diff --git a/src/components/site-menu.tsx b/src/components/site-menu.tsx
index 51432d4b17..32b94c37e8 100644
--- a/src/components/site-menu.tsx
+++ b/src/components/site-menu.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { speak } from '@wordpress/a11y';
 import { Spinner } from '@wordpress/components';
 import { __, sprintf } from '@wordpress/i18n';
 import { useEffect } from 'react';
+import { useSyncSites } from '../hooks/sync-sites';
 import { useImportExport } from '../hooks/use-import-export';
 import { useSiteDetails } from '../hooks/use-site-details';
 import { isMac } from '../lib/app-globals';
@@ -108,9 +109,24 @@ function ButtonToRun( { running, id, name }: Pick< SiteDetails, 'running' | 'id'
 }
 function SiteItem( { site }: { site: SiteDetails } ) {
 	const { selectedSite, setSelectedSiteId } = useSiteDetails();
-	const { isSiteImporting } = useImportExport();
 	const isSelected = site === selectedSite;
+	const { isSiteImporting } = useImportExport();
+	const { isSiteIdPulling } = useSyncSites();
 	const isImporting = isSiteImporting( site.id );
+	const isPulling = isSiteIdPulling( site.id );
+	const showSpinner = site.isAddingSite || isImporting || isPulling;
+
+	let tooltipText;
+	if ( site.isAddingSite ) {
+		tooltipText = __( 'Adding' );
+	} else if ( isImporting ) {
+		tooltipText = __( 'Importing' );
+	} else if ( isPulling ) {
+		tooltipText = __( 'Syncing' );
+	} else {
+		tooltipText = __( 'Loading' );
+	}
+
 	return (
 		<li
 			className={ cx(
@@ -127,8 +143,12 @@ function SiteItem( { site }: { site: SiteDetails } ) {
 			>
 				{ site.name }
 			</button>
-			{ site.isAddingSite || isImporting ? (
-				<Spinner className="!w-2.5 !h-2.5 !top-[6px] !mr-2 [&>circle]:stroke-a8c-gray-70" />
+			{ showSpinner ? (
+				<Tooltip text={ tooltipText }>
+					<div className="grid place-items-center">
+						<Spinner className="!w-2.5 !h-2.5 !top-[6px] !mr-2 [&>circle]:stroke-a8c-gray-70" />
+					</div>
+				</Tooltip>
 			) : (
 				<ButtonToRun { ...site } />
 			) }
diff --git a/src/components/tests/main-sidebar.test.tsx b/src/components/tests/main-sidebar.test.tsx
index c235fc5820..76cc662a43 100644
--- a/src/components/tests/main-sidebar.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/tests/main-sidebar.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { render, act, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { userEvent } from '@testing-library/user-event';
+import { SyncSitesProvider } from '../../hooks/sync-sites';
 import { useAuth } from '../../hooks/use-auth';
 import MainSidebar from '../main-sidebar';
 
@@ -55,46 +56,50 @@ jest.mock( '../../hooks/use-site-details', () => ( {
 	useSiteDetails: () => ( { ...siteDetailsMocked } ),
 } ) );
 
+const renderWithProvider = ( children: React.ReactElement ) => {
+	return render( <SyncSitesProvider>{ children }</SyncSitesProvider> );
+};
+
 describe( 'MainSidebar Footer', () => {
 	beforeEach( () => {
 		jest.clearAllMocks();
 	} );
 	it( 'Has add site button', async () => {
 		( useAuth as jest.Mock ).mockReturnValue( { isAuthenticated: false } );
-		await act( async () => render( <MainSidebar /> ) );
+		await act( async () => renderWithProvider( <MainSidebar /> ) );
 		expect( screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'Add site' } ) ).toBeVisible();
 	} );
 
 	it( 'applies className prop', async () => {
 		const { container } = await act( async () =>
-			render( <MainSidebar className={ 'test-class' } /> )
+			renderWithProvider( <MainSidebar className={ 'test-class' } /> )
 		);
 		expect( container.firstChild ).toHaveClass( 'test-class' );
 	} );
 
 	it( 'shows a "Stop All" button when there are running sites', async () => {
-		await act( async () => render( <MainSidebar /> ) );
+		await act( async () => renderWithProvider( <MainSidebar /> ) );
 		expect( screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'Stop all' } ) ).toBeVisible();
 	} );
 } );
 
 describe( 'MainSidebar Site Menu', () => {
 	it( 'renders the list of sites', async () => {
-		await act( async () => render( <MainSidebar /> ) );
+		await act( async () => renderWithProvider( <MainSidebar /> ) );
 		expect( screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'test-1' } ) ).toBeVisible();
 		expect( screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'test-2' } ) ).toBeVisible();
 		expect( screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'test-3' } ) ).toBeVisible();
 	} );
 
 	it( 'has "start site" buttons when sites are not running', async () => {
-		await act( async () => render( <MainSidebar /> ) );
+		await act( async () => renderWithProvider( <MainSidebar /> ) );
 		expect( screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'start test-1 site' } ) ).toBeVisible();
 		expect( screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'start test-2 site' } ) ).toBeVisible();
 	} );
 
 	it( 'starts a site', async () => {
 		const user = userEvent.setup();
-		await act( async () => render( <MainSidebar /> ) );
+		await act( async () => renderWithProvider( <MainSidebar /> ) );
 		const greenDotFirstSite = screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'start test-1 site' } );
 		expect( greenDotFirstSite ).toBeVisible();
 		await user.click( greenDotFirstSite );
@@ -105,7 +110,7 @@ describe( 'MainSidebar Site Menu', () => {
 
 	it( 'stops a site', async () => {
 		const user = userEvent.setup();
-		await act( async () => render( <MainSidebar /> ) );
+		await act( async () => renderWithProvider( <MainSidebar /> ) );
 		const greenDotFirstSite = screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'stop test-3 site' } );
 		expect( greenDotFirstSite ).toBeVisible();
 		await user.click( greenDotFirstSite );