diff --git a/static/js/stream_data.js b/static/js/stream_data.js
index 98e774f58e..387d2a7d6a 100644
--- a/static/js/stream_data.js
+++ b/static/js/stream_data.js
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ exports.update_calculated_fields = function (sub) {
     sub.can_access_subscribers = page_params.is_admin || sub.subscribed || !page_params.is_guest &&
                                  !sub.invite_only;
     sub.preview_url = hash_util.by_stream_uri(sub.stream_id);
+    sub.can_add_subscribers = !page_params.is_guest && (!sub.invite_only || sub.subscribed);
     exports.render_stream_description(sub);
     exports.update_subscribers_count(sub);
 };
diff --git a/static/js/stream_edit.js b/static/js/stream_edit.js
index 40e6e61b77..14dba138ad 100644
--- a/static/js/stream_edit.js
+++ b/static/js/stream_edit.js
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ function show_subscription_settings(sub_row) {
     var colorpicker = sub_settings.find('.colorpicker');
     var color = stream_data.get_color(sub.name);
     stream_color.set_colorpicker_color(colorpicker, color);
+    subs.update_add_subscriptions_elements(sub.can_add_subscribers);
 
     if (!sub.render_subscribers) {
         return;
diff --git a/static/js/subs.js b/static/js/subs.js
index 98086ae7e7..0648d72cdd 100644
--- a/static/js/subs.js
+++ b/static/js/subs.js
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ exports.remove_stream = function (stream_id) {
 exports.update_settings_for_subscribed = function (sub) {
     var button = check_button_for_sub(sub);
     var settings_button = settings_button_for_sub(sub).removeClass("unsubscribed").show();
-    $('.add_subscribers_container').show();
+    exports.update_add_subscriptions_elements(sub.can_add_subscribers);
     $(".subscription_settings[data-stream-id='" + sub.stream_id + "'] #preview-stream-button").show();
 
     if (button.length !== 0) {
@@ -289,6 +289,42 @@ exports.add_tooltips_to_left_panel = function () {
     });
 };
 
+exports.update_add_subscriptions_elements = function (allow_user_to_add_subs) {
+    var input_element = $('.add_subscribers_container').find('input[name="principal"]').expectOne();
+    var button_element = $('.add_subscribers_container').find('button[name="add_subscriber"]').expectOne();
+
+    if (allow_user_to_add_subs) {
+        input_element.removeAttr("disabled");
+        button_element.removeAttr("disabled");
+        button_element.css('pointer-events', "");
+        $('.add_subscriber_btn_wrapper').popover('destroy');
+    } else {
+        input_element.attr("disabled", "disabled");
+        button_element.attr("disabled", "disabled");
+
+        // Disabled button blocks mouse events(hover) from reaching
+        // to it's parent div element, so popover don't get triggered.
+        // Add css to prevent this.
+        button_element.css("pointer-events", "none");
+
+        $('.add_subscribers_container input').popover({
+            placement: "bottom",
+            content: "<div class='cant_add_subs_hint'>%s</div>".replace(
+                '%s', i18n.t('Only stream subscribers can add users to a private stream.')),
+            trigger: "manual",
+            html: true,
+            animation: false});
+        $('.add_subscribers_container').on('mouseover', function (e) {
+            $('.add_subscribers_container input').popover('show');
+            e.stopPropagation();
+        });
+        $('.add_subscribers_container').on('mouseout', function (e) {
+            $('.add_subscribers_container input').popover('hide');
+            e.stopPropagation();
+        });
+    }
+};
+
 exports.update_settings_for_unsubscribed = function (sub) {
     var button = check_button_for_sub(sub);
     var settings_button = settings_button_for_sub(sub).addClass("unsubscribed").show();
@@ -304,7 +340,7 @@ exports.update_settings_for_unsubscribed = function (sub) {
         // stream without invitation and cannot add subscribers to stream.
         if (!sub.should_display_subscription_button) {
             settings_button.hide();
-            $('.add_subscribers_container').hide();
+            exports.update_add_subscriptions_elements(sub.can_add_subscribers);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/static/styles/popovers.scss b/static/styles/popovers.scss
index d28796ed5b..ebc34ba36d 100644
--- a/static/styles/popovers.scss
+++ b/static/styles/popovers.scss
@@ -327,3 +327,10 @@ ul.remind_me_popover .remind_icon {
     position: relative;
     top: 1px;
 }
+
+.popover .cant_add_subs_hint {
+    padding-left: 5px;
+    padding-right: 5px;
+    font-size: small;
+    text-align: justify;
+}
diff --git a/static/templates/subscription_members.handlebars b/static/templates/subscription_members.handlebars
index 2aa0e260ad..4d51c5e919 100644
--- a/static/templates/subscription_members.handlebars
+++ b/static/templates/subscription_members.handlebars
@@ -8,11 +8,13 @@
         <div class="subscriber_list_add float-right">
             <form class="form-inline">
                 <input type="text" class="search" placeholder="{{t 'Search subscribers' }}" />
-                <div class="add_subscribers_container" {{#if invite_only}}{{#unless subscribed}}style="display: none"{{/unless}}{{/if}}>
+                <div class="add_subscribers_container">
                     <input type="text" name="principal" placeholder="{{t 'Name or email' }}" value="" class="input-block" autocomplete="off" tabindex="-1" />
-                    <button type="submit" name="add_subscriber" class="button add-subscriber-button small rounded" tabindex="-1">
-                        {{t 'Add' }}
-                    </button>
+                    <div class="add_subscriber_btn_wrapper inline-block">
+                        <button type="submit" name="add_subscriber" class="button add-subscriber-button small rounded" tabindex="-1">
+                            {{t 'Add' }}
+                        </button>
+                    </div>
                 </div>
             </form>
         </div>