diff --git a/src/settings/SettingsTab.ts b/src/settings/SettingsTab.ts
index a9ae875..3021712 100644
--- a/src/settings/SettingsTab.ts
+++ b/src/settings/SettingsTab.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { prettyCohortDefinition, resolveFilesForCohort } from '../domain/cohort/
 import type GlickoPlugin from '../main';
 import type { CohortData, CohortDefinition } from '../types';
 import { CohortOptionsModal } from '../ui/CohortOptionsModal';
+import { CohortPicker } from '../ui/CohortPicker';
 import { ConfirmModal } from '../ui/ConfirmModal';
 import {
   computeRanksForAll,
@@ -304,8 +305,13 @@ export default class GlickoSettingsTab extends PluginSettingTab {
     return {
       type: 'list',
       heading: 'Cohorts',
-      emptyState:
-        'No cohorts saved yet. Start a session to create one, or use the command palette.',
+      emptyState: 'No cohorts saved yet. Add one to get started, or use the command palette.',
+      addItem: {
+        name: 'Add cohort',
+        action: () => {
+          void this.addNewCohort();
+        },
+      },
       onDelete: (idx) => {
         const def = this.sortedCohortDefs()[idx];
         if (!def) return;
@@ -321,6 +327,21 @@ export default class GlickoSettingsTab extends PluginSettingTab {
     };
   }
 
+  private async addNewCohort(): Promise<void> {
+    const def = await new CohortPicker(this.app, this.plugin, {
+      createOnly: true,
+    }).openAndGetSelection();
+    if (!def) return;
+
+    // upsert only when this is genuinely a new entry.
+    if (!this.plugin.dataStore.getCohortDef(def.key)) {
+      this.plugin.dataStore.upsertCohortDef(def);
+      await this.plugin.dataStore.saveStore();
+    }
+
+    this.update();
+  }
+
   private sortedCohortDefs(): CohortDefinition[] {
     return this.plugin.dataStore
       .listCohortDefs()
diff --git a/src/ui/CohortPicker.ts b/src/ui/CohortPicker.ts
index c09dfcd..4a235fd 100644
--- a/src/ui/CohortPicker.ts
+++ b/src/ui/CohortPicker.ts
@@ -26,11 +26,15 @@ export class CohortPicker extends FuzzySuggestModal<Choice> {
   private resolver?: (def?: CohortDefinition) => void;
   private resolved = false;
   private awaitingChild = false;
+  private createOnly: boolean;
 
-  constructor(app: App, plugin: GlickoPlugin) {
+  constructor(app: App, plugin: GlickoPlugin, opts?: { createOnly?: boolean }) {
     super(app);
     this.plugin = plugin;
-    this.setPlaceholder('Choose a cohort or create a new one...');
+    this.createOnly = opts?.createOnly ?? false;
+    this.setPlaceholder(
+      this.createOnly ? 'Choose a new cohort type...' : 'Choose a cohort or create a new one...',
+    );
   }
 
   async openAndGetSelection(): Promise<CohortDefinition | undefined> {
@@ -43,34 +47,39 @@ export class CohortPicker extends FuzzySuggestModal<Choice> {
   getItems(): Choice[] {
     const items: Choice[] = [];
 
-    // Last used
-    const lastKey = this.plugin.dataStore.store.lastUsedCohortKey;
-    if (lastKey) {
-      const lastDef = this.plugin.dataStore.getCohortDef(lastKey) ?? parseCohortKey(lastKey);
-      if (lastDef)
+    if (!this.createOnly) {
+      // Last used
+      const lastKey = this.plugin.dataStore.store.lastUsedCohortKey;
+      if (lastKey) {
+        const lastDef = this.plugin.dataStore.getCohortDef(lastKey) ?? parseCohortKey(lastKey);
+        if (lastDef)
+          items.push({
+            kind: 'saved',
+            key: lastDef.key,
+            label: `Last used: ${lastDef.label ?? prettyCohortDefinition(lastDef)}`,
+            def: lastDef,
+          });
+      }
+
+      // Saved definitions
+      const defs = this.plugin.dataStore.listCohortDefs();
+      for (const def of defs) {
+        if (def.key === 'vault:all') continue;
+        if (def.key === lastKey) continue;
         items.push({
           kind: 'saved',
-          key: lastDef.key,
-          label: `Last used: ${lastDef.label ?? prettyCohortDefinition(lastDef)}`,
-          def: lastDef,
+          key: def.key,
+          label: def.label ?? prettyCohortDefinition(def),
+          def,
         });
-    }
+      }
 
-    // Saved definitions
-    const defs = this.plugin.dataStore.listCohortDefs();
-    for (const def of defs) {
-      if (def.key === 'vault:all') continue;
-      if (def.key === lastKey) continue;
-      items.push({
-        kind: 'saved',
-        key: def.key,
-        label: def.label ?? prettyCohortDefinition(def),
-        def,
-      });
-    }
-
-    // Add "Vault: all notes" only if not already present
-    if (!items.some((item) => item.kind === 'saved' && item.def.key === 'vault:all')) {
+      // Add "Vault: all notes" only if not already present
+      if (!items.some((item) => item.kind === 'saved' && item.def.key === 'vault:all')) {
+        items.push({ kind: 'action', action: 'vault-all', label: 'Vault: all notes' });
+      }
+    } else if (!this.plugin.dataStore.getCohortDef('vault:all')) {
+      // Create-only: offer vault-all only if the user doesn't already have one.
       items.push({ kind: 'action', action: 'vault-all', label: 'Vault: all notes' });
     }