocused();
+    await configureTargetButton.press("Enter");
+
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/config$/);
+    await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { level: 1, name: "Target Configuration" })).toBeVisible();
+
+    await page.goBack();
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/history$/);
+    await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Configure target" })).toBeVisible();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.test.tsx b/frontend/src/App.test.tsx
index 9f5df1d3be..cc7ad97cfd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.test.tsx
@@ -210,14 +210,28 @@ jest.mock("./components/History/AttackHistory", () => {
     onOpenAttack,
     filters,
     onFiltersChange,
+    activeTarget,
+    onNavigate,
   }: {
     onOpenAttack: (attackResultId: string) => void;
     filters: Record<string, unknown>;
     onFiltersChange: (filters: Record<string, unknown>) => void;
+    activeTarget: unknown;
+    onNavigate: (view: string) => void;
   }) => {
     return (
       <div data-testid="attack-history">
         <span data-testid="history-filters">{JSON.stringify(filters)}</span>
+        <span data-testid="history-has-target">{activeTarget ? "yes" : "no"}</span>
+        {activeTarget ? (
+          <button onClick={() => onNavigate("chat")} data-testid="history-start-attack">
+            Start attack
+          </button>
+        ) : (
+          <button onClick={() => onNavigate("config")} data-testid="history-configure-target">
+            Configure target
+          </button>
+        )}
         <button
           onClick={() => onOpenAttack("ar-attack-1")}
           data-testid="open-attack"
@@ -440,6 +454,30 @@ describe("App", () => {
     expect(screen.getByTestId("attack-history")).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
+  it("navigates from empty history to config when no target is active", () => {
+    renderApp("/history");
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("history-has-target")).toHaveTextContent("no");
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("history-configure-target"));
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("main-layout")).toHaveAttribute("data-current-view", "config");
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("target-config")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("navigates from empty history to chat when a target is active", () => {
+    renderApp();
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("nav-config"));
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("set-target"));
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("nav-history"));
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("history-has-target")).toHaveTextContent("yes");
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("history-start-attack"));
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("main-layout")).toHaveAttribute("data-current-view", "chat");
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("chat-window")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
   it("opens attack from history and switches to chat", async () => {
     mockGetAttack.mockResolvedValue({ attack_result_id: "ar-attack-1", conversation_id: "attack-conv-1", labels: { operator: "roakey" } });
     renderApp();
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index ae9a572dee..5a8fb29eca 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -399,6 +399,8 @@ function App() {
                     onOpenAttack={handleOpenAttack}
                     filters={historyFilters}
                     onFiltersChange={handleFiltersChange}
+                    activeTarget={activeTarget}
+                    onNavigate={handleNavigate}
                   />
                 }
               />
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/History/AttackHistory.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/History/AttackHistory.test.tsx
index 3e1956ce97..b25984b53a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/History/AttackHistory.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/History/AttackHistory.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { render, screen, waitFor, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react'
+import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event'
 import { FluentProvider, webLightTheme } from '@fluentui/react-components'
+import { makeTarget } from '@/test-utils/targetFixtures'
 import AttackHistory from './AttackHistory'
 import { DEFAULT_HISTORY_FILTERS } from './historyFilters'
 import { attacksApi, labelsApi } from '../../services/api'
@@ -60,6 +62,8 @@ describe('AttackHistory', () => {
     onOpenAttack: jest.fn(),
     filters: { ...DEFAULT_HISTORY_FILTERS },
     onFiltersChange: jest.fn(),
+    activeTarget: null,
+    onNavigate: jest.fn(),
   }
 
   beforeEach(() => {
@@ -95,7 +99,9 @@ describe('AttackHistory', () => {
     })
   })
 
-  it('should show empty state when no attacks', async () => {
+  it('should guide users without an active target to configuration', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup()
+    const onNavigate = jest.fn()
     mockedAttacksApi.listAttacks.mockResolvedValue({
       items: [],
       pagination: { limit: 25, has_more: false },
@@ -103,7 +109,7 @@ describe('AttackHistory', () => {
 
     render(
       <TestWrapper>
-        <AttackHistory {...defaultProps} />
+        <AttackHistory {...defaultProps} onNavigate={onNavigate} />
       </TestWrapper>
     )
 
@@ -111,6 +117,55 @@ describe('AttackHistory', () => {
       expect(screen.getByTestId('empty-state')).toBeInTheDocument()
     })
     expect(screen.getByText('No attacks found')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.getByText('Configure a target before starting an attack.')).toBeInTheDocument()
+
+    const configureTargetButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Configure target' })
+    expect(configureTargetButton).toBeEnabled()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Start attack' })).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+
+    await user.click(configureTargetButton)
+    expect(onNavigate).toHaveBeenCalledWith('config')
+  })
+
+  it('should guide users with an active target to start an attack', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup()
+    const onNavigate = jest.fn()
+    mockedAttacksApi.listAttacks.mockResolvedValue({
+      items: [],
+      pagination: { limit: 25, has_more: false },
+    })
+
+    render(
+      <TestWrapper>
+        <AttackHistory
+          {...defaultProps}
+          activeTarget={makeTarget({ target_registry_name: 'active_target' })}
+          onNavigate={onNavigate}
+        />
+      </TestWrapper>
+    )
+
+    const startAttackButton = await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Start attack' })
+    expect(startAttackButton).toBeEnabled()
+    expect(screen.getByText('Start an attack to see it here.')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Configure target' })).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+
+    await user.click(startAttackButton)
+    expect(onNavigate).toHaveBeenCalledWith('chat')
+  })
+
+  it('should not show an empty-state action while attacks are loading', () => {
+    mockedAttacksApi.listAttacks.mockImplementation(() => new Promise(() => {}))
+
+    render(
+      <TestWrapper>
+        <AttackHistory {...defaultProps} />
+      </TestWrapper>
+    )
+
+    expect(screen.getByText('Loading attacks...')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Start attack' })).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Configure target' })).not.toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
   it('should render attack table rows', async () => {
@@ -427,6 +482,8 @@ describe('AttackHistory', () => {
     })
     expect(screen.getByText('Internal server error')).toBeInTheDocument()
     expect(screen.getByTestId('retry-btn')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Start attack' })).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Configure target' })).not.toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
   it('should retry on clicking retry button', async () => {
@@ -600,18 +657,20 @@ describe('AttackHistory', () => {
       items: [],
       pagination: { limit: 25, has_more: false },
     })
+    const activeFilters = { ...DEFAULT_HISTORY_FILTERS, outcome: 'success' }
 
     render(
       <TestWrapper>
-        <AttackHistory {...defaultProps} />
+        <AttackHistory {...defaultProps} filters={activeFilters} />
       </TestWrapper>
     )
 
     await waitFor(() => {
       expect(screen.getByTestId('empty-state')).toBeInTheDocument()
     })
-    // Default empty text (no filters active)
-    expect(screen.getByText('Run an attack to see it here.')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.getByText('Try adjusting your filters.')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Start attack' })).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Configure target' })).not.toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
   it('should show reset filters button when a filter is active', async () => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/History/AttackHistory.tsx b/frontend/src/components/History/AttackHistory.tsx
index 13544cad60..e4939862a3 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/History/AttackHistory.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/History/AttackHistory.tsx
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@ import {
   MessageBar,
   MessageBarBody,
 } from '@fluentui/react-components'
-import { ArrowSyncRegular } from '@fluentui/react-icons'
+import { ArrowSyncRegular, ChatRegular, SettingsRegular } from '@fluentui/react-icons'
 import { attacksApi, labelsApi } from '../../services/api'
 import { toApiError } from '../../services/errors'
-import type { AttackSummary } from '../../types'
+import type { AttackSummary, TargetInstance } from '../../types'
+import type { ViewName } from '../Sidebar/Navigation'
 import type { HistoryFilters } from './historyFilters'
 import { useAttackHistoryStyles } from './AttackHistory.styles'
 import HistoryFiltersBar from './HistoryFiltersBar'
@@ -20,6 +21,8 @@ interface AttackHistoryProps {
   onOpenAttack: (attackResultId: string) => void
   filters: HistoryFilters
   onFiltersChange: (filters: HistoryFilters) => void
+  activeTarget: TargetInstance | null
+  onNavigate: (view: ViewName) => void
 }
 
 const PAGE_SIZE = 25
@@ -44,7 +47,13 @@ function buildListParams(filters: HistoryFilters, pageCursor: string | undefined
   return params
 }
 
-export default function AttackHistory({ onOpenAttack, filters, onFiltersChange }: AttackHistoryProps) {
+export default function AttackHistory({
+  onOpenAttack,
+  filters,
+  onFiltersChange,
+  activeTarget,
+  onNavigate,
+}: AttackHistoryProps) {
   const styles = useAttackHistoryStyles()
   const [attacks, setAttacks] = useState<AttackSummary[]>([])
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true)
@@ -230,8 +239,20 @@ export default function AttackHistory({ onOpenAttack, filters, onFiltersChange }
             <Text size={200}>
               {hasActiveFilters
                 ? 'Try adjusting your filters.'
-                : 'Run an attack to see it here.'}
+                : activeTarget
+                  ? 'Start an attack to see it here.'
+                  : 'Configure a target before starting an attack.'}
             </Text>
+            {!hasActiveFilters && (
+              <Button
+                className={styles.touchTargetHeight}
+                appearance="primary"
+                icon={activeTarget ? <ChatRegular /> : <SettingsRegular />}
+                onClick={() => onNavigate(activeTarget ? 'chat' : 'config')}
+              >
+                {activeTarget ? 'Start attack' : 'Configure target'}
+              </Button>
+            )}
           </div>
         ) : (
           <AttackTable attacks={attacks} onOpenAttack={onOpenAttack} formatDate={formatDate} />