diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/zeitstrahl/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/zeitstrahl/+page.svelte
index 589e436d..098cf91e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/zeitstrahl/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/zeitstrahl/+page.svelte
@@ -18,8 +18,13 @@ const metaLine = $derived.by(() => {
 	if (meta.firstYear !== null && meta.lastYear !== null) {
 		segments.push(`${meta.firstYear}–${meta.lastYear}`);
 	}
-	segments.push(m.timeline_letters_count({ count: meta.letterCount }));
-	segments.push(m.timeline_events_count({ count: meta.eventCount }));
+	// A zero-count segment ("0 Briefe") reads as a data error — drop it.
+	if (meta.letterCount > 0) {
+		segments.push(m.timeline_letters_count({ count: meta.letterCount }));
+	}
+	if (meta.eventCount > 0) {
+		segments.push(m.timeline_events_count({ count: meta.eventCount }));
+	}
 	segments.push(m.timeline_grouping_date());
 	return segments.join(' · ');
 });
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/zeitstrahl/page.svelte.spec.ts b/frontend/src/routes/zeitstrahl/page.svelte.spec.ts
index 99510f37..f1d40d9a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/zeitstrahl/page.svelte.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/zeitstrahl/page.svelte.spec.ts
@@ -75,4 +75,23 @@ describe('/zeitstrahl page', () => {
 		render(Page, { data: pageData(makeTimelineDTO()) });
 		expect(document.querySelector('[data-testid="timeline-meta"]')).toBeNull();
 	});
+
+	it('drops the letters segment instead of showing "0 Briefe" (REQ-002)', () => {
+		render(Page, {
+			data: pageData(makeTimelineDTO({ years: [makeYear(1914, [event('Geburt')])] }))
+		});
+		const sub = document.querySelector('[data-testid="timeline-meta"]');
+		expect(sub).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(sub?.textContent).not.toContain(m.timeline_letters_count({ count: 0 }));
+		expect(sub?.textContent).toContain(m.timeline_grouping_date());
+	});
+
+	it('drops the events segment instead of showing "0 Ereignisse" (REQ-002)', () => {
+		render(Page, {
+			data: pageData(makeTimelineDTO({ undated: [makeEntry({ documentId: 'u1' })] }))
+		});
+		const sub = document.querySelector('[data-testid="timeline-meta"]');
+		expect(sub).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(sub?.textContent).not.toContain(m.timeline_events_count({ count: 0 }));
+	});
 });