diff --git a/crates/snowbound/src/protection.rs b/crates/snowbound/src/protection.rs
index 28f6dd93fe9112d9bc1781cefe0718119bce527a..87c93cf06142b838243b8dfd5da7e1b78ff651a6 100644
--- a/crates/snowbound/src/protection.rs
+++ b/crates/snowbound/src/protection.rs
@@ -738,11 +738,14 @@ impl State {
                     .is_some_and(|session| Arc::ptr_eq(session.section.replica(), &replica));
                 if open {
                     state.persist()?;
-                    let pending = replica.pending()?.last().map_or(0, |edit| edit.id);
-                    if pending > through {
-                        state.set_password(library, path, key, password);
-                        return Ok(());
-                    }
+                }
+                let pending = replica.pending()?.last().map_or(0, |edit| edit.id);
+                if open && pending > through {
+                    state.set_password(library, path, key, password);
+                    return Ok(());
+                }
+                if pending > 0 {
+                    return Err("Edits to the section wait to be published".into());
                 }
                 let stopping = state
                     .session