diff --git a/src/pretix/presale/templates/pretixpresale/event/fragment_availability.html b/src/pretix/presale/templates/pretixpresale/event/fragment_availability.html
index 6a8207815f..5e97dd4292 100644
--- a/src/pretix/presale/templates/pretixpresale/event/fragment_availability.html
+++ b/src/pretix/presale/templates/pretixpresale/event/fragment_availability.html
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
         {% else %}
             <strong>{% trans "SOLD OUT" %}</strong>
         {% endif %}
-        {% if event.settings.waiting_list_enabled and item.allow_waitinglist %}
+        {% if allow_waitinglist and item.allow_waitinglist %}
             <br/>
             <a href="{% eventurl event "presale:event.waitinglist" cart_namespace=cart_namespace|default_if_none:"" %}?item={{ item.pk }}{% if var %}&var={{ var.pk }}{% endif %}{% if subevent %}&subevent={{ subevent.pk }}{% endif %}">
                 <span class="fa fa-plus-circle" aria-hidden="true"></span>
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
         <strong>{% trans "Reserved" %}</strong>
         <br/>
         {% trans "All remaining products are reserved but might become available again." %}
-        {% if event.settings.waiting_list_enabled and item.allow_waitinglist %}
+        {% if allow_waitinglist and item.allow_waitinglist %}
             <br/>
             <a href="{% eventurl event "presale:event.waitinglist" cart_namespace=cart_namespace|default_if_none:"" %}?item={{ item.pk }}{% if var %}&var={{ var.pk }}{% endif %}{% if subevent %}&subevent={{ subevent.pk }}{% endif %}">
                 <span class="fa fa-plus-circle" aria-hidden="true"></span>
diff --git a/src/pretix/presale/views/event.py b/src/pretix/presale/views/event.py
index d942b03ccd..5a7f3ef2b7 100644
--- a/src/pretix/presale/views/event.py
+++ b/src/pretix/presale/views/event.py
@@ -439,7 +439,8 @@ class EventIndex(EventViewMixin, EventListMixin, CartMixin, TemplateView):
         context['ev'] = self.subevent or self.request.event
         context['subevent'] = self.subevent
         context['cart'] = self.get_cart()
-        context['has_addon_choices'] = any(cp.has_addon_choices for cp in get_cart(self.request))\
+        context['has_addon_choices'] = any(cp.has_addon_choices for cp in get_cart(self.request))
+        context['allow_waitinglist'] = self.request.event.settings.waiting_list_enabled and context['ev'].presale_is_running
 
         if self.subevent:
             context['frontpage_text'] = str(self.subevent.frontpage_text)
diff --git a/src/pretix/presale/views/waiting.py b/src/pretix/presale/views/waiting.py
index 28d027c552..9d91ce72f3 100644
--- a/src/pretix/presale/views/waiting.py
+++ b/src/pretix/presale/views/waiting.py
@@ -98,6 +98,14 @@ class WaitingView(EventViewMixin, FormView):
             messages.error(request, _("Waiting lists are disabled for this event."))
             return redirect(self.get_index_url())
 
+        if self.request.event.presale_has_ended:
+            messages.error(request, _("The presale period for this event is over."))
+            return redirect(self.get_index_url())
+
+        if not self.request.event.presale_is_running:
+            messages.error(request, _("The presale for this event has not yet started."))
+            return redirect(self.get_index_url())
+
         if not self.item_and_variation:
             messages.error(request, _("We could not identify the product you selected."))
             return redirect(self.get_index_url())