diff --git a/js/client-teambuilder.js b/js/client-teambuilder.js
index 6d7b6ecf9..28ba4839f 100644
--- a/js/client-teambuilder.js
+++ b/js/client-teambuilder.js
@@ -980,10 +980,12 @@
 				if (this.curSetList.length && !this.curSetList[this.curSetList.length - 1].species) {
 					this.curSetList.splice(this.curSetList.length - 1, 1);
 				}
+
 				if (exports.BattleFormats) {
 					buf += '<li class="format-select">';
 					buf += '<label class="label">Format:</label><button class="select formatselect teambuilderformatselect" name="format" value="' + this.curTeam.format + '">' + (Tools.escapeFormat(this.curTeam.format) || '<em>Select a format</em>') + '</button>';
-					buf += ' <button name="validate" class="button"><i class="fa fa-check"></i> Validate</button></li>';
+					var btnClass = 'button' + (!this.curSetList.length || !this.curTeam.format ? ' disabled' : '');
+					buf += ' <button name="validate" class="' + btnClass + '"><i class="fa fa-check"></i> Validate</button></li>';
 				}
 				if (!this.curSetList.length) {
 					buf += '<li><em>you have no pokemon lol</em></li>';
@@ -1144,10 +1146,20 @@
 		},
 		validate: function () {
 			var format = this.curTeam.format;
+			var prerequisiteErrors = [];
 			if (!format) {
-				app.addPopupMessage('You need to pick a format to validate your team.');
+				prerequisiteErrors.push('- You need to pick a format to validate your team.');
+			}
+
+			if (!this.curSetList.length) {
+				prerequisiteErrors.push('- You must have at least one Pokémon on your team in order to validate.');
+			}
+
+			if (prerequisiteErrors.length) {
+				app.addPopupMessage(prerequisiteErrors.join('\n'));
 				return;
 			}
+
 			if (window.BattleFormats && BattleFormats[this.curTeam.format] && BattleFormats[this.curTeam.format].hasBattleFormat) {
 				format = BattleFormats[this.curTeam.format].battleFormat;
 			}
diff --git a/style/client.css b/style/client.css
index b68159ec3..470d3b02d 100644
--- a/style/client.css
+++ b/style/client.css
@@ -311,6 +311,23 @@ button:disabled {
 .popupmenu button.button:active {
 	background: linear-gradient(to bottom,  #cfcfcf,  #f2f2f2);
 }
+
+.button.disabled,
+.button.disabled:hover,
+.button.disabled:active,
+.mainmenuwrapper .menugroup .button.disabled,
+.mainmenuwrapper .menugroup .button.disabled:hover,
+.mainmenuwrapper .menugroup .button.disabled:active {
+	cursor: default;
+	background: #EEEEEE;
+	border-color: #CCCCCC;
+	border-style: solid;
+	border-size: 1px;
+	color: #999999;
+	text-shadow: none;
+	box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.1);
+}
+
 .button.notifying {
 	border-color: #AA8866;
 	background: #e3c3a3;
@@ -1011,20 +1028,6 @@ p.or:after {
 .button.mainmenu6:hover { background: linear-gradient(to bottom,  hsl(270,40%,62%),  hsl(270,40%,42%)); }
 .button.mainmenu6:active { background: linear-gradient(to bottom,  hsl(270,40%,42%),  hsl(300,40%,58%)); }
 
-.mainmenuwrapper .menugroup .button.disabled,
-.mainmenuwrapper .menugroup .button.disabled:hover,
-.mainmenuwrapper .menugroup .button.disabled:active,
-.mainmenuwrapper .menugroup .button.disabled,
-.mainmenuwrapper .menugroup .button.disabled:hover,
-.mainmenuwrapper .menugroup .button.disabled:active {
-	cursor: default;
-	background: #EEEEEE;
-	border: 1px solid #CCCCCC;
-	color: #999999;
-	text-shadow: none;
-	box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.1);
-}
-
 .rightmenu {
 	width: 294px;
 }