diff --git a/src/components/Feedback.astro b/src/components/Feedback.astro
index 53d1db839b..fd4a57aa50 100644
--- a/src/components/Feedback.astro
+++ b/src/components/Feedback.astro
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ stats.stop();
       label={_(Translations.octopus_feedback.send)}
       size="small"
       importance="loud"
+      disabled
       data-feedback-send
     />
   </div>
diff --git a/src/data/language.json b/src/data/language.json
index 3b994a4592..15ff38e75f 100644
--- a/src/data/language.json
+++ b/src/data/language.json
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
             "en": "No"
         },
         "comment_label": {
-            "en": "Why did you give this rating? (optional)"
+            "en": "Why did you give this rating? (required)"
         },
         "send": {
             "en": "Send"
diff --git a/src/scripts/modules/feedback.js b/src/scripts/modules/feedback.js
index dfdff67c63..55104c7800 100644
--- a/src/scripts/modules/feedback.js
+++ b/src/scripts/modules/feedback.js
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ async function submit(page, rating, comment) {
   const body = new URLSearchParams();
   body.set(FIELD_PAGE, page);
   body.set(FIELD_RATING, rating);
-  // The comment is marked required on the form, so a blank box still has to
-  // send something for the submission to be accepted at all.
-  body.set(FIELD_COMMENT, comment.trim() || ' ');
+  // Required on the form, and required by the widget as well, so there is
+  // always something here.
+  body.set(FIELD_COMMENT, comment.trim());
 
   await fetch(FORM_URL, { method: 'POST', mode: 'no-cors', body });
 }
@@ -65,9 +65,23 @@ class Feedback {
     this.votes.forEach((button) => {
       button.addEventListener('click', () => this.vote(button));
     });
+    this.textarea.addEventListener('input', () => this.allowSend());
     this.send.addEventListener('click', () => this.submit());
   }
 
+  /**
+   * The security scanner that crawls the docs works every control it finds and
+   * types into none of them, so each of its submissions arrives with an empty
+   * box. Send is out of reach until there is something worth sending.
+   */
+  allowSend() {
+    if (this.textarea.value.trim()) {
+      this.send.removeAttribute('disabled');
+    } else {
+      this.send.setAttribute('disabled', '');
+    }
+  }
+
   /** @param {HTMLElement} chosen */
   vote(chosen) {
     this.rating = chosen.dataset.feedbackVote ?? null;
@@ -78,7 +92,9 @@ class Feedback {
   }
 
   async submit() {
-    if (!this.rating) return;
+    // The disabled button covers both of these already. They are here for the
+    // caller that reaches the handler another way.
+    if (!this.rating || !this.textarea.value.trim()) return;
 
     // Guards against a second submission while the first is in flight.
     this.send.setAttribute('disabled', '');
diff --git a/tests/feedback.spec.ts b/tests/feedback.spec.ts
index 7a80a2c69d..b8ec26519f 100644
--- a/tests/feedback.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/feedback.spec.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,38 @@ test.describe('feedback widget', () => {
     ).toHaveAttribute('aria-pressed', 'true');
   });
 
+  test('keeps send out of reach until the box has something in it', async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    await page.locator(`[data-feedback-vote="${RATING_YES}"]`).click();
+    await expect(page.locator('[data-feedback-send]')).toBeDisabled();
+
+    // Whitespace is nothing to send, so it does not count as an answer.
+    await page.locator('.feedback__textarea').fill('   ');
+    await expect(page.locator('[data-feedback-send]')).toBeDisabled();
+
+    await page.locator('.feedback__textarea').fill('the diagram is wrong');
+    await expect(page.locator('[data-feedback-send]')).toBeEnabled();
+
+    await page.locator('.feedback__textarea').fill('');
+    await expect(page.locator('[data-feedback-send]')).toBeDisabled();
+  });
+
+  test('sends nothing on a vote with an empty box', async ({ page }) => {
+    let sent = false;
+    await page.route('**/docs.google.com/**', (route) => {
+      sent = true;
+      return route.fulfill({ status: 200, body: '' });
+    });
+
+    await page.locator(`[data-feedback-vote="${RATING_YES}"]`).click();
+    // Past the disabled attribute, which a click alone cannot get through.
+    await page.locator('[data-feedback-send]').dispatchEvent('click');
+
+    await expect(page.locator('.feedback__thanks')).toBeHidden();
+    expect(sent).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   test('thanks the reader once the submission has gone out', async ({
     page,
   }) => {
@@ -55,6 +87,7 @@ test.describe('feedback widget', () => {
     );
 
     await page.locator(`[data-feedback-vote="${RATING_YES}"]`).click();
+    await page.locator('.feedback__textarea').fill('clear enough');
     await page.locator('[data-feedback-send]').click();
 
     await expect(page.locator('.feedback__thanks')).toBeVisible();
@@ -89,6 +122,9 @@ test.describe('feedback widget', () => {
     page,
   }) => {
     await page.locator(`[data-feedback-vote="${RATING_NO}"]`).click();
+    await page
+      .locator('.feedback__textarea')
+      .fill('the steps are out of order');
     await page.locator('[data-feedback-send]').click();
 
     // Send is disabled for the attempt and only comes back on the failure, so