diff --git a/src/addons/messages/pages/search/search.html b/src/addons/messages/pages/search/search.html
index 60fa3c1ca..30d66eff8 100644
--- a/src/addons/messages/pages/search/search.html
+++ b/src/addons/messages/pages/search/search.html
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
             </ion-list>
 
             <core-empty-box *ngIf="displayResults && !contacts.results.length && !nonContacts.results.length && !messages.results.length"
-                icon="fas-magnifying-glass" [message]="'core.noresults' | translate" />
+                icon="fas-magnifying-glass" [message]="'core.noresults' | translate" role="alert" />
         </core-loading>
     </core-split-view>
 </ion-content>
diff --git a/src/addons/mod/forum/pages/search/search.html b/src/addons/mod/forum/pages/search/search.html
index c31a0b312..18ed2b35d 100644
--- a/src/addons/mod/forum/pages/search/search.html
+++ b/src/addons/mod/forum/pages/search/search.html
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
         <core-infinite-loading [enabled]="resultsSource.isLoaded() && !resultsSource.isCompleted()" (action)="loadMoreResults($event)"
             [error]="loadMoreError" />
 
-        <core-empty-box *ngIf="resultsSource.isEmpty()" icon="fas-magnifying-glass" [dimmed]="!resultsSource.isLoaded()">
+        <core-empty-box *ngIf="resultsSource.isEmpty()" icon="fas-magnifying-glass" [dimmed]="!resultsSource.isLoaded()" role="alert">
             <p *ngIf="!resultsSource.isLoaded()">{{ 'core.search.empty' | translate }}</p>
             <ng-container *ngIf="resultsSource.isLoaded()">
                 <p><strong>{{ 'core.search.noresults' | translate: { $a: resultsSource.getQuery() } }}</strong></p>
diff --git a/src/addons/mod/glossary/components/index/addon-mod-glossary-index.html b/src/addons/mod/glossary/components/index/addon-mod-glossary-index.html
index fc3f19726..10ff6ad2e 100644
--- a/src/addons/mod/glossary/components/index/addon-mod-glossary-index.html
+++ b/src/addons/mod/glossary/components/index/addon-mod-glossary-index.html
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     <core-search-box *ngIf="isSearch" (onSubmit)="search($event)" [placeholder]="'addon.mod_glossary.searchquery' | translate"
         [autoFocus]="true" [lengthCheck]="2" (onClear)="toggleSearch()" searchArea="AddonModGlossary-{{module.id}}" />
 
-    <core-loading [hideUntil]="!showLoading">
+    <core-loading [hideUntil]="!showLoading" [message]="loadingMessage">
         <!-- Activity info. -->
         <core-course-module-info *ngIf="!isSearch" [module]="module" [description]="description" [component]="component"
             [componentId]="componentId" [courseId]="courseId" [hasDataToSync]="hasOffline" (completionChanged)="onCompletionChange()" />
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
         </ion-list>
 
         <core-empty-box *ngIf="(!entries || !entries.hasEntries) && (!isSearch || hasSearched)" icon="fas-list"
-            [message]="'addon.mod_glossary.noentriesfound' | translate" />
+            [message]="'addon.mod_glossary.noentriesfound' | translate" [attr.role]="hasSearched ? 'alert' : null" />
 
         <core-infinite-loading [enabled]="entries && !entries.completed && (!isSearch || hasSearched)" [error]="loadMoreError"
             (action)="loadMoreEntries($event)" />
diff --git a/src/core/features/courses/pages/list/list.html b/src/core/features/courses/pages/list/list.html
index 35b91bb56..b896132fb 100644
--- a/src/core/features/courses/pages/list/list.html
+++ b/src/core/features/courses/pages/list/list.html
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
         [placeholder]="'core.courses.search' | translate" [searchLabel]="'core.courses.search' | translate" [autoFocus]="searchMode"
         searchArea="CoreCoursesSearch" [lengthCheck]="1" />
 
-    <core-loading [hideUntil]="loaded">
+    <core-loading [hideUntil]="loaded" [message]="loadingMessage">
         <ng-container *ngIf="searchMode && searchTotal > 0">
             <ion-item-divider>
                 <ion-label>
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 
 
         <core-empty-box *ngIf="searchMode && !courses.length" icon="fas-magnifying-glass"
-            [message]="'core.courses.nosearchresults' | translate" />
+            [message]="'core.courses.nosearchresults' | translate" role="alert" />
 
         <core-empty-box *ngIf="!searchMode && !courses.length" icon="fas-graduation-cap" [message]="'core.courses.nocourses' | translate" />
 
diff --git a/src/core/features/courses/pages/list/list.ts b/src/core/features/courses/pages/list/list.ts
index 0a3d460ec..1993496cb 100644
--- a/src/core/features/courses/pages/list/list.ts
+++ b/src/core/features/courses/pages/list/list.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ export class CoreCoursesListPage implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     coursesLoaded = 0;
     canLoadMore = false;
     loadMoreError = false;
+    loadingMessage = Translate.instant('core.loading');
 
     showOnlyEnrolled = false;
 
@@ -176,6 +177,8 @@ export class CoreCoursesListPage implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
      * @returns Promise resolved when done.
      */
     protected async loadCourses(clearTheList = false): Promise<void> {
+        this.loadingMessage = Translate.instant('core.loading');
+
         this.loadMoreError = false;
 
         try {
@@ -249,9 +252,10 @@ export class CoreCoursesListPage implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
         this.searchTotal = 0;
         this.logSearch = CoreTime.once(() => this.performLogSearch());
 
-        const modal = await CoreDomUtils.showModalLoading('core.searching', true);
+        this.loaded = false;
         await this.searchCourses().finally(() => {
-            modal.dismiss();
+            this.loaded = true;
+
         });
     }
 
@@ -310,6 +314,7 @@ export class CoreCoursesListPage implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
      */
     protected async searchCourses(): Promise<void> {
         this.loadMoreError = false;
+        this.loadingMessage = Translate.instant('core.searching');
 
         try {
             const response = await CoreCourses.search(this.searchText, this.searchPage, undefined, this.showOnlyEnrolled);
diff --git a/src/core/features/search/pages/global-search/global-search.html b/src/core/features/search/pages/global-search/global-search.html
index 61f677773..ebdb674d9 100644
--- a/src/core/features/search/pages/global-search/global-search.html
+++ b/src/core/features/search/pages/global-search/global-search.html
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
             [error]="loadMoreError" />
 
         <core-empty-box *ngIf="resultsSource.isEmpty()" icon="fas-magnifying-glass" [dimmed]="!resultsSource.isLoaded()">
-            <p *ngIf="!resultsSource.isLoaded()">{{ 'core.search.empty' | translate }}</p>
+            <p *ngIf="!resultsSource.isLoaded()" role="alert">{{ 'core.search.empty' | translate }}</p>
             <ng-container *ngIf="resultsSource.isLoaded()">
                 <p><strong>{{ 'core.search.noresults' | translate: { $a: resultsSource.getQuery() } }}</strong></p>
                 <p><small>{{ 'core.search.noresultshelp' | translate }}</small></p>
diff --git a/src/core/features/tag/pages/search/search.html b/src/core/features/tag/pages/search/search.html
index d04d7e819..8416209e6 100644
--- a/src/core/features/tag/pages/search/search.html
+++ b/src/core/features/tag/pages/search/search.html
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     </ion-grid>
     <core-loading [hideUntil]="loaded && !searching">
         <core-empty-box *ngIf="!cloud || !cloud!.tags || !cloud!.tags.length" icon="fas-tags"
-            [message]="'core.tag.notagsfound' | translate: {$a: query}" />
+            [message]="'core.tag.notagsfound' | translate: {$a: query}" role="alert" />
 
         <ng-container *ngIf="cloud && cloud!.tags && cloud!.tags.length > 0">
             <div class="ion-text-center core-tag-cloud">
diff --git a/src/core/features/user/pages/participants/participants.html b/src/core/features/user/pages/participants/participants.html
index 4775bb79f..96bb9d5d9 100644
--- a/src/core/features/user/pages/participants/participants.html
+++ b/src/core/features/user/pages/participants/participants.html
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
                 [message]="'core.user.noparticipants' | translate" />
 
             <core-empty-box *ngIf="participants.empty && !searchInProgress && searchQuery" icon="fas-magnifying-glass"
-                [message]="'core.noresults' | translate" />
+                [message]="'core.noresults' | translate" [attr.role]="searchQuery ? 'alert' : null" />
 
             <ion-list *ngIf="!participants.empty">
                 <ion-item *ngFor="let participant of participants.items" class="ion-text-wrap"