diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/templates.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/templates.js
index 1e99f02763..cfcbe8c7b4 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/templates.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/templates.js
@@ -569,9 +569,12 @@ run_test('compose_announce', () => {
 });
 
 run_test('compose_not_subscribed', () => {
-    var html = render('compose_not_subscribed');
+    var html = render('compose_not_subscribed', {should_display_sub_button: true});
     var button = $(html).find("button:first");
     assert.equal(button.text(), "translated: Subscribe");
+    html = render('compose_not_subscribed', {should_display_sub_button: false});
+    button = $(html).find("button:first");
+    assert.equal(button.length, 0);
 });
 
 run_test('compose_notification', () => {
diff --git a/static/js/compose.js b/static/js/compose.js
index 2cf5d32a6f..5355f6a7e3 100644
--- a/static/js/compose.js
+++ b/static/js/compose.js
@@ -471,7 +471,9 @@ exports.validation_error = function (error_type, stream_name) {
         compose_error(i18n.t("Error checking subscription"), $("#stream"));
         return false;
     case "not-subscribed":
-        var new_row = templates.render("compose_not_subscribed");
+        var sub = stream_data.get_sub(stream_name);
+        var new_row = templates.render("compose_not_subscribed", {
+            should_display_sub_button: sub.should_display_subscription_button});
         compose_not_subscribed_error(new_row, $('#stream'));
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/static/templates/compose_not_subscribed.handlebars b/static/templates/compose_not_subscribed.handlebars
index 2e57b6ca31..255755070b 100644
--- a/static/templates/compose_not_subscribed.handlebars
+++ b/static/templates/compose_not_subscribed.handlebars
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
         {{/tr}}
     </p>
     <div>
+        {{#if should_display_sub_button}}
         <button id="error-message-sub-button" class="btn btn-warning subscribe-button sub_unsub_button">{{t "Subscribe" }}</button><button type="button" id="compose_not_subscribed_close" class="close">&times;</button>
+        {{/if}}
     </div>
 </div>