diff --git a/csaxs_bec/bec_widgets/widgets/console_buttons/console_buttons.py b/csaxs_bec/bec_widgets/widgets/console_buttons/console_buttons.py
index f36680d..88cb429 100644
--- a/csaxs_bec/bec_widgets/widgets/console_buttons/console_buttons.py
+++ b/csaxs_bec/bec_widgets/widgets/console_buttons/console_buttons.py
@@ -67,6 +67,16 @@ class ConsoleButtonsWidget(BECWidget, QWidget):
         self.no_button.clicked.connect(self._on_no)
         self.abort_button.clicked.connect(self._on_abort)
 
+        # Start with Yes/No greyed out: with no message there is nothing to
+        # respond to, so there should be nothing clickable. ABORT is left
+        # always enabled -- it's an emergency stop and must work at any time,
+        # message or not.
+        self._set_yesno_enabled(False)
+
+    def _set_yesno_enabled(self, enabled: bool):
+        self.yes_button.setEnabled(enabled)
+        self.no_button.setEnabled(enabled)
+
     @SafeSlot()
     def _on_yes(self):
         self._response = "yes"
@@ -88,6 +98,9 @@ class ConsoleButtonsWidget(BECWidget, QWidget):
     @rpc_timeout(20)
     def message(self, text: str):
         self.message_label.setText(text)
+        # A non-empty message means there's something to respond to, so
+        # enable Yes/No; an empty message greys them out again.
+        self._set_yesno_enabled(bool(text))
 
     def response(self) -> str:
         """