diff --git a/src/server/routers/application.ts b/src/server/routers/application.ts
index 999cef3..4c61516 100644
--- a/src/server/routers/application.ts
+++ b/src/server/routers/application.ts
@@ -150,6 +150,14 @@ export const applicationRouter = router({
           isOpen = program.status === 'ACTIVE'
         }
 
+        // Block access entirely when applications are not open
+        if (!isOpen) {
+          throw new TRPCError({
+            code: 'FORBIDDEN',
+            message: 'Applications are not currently open. The submission period has not started or has ended.',
+          })
+        }
+
         const wizardConfig = parseWizardConfig(program.settingsJson)
 
         return {
@@ -200,6 +208,14 @@ export const applicationRouter = router({
         const roundProgram = round.competition.program
         const isOpen = round.status === 'ROUND_ACTIVE'
 
+        // Block access entirely when the intake round is not active
+        if (!isOpen) {
+          throw new TRPCError({
+            code: 'FORBIDDEN',
+            message: 'Applications are not currently open. The submission period has not started or has ended.',
+          })
+        }
+
         const roundWizardConfig = parseWizardConfig(roundProgram.settingsJson)
         const { settingsJson: _s, ...programData } = roundProgram
 
@@ -608,6 +624,7 @@ export const applicationRouter = router({
         where: { slug: input.roundSlug },
         select: {
           id: true,
+          status: true,
           competition: { select: { programId: true } },
           configJson: true,
         },
@@ -620,6 +637,14 @@ export const applicationRouter = router({
         })
       }
 
+      // Block draft saving when intake round is not active
+      if (round.status !== 'ROUND_ACTIVE') {
+        throw new TRPCError({
+          code: 'FORBIDDEN',
+          message: 'Applications are not currently open.',
+        })
+      }
+
       const roundConfig = (round.configJson as Record<string, unknown>) || {}
       if (roundConfig.drafts_enabled === false) {
         throw new TRPCError({