diff --git a/app/features/calendar/actions/calendar.new.server.ts b/app/features/calendar/actions/calendar.new.server.ts
index 7a033fe94..4e5a313d6 100644
--- a/app/features/calendar/actions/calendar.new.server.ts
+++ b/app/features/calendar/actions/calendar.new.server.ts
@@ -138,6 +138,11 @@ export const action: ActionFunction = async ({ request }) => {
 			);
 
 			errorToastIfFalsy(tournament.isAdmin(user), "Not authorized");
+
+			// once published, a tournament can't be flipped back to draft
+			if (!tournament.isDraft) {
+				commonArgs.isDraft = false;
+			}
 		} else {
 			// editing regular calendar event
 			errorToastIfFalsy(
diff --git a/app/features/calendar/routes/calendar.new.tsx b/app/features/calendar/routes/calendar.new.tsx
index 6c3a00768..bcd0bf4e8 100644
--- a/app/features/calendar/routes/calendar.new.tsx
+++ b/app/features/calendar/routes/calendar.new.tsx
@@ -977,12 +977,18 @@ function TestToggle() {
 
 function DraftToggle() {
 	const { t } = useTranslation(["calendar"]);
+	const { eventToEdit } = useLoaderData<typeof loader>();
 	const baseEvent = useBaseEvent();
 	const [isDraft, setIsDraft] = React.useState(
 		baseEvent?.tournament?.ctx.settings.isDraft ?? false,
 	);
 	const id = React.useId();
 
+	// once a tournament is published, it can't be flipped back to draft (users may have already saved it)
+	if (eventToEdit && !eventToEdit.tournament?.ctx.settings.isDraft) {
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	return (
 		<div>
 			<label htmlFor={id}>{t("calendar:forms.draft")}</label>