diff --git a/app/[locale]/[investigation]/[...uriSegments]/page.tsx b/app/[locale]/[investigation]/[...uriSegments]/page.tsx
index 49862425..990240e3 100644
--- a/app/[locale]/[investigation]/[...uriSegments]/page.tsx
+++ b/app/[locale]/[investigation]/[...uriSegments]/page.tsx
@@ -77,7 +77,12 @@ const UriSegments: (props: {
   const user = getUserFromJwt(craftToken);
 
   return (
-    <InvestigationChildPageTemplate site={site} data={data.entry} user={user}>
+    <InvestigationChildPageTemplate
+      site={site}
+      data={data.entry}
+      user={user}
+      userStatus={craftUserStatus}
+    >
       {user && (
         <>
           <p>User: {JSON.stringify(user)}</p>
diff --git a/components/answers/SaveForm/SaveForm.tsx b/components/answers/SaveForm/SaveForm.tsx
index 2476db55..090819dc 100644
--- a/components/answers/SaveForm/SaveForm.tsx
+++ b/components/answers/SaveForm/SaveForm.tsx
@@ -11,15 +11,22 @@ import { getUserFromJwt } from "@/components/auth/serverHelpers";
 export default function SaveForm({
   investigationId,
   user,
+  userStatus,
 }: {
   investigationId: InvestigationId;
   user?: ReturnType<typeof getUserFromJwt>;
+  userStatus?: string;
 }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
 
   const [status, setStatus] = useState<
-    "emptyError" | "refreshError" | "mutationError" | "success" | null
-  >(null);
+    | "emptyError"
+    | "refreshError"
+    | "mutationError"
+    | "statusError"
+    | "success"
+    | null
+  >(userStatus === "pending" ? "statusError" : null);
 
   if (!investigationId || !user) return null;
 
@@ -48,6 +55,8 @@ export default function SaveForm({
           );
           if (result === "refreshError") {
             setStatus("refreshError");
+          } else if (result === "statusError") {
+            setStatus("statusError");
           } else {
             setStatus("success");
           }
@@ -57,7 +66,10 @@ export default function SaveForm({
       }}
       aria-label={t("answers.save_form.label") ?? undefined}
     >
-      <Submit disabled={status !== null} icon="FloppyDisk">
+      <Submit
+        disabled={status !== null}
+        icon="FloppyDisk"
+      >
         {(pending) =>
           t(
             pending
@@ -79,6 +91,9 @@ export default function SaveForm({
         {status === "mutationError" && (
           <p>{t("answers.save_form.mutation_error_message")}</p>
         )}
+        {status === "statusError" && (
+          <p>{t("answers.save_form.status_error_message")}</p>
+        )}
       </output>
     </form>
   );
diff --git a/components/educator-schema/saveAnswersAction.ts b/components/educator-schema/saveAnswersAction.ts
index 5c3fdbeb..b8cf4d1f 100644
--- a/components/educator-schema/saveAnswersAction.ts
+++ b/components/educator-schema/saveAnswersAction.ts
@@ -25,12 +25,16 @@ export default async function saveAnswers(
   investigationId: NonNullable<InvestigationId>,
   answers: Answers
 ) {
-  const { craftUserId, craftToken } = await getAuthCookies();
+  const { craftUserId, craftToken, craftUserStatus } = await getAuthCookies();
 
   if (!craftUserId || !craftToken) {
     return "refreshError";
   }
 
+  if (craftUserStatus === "pending") {
+    return "statusError";
+  }
+
   const answerSet = Object.values(answers);
 
   const { data, error } = await mutateAPI({
diff --git a/components/student-schema/saveAnswersAction.ts b/components/student-schema/saveAnswersAction.ts
index 5c3fdbeb..b8cf4d1f 100644
--- a/components/student-schema/saveAnswersAction.ts
+++ b/components/student-schema/saveAnswersAction.ts
@@ -25,12 +25,16 @@ export default async function saveAnswers(
   investigationId: NonNullable<InvestigationId>,
   answers: Answers
 ) {
-  const { craftUserId, craftToken } = await getAuthCookies();
+  const { craftUserId, craftToken, craftUserStatus } = await getAuthCookies();
 
   if (!craftUserId || !craftToken) {
     return "refreshError";
   }
 
+  if (craftUserStatus === "pending") {
+    return "statusError";
+  }
+
   const answerSet = Object.values(answers);
 
   const { data, error } = await mutateAPI({
diff --git a/components/templates/InvestigationChildPage/index.tsx b/components/templates/InvestigationChildPage/index.tsx
index a005c04d..aa71d7cc 100644
--- a/components/templates/InvestigationChildPage/index.tsx
+++ b/components/templates/InvestigationChildPage/index.tsx
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ const InvestigationChildPage: FunctionComponent<{
   data: FragmentType<typeof Fragment>;
   site: string;
   user?: ReturnType<typeof getUserFromJwt>;
+  userStatus?: string;
   children?: React.ReactNode;
 }> = (props) => {
   // const { t } = useTranslation();
@@ -150,7 +151,11 @@ const InvestigationChildPage: FunctionComponent<{
             )
         )}
         {data.hasSavePoint && props.user && (
-          <SaveForm investigationId={data.parent?.id} user={props.user} />
+          <SaveForm
+            investigationId={data.parent?.id}
+            user={props.user}
+            userStatus={props.userStatus}
+          />
         )}
       </Styled.ContentBlocks>
       <Pager leftLink={prevUrl} rightLink={nextUrl} />
diff --git a/public/localeStrings/en/translation.json b/public/localeStrings/en/translation.json
index 628a3f40..f014860f 100644
--- a/public/localeStrings/en/translation.json
+++ b/public/localeStrings/en/translation.json
@@ -244,7 +244,8 @@
       "success_message": "Answers saved!",
       "empty_error_message": "No new answers to save.",
       "refresh_error_message": "Your session has expired. Please log back in and try again.",
-      "mutation_error_message": "There was an error saving your answers to your account."
+      "mutation_error_message": "There was an error saving your answers to your account.",
+      "status_error_message": "Activate your account to begin saving. Check your inbox for an activation email."
     }
   },
   "review": {