diff --git a/frontend/src/__tests__/components/tool-started-posthog.test.tsx b/frontend/src/__tests__/components/tool-started-posthog.test.tsx
index 4aacbb39b..79a067c8e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/__tests__/components/tool-started-posthog.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/__tests__/components/tool-started-posthog.test.tsx
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ describe('SEL-585 F1 tool_started and tool_completed in PostHog', () => {
         render(<FTLCheckerClient />);
 
         await user.click(screen.getByText('Shell Eggs').closest('button') as HTMLElement);
-        await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /Check Listed Groupings/i }));
+        await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Continue to exemptions' }));
         expect(eventsNamed('tool_started')).toEqual([['tool_started', { tool_id: 'ftl-checker' }]]);
         expect(trackToolRunStarted).toHaveBeenCalledWith('ftl-checker');
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/__tests__/pages/ftl-checker-f6-f7.test.tsx b/frontend/src/__tests__/pages/ftl-checker-f6-f7.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6082c299c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/__tests__/pages/ftl-checker-f6-f7.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+/**
+ * SEL-585 F6 + F7: skipping or finishing exemptions must not leave the
+ * exemption questions as the only interactive UI. The checker switches to
+ * the results step with an aria-busy loading skeleton (no invented numbers),
+ * and the categories step button reads `Continue to exemptions`.
+ */
+import type { ReactNode } from 'react';
+import { act, render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
+import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { FTLCheckerClient } from '@/app/tools/ftl-checker/components/FTLCheckerClient';
+
+const { capture, trackToolRunStarted, trackToolRunCompleted } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+    capture: vi.fn(),
+    trackToolRunStarted: vi.fn(),
+    trackToolRunCompleted: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('@/lib/posthog-provider', () => ({
+    usePostHog: () => ({ capture }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('@/lib/conversion-events', async (importOriginal) => ({
+    ...(await importOriginal<typeof import('@/lib/conversion-events')>()),
+    trackToolRunStarted,
+    trackToolRunCompleted,
+}));
+
+vi.mock('@/app/actions/submit-assessment', () => ({
+    submitAssessment: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ success: true }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('@/lib/auth-context', () => ({
+    useAuth: () => ({ user: null, isAuthenticated: false, isLoading: false }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('framer-motion', () => ({
+    AnimatePresence: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
+    motion: new Proxy({}, {
+        get: () => ({ children, className }: { children?: ReactNode; className?: string }) => (
+            <div className={className}>{children}</div>
+        ),
+    }),
+}));
+
+function eventsNamed(name: string) {
+    return capture.mock.calls.filter(([event]) => event === name);
+}
+
+async function goToExemptions(user: ReturnType<typeof userEvent.setup>) {
+    render(<FTLCheckerClient />);
+    await user.click(screen.getByText('Shell Eggs').closest('button') as HTMLElement);
+    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Continue to exemptions' }));
+    await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Skip Exemptions' });
+}
+
+describe('SEL-585 F6 + F7 exemptions transition and button label', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+        capture.mockReset();
+        trackToolRunStarted.mockReset();
+        trackToolRunCompleted.mockReset();
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+        vi.restoreAllMocks();
+    });
+
+    it('F7: categories step button reads Continue to exemptions', () => {
+        render(<FTLCheckerClient />);
+
+        expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Continue to exemptions' })).toBeInTheDocument();
+        expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: /Check Listed Groupings/i })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    it('F6: Skip Exemptions shows an aria-busy results skeleton with no invented numbers', async () => {
+        let rafCallback: ((time: number) => void) | null = null;
+        vi.spyOn(window, 'requestAnimationFrame').mockImplementation((callback) => {
+            rafCallback = callback;
+            return 1;
+        });
+        const user = userEvent.setup();
+        await goToExemptions(user);
+
+        await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Skip Exemptions' }));
+
+        const skeleton = screen.getByTestId('results-loading');
+        expect(skeleton).toHaveAttribute('aria-busy', 'true');
+        expect(skeleton.textContent).not.toMatch(/\d/);
+        expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Skip Exemptions' })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+
+        act(() => {
+            rafCallback?.(16);
+        });
+        await waitFor(() =>
+            expect(screen.queryByTestId('results-loading')).not.toBeInTheDocument(),
+        );
+    });
+
+    it('F6: See Results never leaves the exemption questions interactive with an enabled Skip', async () => {
+        const user = userEvent.setup();
+        await goToExemptions(user);
+
+        await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'See Results' }));
+
+        const skipAfter = screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Skip Exemptions' });
+        const loadingAfter = screen.queryByTestId('results-loading');
+        const leftInteractive =
+            skipAfter !== null &&
+            (skipAfter as HTMLButtonElement).disabled === false &&
+            loadingAfter === null;
+        expect(leftInteractive).toBe(false);
+
+        await waitFor(() =>
+            expect(eventsNamed('tool_completed')).toEqual([['tool_completed', { tool_id: 'ftl-checker', status: 'success' }]]),
+        );
+    });
+
+    it('F1 intact: continuing from categories still captures tool_started', async () => {
+        const user = userEvent.setup();
+        await goToExemptions(user);
+
+        expect(eventsNamed('tool_started')).toEqual([['tool_started', { tool_id: 'ftl-checker' }]]);
+        expect(trackToolRunStarted).toHaveBeenCalledWith('ftl-checker');
+    });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/tools/ftl-checker/components/FTLCheckerClient.tsx b/frontend/src/app/tools/ftl-checker/components/FTLCheckerClient.tsx
index 1a1fe5ab7..7ae63db6d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/tools/ftl-checker/components/FTLCheckerClient.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/tools/ftl-checker/components/FTLCheckerClient.tsx
@@ -454,6 +454,7 @@ export function FTLCheckerClient() {
     const [exemptionAnswers, setExemptionAnswers] = useState<Record<string, boolean | null>>({});
     const [showExemptionHelp, setShowExemptionHelp] = useState<string | null>(null);
     const [showResults, setShowResults] = useState(false);
+    const [isResultsLoading, setIsResultsLoading] = useState(false);
     const [email, setEmail] = useState('');
     const [emailSubmitted, setEmailSubmitted] = useState(false);
     const [isDownloading, setIsDownloading] = useState(false);
@@ -493,6 +494,14 @@ export function FTLCheckerClient() {
         }
     }, [currentStep, posthog]);
 
+    // F6: clear the results transition flag after the results step has painted.
+    useEffect(() => {
+        if (currentStep === 'results' && isResultsLoading) {
+            const frame = requestAnimationFrame(() => setIsResultsLoading(false));
+            return () => cancelAnimationFrame(frame);
+        }
+    }, [currentStep, isResultsLoading]);
+
     // Generate shareable URL
     const getShareableUrl = () => {
         const base = typeof window !== 'undefined' ? window.location.origin : '';
@@ -562,14 +571,15 @@ export function FTLCheckerClient() {
             if (hasCoveredCategories) {
                 setCurrentStep('exemptions');
             } else {
+                setIsResultsLoading(true);
                 setCurrentStep('results');
                 setShowResults(true);
             }
         }
     };
 
-    const handleSkipExemptions = () => { setCurrentStep('results'); setShowResults(true); };
-    const handleFinishExemptions = () => { setCurrentStep('results'); setShowResults(true); };
+    const handleSkipExemptions = () => { setIsResultsLoading(true); setCurrentStep('results'); setShowResults(true); };
+    const handleFinishExemptions = () => { setIsResultsLoading(true); setCurrentStep('results'); setShowResults(true); };
     const handleBackToCategories = () => { setCurrentStep('categories'); setExemptionAnswers({}); };
     const handleStartOver = () => { runStarted.current = false; runCompleted.current = false; setSelectedCategories([]); setExemptionAnswers({}); setCurrentStep('categories'); setShowResults(false); setEmailSubmitted(false); };
 
@@ -862,7 +872,7 @@ export function FTLCheckerClient() {
                                         disabled={selectedCategories.length === 0}
                                         trailingIcon={<ArrowRight size={16} strokeWidth={1.75} aria-hidden="true" />}
                                     >
-                                        Check Listed Groupings
+                                        Continue to exemptions
                                     </Button>
                                 </div>
                             </Card>
@@ -917,6 +927,7 @@ export function FTLCheckerClient() {
                                                                     variant="secondary"
                                                                     aria-pressed={answer === true}
                                                                     className={cn(answer === true && 'bg-re-surface-inset font-semibold text-re-text-primary')}
+                                                                    disabled={isResultsLoading}
                                                                     onClick={() => handleExemptionAnswer(q.id, true)}
                                                                 >
                                                                     Yes
@@ -926,6 +937,7 @@ export function FTLCheckerClient() {
                                                                     variant="secondary"
                                                                     aria-pressed={answer === false}
                                                                     className={cn(answer === false && 'bg-re-surface-inset font-semibold text-re-text-primary')}
+                                                                    disabled={isResultsLoading}
                                                                     onClick={() => handleExemptionAnswer(q.id, false)}
                                                                 >
                                                                     No
@@ -960,9 +972,10 @@ export function FTLCheckerClient() {
                                 <div className="mt-6 flex flex-col items-stretch justify-between gap-3 sm:flex-row sm:items-center">
                                     <Button variant="secondary" onClick={handleBackToCategories}>← Back to Categories</Button>
                                     <div className="flex flex-col gap-3 sm:flex-row">
-                                        <Button variant="secondary" onClick={handleSkipExemptions}>Skip Exemptions</Button>
+                                        <Button variant="secondary" disabled={isResultsLoading} onClick={handleSkipExemptions}>Skip Exemptions</Button>
                                         <Button
                                             size="lg"
+                                            disabled={isResultsLoading}
                                             onClick={handleFinishExemptions}
                                             trailingIcon={<ArrowRight size={16} strokeWidth={1.75} aria-hidden="true" />}
                                         >
@@ -975,7 +988,19 @@ export function FTLCheckerClient() {
                     )}
 
                     {/* Step 3: Results */}
-                    {currentStep === 'results' && (
+                    {currentStep === 'results' && isResultsLoading && (
+                        <motion.div key="results-loading" initial={{ opacity: 0 }} animate={{ opacity: 1 }}>
+                            <Card padding="spacious" className="mb-6 text-center" role="status" aria-busy="true" aria-label="Loading results" data-testid="results-loading">
+                                <p className="text-ui text-re-text-secondary">Loading results</p>
+                                <div className="mx-auto mt-4 flex max-w-md flex-col gap-2" aria-hidden="true">
+                                    <div className="h-4 rounded bg-re-surface-inset" />
+                                    <div className="h-4 w-5/6 rounded bg-re-surface-inset" />
+                                    <div className="h-4 w-2/3 rounded bg-re-surface-inset" />
+                                </div>
+                            </Card>
+                        </motion.div>
+                    )}
+                    {currentStep === 'results' && !isResultsLoading && (
                         <motion.div key="results" initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 20 }} animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}>
                             <LeadGate
                                 source="ftl-checker"