diff --git a/crates/store/re_grpc_client/src/lib.rs b/crates/store/re_grpc_client/src/lib.rs
index b37c07f20137..5b6f553ee428 100644
--- a/crates/store/re_grpc_client/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/store/re_grpc_client/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,8 +5,12 @@ mod address;
 pub use address::{InvalidRedapAddress, RedapAddress};
 use re_chunk::external::arrow2;
 use re_log_types::external::re_types_core::ComponentDescriptor;
+use re_types::blueprint::archetypes::{ContainerBlueprint, ViewportBlueprint};
+use re_types::blueprint::archetypes::{ViewBlueprint, ViewContents};
+use re_types::blueprint::components::{ContainerKind, RootContainer};
 use re_types::components::RecordingUri;
-use re_types::Component;
+use re_types::external::uuid;
+use re_types::{Archetype, Component};
 use url::Url;
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -15,10 +19,13 @@ use std::error::Error;
 
 use arrow2::array::Utf8Array as Arrow2Utf8Array;
 use arrow2::datatypes::Field as Arrow2Field;
-use re_chunk::{Arrow2Array, Chunk, ChunkId, TransportChunk};
+use re_chunk::{
+    Arrow2Array, Chunk, ChunkBuilder, ChunkId, EntityPath, RowId, Timeline, TransportChunk,
+};
 use re_log_encoding::codec::{wire::decode, CodecError};
 use re_log_types::{
-    ApplicationId, LogMsg, SetStoreInfo, StoreId, StoreInfo, StoreKind, StoreSource, Time,
+    ApplicationId, BlueprintActivationCommand, EntityPathFilter, LogMsg, SetStoreInfo, StoreId,
+    StoreInfo, StoreKind, StoreSource, Time,
 };
 use re_protos::common::v0::RecordingId;
 use re_protos::remote_store::v0::{
@@ -77,6 +84,10 @@ enum StreamError {
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+const CATALOG_BP_STORE_ID: &str = "catalog_blueprint";
+const CATALOG_REC_STORE_ID: &str = "catalog";
+const CATALOG_APPLICATION_ID: &str = "redap_catalog";
+
 /// Stream an rrd file or metadsasta catalog over gRPC from a Rerun Data Platform server.
 ///
 /// `on_msg` can be used to wake up the UI thread on Wasm.
@@ -276,11 +287,16 @@ async fn stream_catalog_async(
 
     drop(client);
 
-    // We need a whole StoreInfo here.
-    let store_id = StoreId::from_string(StoreKind::Recording, "catalog".to_owned());
+    if activate_catalog_blueprint(&tx).is_err() {
+        re_log::debug!("Failed to activate catalog blueprint");
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    // Craft the StoreInfo for the actual catalog data
+    let store_id = StoreId::from_string(StoreKind::Recording, CATALOG_REC_STORE_ID.to_owned());
 
     let store_info = StoreInfo {
-        application_id: ApplicationId::from("redap_catalog"),
+        application_id: ApplicationId::from(CATALOG_APPLICATION_ID),
         store_id: store_id.clone(),
         cloned_from: None,
         is_official_example: false,
@@ -309,7 +325,6 @@ async fn stream_catalog_async(
             TransportChunk::CHUNK_METADATA_KEY_ID.to_owned(),
             ChunkId::new().to_string(),
         );
-
         let mut chunk = Chunk::from_transport(&tc)?;
 
         // enrich catalog data with RecordingUri that's based on the ReDap endpoint (that we know)
@@ -376,3 +391,111 @@ async fn stream_catalog_async(
 
     Ok(())
 }
+
+// Craft a blueprint from relevant chunks and activate it
+// TODO(zehiko) - manual crafting of the blueprint as we have below will go away and be replaced
+// by either a blueprint crafted using rust Blueprint API or a blueprint fetched from ReDap (#8470)
+fn activate_catalog_blueprint(
+    tx: &re_smart_channel::Sender<LogMsg>,
+) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    let blueprint_store_id =
+        StoreId::from_string(StoreKind::Blueprint, CATALOG_BP_STORE_ID.to_owned());
+    let blueprint_store_info = StoreInfo {
+        application_id: ApplicationId::from(CATALOG_APPLICATION_ID),
+        store_id: blueprint_store_id.clone(),
+        cloned_from: None,
+        is_official_example: false,
+        started: Time::now(),
+        store_source: StoreSource::Unknown,
+        store_version: None,
+    };
+
+    if tx
+        .send(LogMsg::SetStoreInfo(SetStoreInfo {
+            row_id: *re_chunk::RowId::new(),
+            info: blueprint_store_info,
+        }))
+        .is_err()
+    {
+        re_log::debug!("Receiver disconnected");
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    let timepoint = [(Timeline::new_sequence("blueprint"), 1)];
+
+    let vb = ViewBlueprint::new("Dataframe")
+        .with_visible(true)
+        .with_space_origin("/");
+
+    // TODO(zehiko) we shouldn't really be creating all these ids and entity paths manually... (#8470)
+    let view_uuid = uuid::Uuid::new_v4();
+    let view_entity_path = format!("/view/{view_uuid}");
+    let view_chunk = ChunkBuilder::new(ChunkId::new(), view_entity_path.clone().into())
+        .with_archetype(RowId::new(), timepoint, &vb)
+        .build()?;
+
+    let epf = EntityPathFilter::parse_forgiving("/**", &Default::default());
+    let vc = ViewContents::new(epf.iter_expressions());
+    let view_contents_chunk = ChunkBuilder::new(
+        ChunkId::new(),
+        format!(
+            "{}/{}",
+            view_entity_path.clone(),
+            ViewContents::name().short_name()
+        )
+        .into(),
+    )
+    .with_archetype(RowId::new(), timepoint, &vc)
+    .build()?;
+
+    let rc = ContainerBlueprint::new(ContainerKind::Grid)
+        .with_contents(&[EntityPath::from(view_entity_path)])
+        .with_visible(true);
+
+    let container_uuid = uuid::Uuid::new_v4();
+    let container_chunk = ChunkBuilder::new(
+        ChunkId::new(),
+        format!("/container/{container_uuid}").into(),
+    )
+    .with_archetype(RowId::new(), timepoint, &rc)
+    .build()?;
+
+    let vp = ViewportBlueprint::new().with_root_container(RootContainer(container_uuid.into()));
+    let viewport_chunk = ChunkBuilder::new(ChunkId::new(), "/viewport".into())
+        .with_archetype(RowId::new(), timepoint, &vp)
+        .build()?;
+
+    for chunk in &[
+        view_chunk,
+        view_contents_chunk,
+        container_chunk,
+        viewport_chunk,
+    ] {
+        if tx
+            .send(LogMsg::ArrowMsg(
+                blueprint_store_id.clone(),
+                chunk.to_arrow_msg()?,
+            ))
+            .is_err()
+        {
+            re_log::debug!("Receiver disconnected");
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+    }
+
+    let blueprint_activation = BlueprintActivationCommand {
+        blueprint_id: blueprint_store_id.clone(),
+        make_active: true,
+        make_default: true,
+    };
+
+    if tx
+        .send(LogMsg::BlueprintActivationCommand(blueprint_activation))
+        .is_err()
+    {
+        re_log::debug!("Receiver disconnected");
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}