diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index 43ec1c8..6bcdb70 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -1177,7 +1177,17 @@ fn AlternativeCard(
                                     children=move |e| view! { <p class="alt-encouragement">{e}</p> }
                                 />
                             </div>
-                            {if is_gateway {
+                            {if alternative.disabled {
+                                // Advertised, not yet takeable: the label
+                                // stays (it says what will be possible),
+                                // the button doesn't act.
+                                view! {
+                                    <button type="button" class="alt-submit soon" disabled=true title="Not yet">
+                                        {button_label.clone()}
+                                    </button>
+                                }
+                                .into_any()
+                            } else if is_gateway {
                                 let href = alternative.action.clone().unwrap_or_default();
                                 view! {
                                     <a class="alt-submit" href=href>{button_label.clone()}</a>
@@ -1860,6 +1870,9 @@ pub async fn submit_answer(
         .iter()
         .find(|a| a.name == alternative)
         .ok_or_else(|| ServerFnError::new("unknown alternative"))?;
+    if alt.disabled {
+        return Err(ServerFnError::new("this alternative isn't open yet"));
+    }
     let next = alt.action.clone();
     let record_as = alt.record_as.clone();
 
diff --git a/src/content.rs b/src/content.rs
index 10fe99f..2652e8f 100644
--- a/src/content.rs
+++ b/src/content.rs
@@ -111,6 +111,11 @@ pub struct Alternative {
     pub description: String,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub action: Option<String>,
+    /// Shown but not takeable yet - the button renders disabled and the
+    /// server refuses the submission. For advertising a path before it
+    /// works (lysbue had the same flag).
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub disabled: bool,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub consequence: Vec<String>,
     #[serde(default)]
diff --git a/style/main.css b/style/main.css
index d1bfae1..b74c2c3 100644
--- a/style/main.css
+++ b/style/main.css
@@ -675,6 +675,13 @@ textarea:focus {
   cursor: wait;
 }
 
+/* A content-disabled alternative (`disabled: true`): announced, not
+   yet takeable - reads as a promise, not as a stuck form. */
+.alt-submit.soon:disabled {
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+  opacity: 0.6;
+}
+
 .gate-card {
   text-align: center;
 }