diff --git a/app/soapbox/actions/compose.js b/app/soapbox/actions/compose.js
index 8c0f1d3c4..3a95cddd6 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/actions/compose.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/actions/compose.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import { getFeatures } from 'soapbox/utils/features';
 import { uploadMedia } from './media';
 import { isLoggedIn } from 'soapbox/utils/auth';
 import { createStatus } from './statuses';
+import snackbar from 'soapbox/actions/snackbar';
 
 let cancelFetchComposeSuggestionsAccounts;
 
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ export const COMPOSE_SCHEDULE_REMOVE = 'COMPOSE_SCHEDULE_REMOVE';
 const messages = defineMessages({
   uploadErrorLimit: { id: 'upload_error.limit', defaultMessage: 'File upload limit exceeded.' },
   uploadErrorPoll:  { id: 'upload_error.poll', defaultMessage: 'File upload not allowed with polls.' },
+  scheduleError: { id: 'compose.invalid_schedule', defaultMessage: 'You must schedule a post at least 5 minutes out.'  },
 });
 
 const COMPOSE_PANEL_BREAKPOINT = 600 + (285 * 1) + (10 * 1);
@@ -170,6 +172,15 @@ const needsDescriptions = state => {
   return missingDescriptionModal && hasMissing;
 };
 
+const validateSchedule = state => {
+  const schedule = state.getIn(['compose', 'schedule']);
+  if (!schedule) return true;
+
+  const fiveMinutesFromNow = new Date(new Date().getTime() + 300000);
+
+  return schedule.getTime() > fiveMinutesFromNow.getTime();
+};
+
 export function submitCompose(routerHistory, force = false) {
   return function(dispatch, getState) {
     if (!isLoggedIn(getState)) return;
@@ -178,6 +189,11 @@ export function submitCompose(routerHistory, force = false) {
     const status = state.getIn(['compose', 'text'], '');
     const media  = state.getIn(['compose', 'media_attachments']);
 
+    if (!validateSchedule(state)) {
+      dispatch(snackbar.error(messages.scheduleError));
+      return;
+    }
+
     if ((!status || !status.length) && media.size === 0) {
       return;
     }
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/compose/components/schedule_form.js b/app/soapbox/features/compose/components/schedule_form.js
index bb6304a9f..0cf3a47fd 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/compose/components/schedule_form.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/compose/components/schedule_form.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import DatePicker from 'react-datepicker';
 import 'react-datepicker/dist/react-datepicker.css';
 import IconButton from 'soapbox/components/icon_button';
 import { removeSchedule } from 'soapbox/actions/compose';
+import classNames from 'classnames';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
   schedule: { id: 'schedule.post_time', defaultMessage: 'Post Date/Time' },
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ class ScheduleForm extends React.Component {
     const { intl, scheduledAt } = this.props;
 
     return (
-      <div className='datepicker'>
+      <div className={classNames('datepicker', { 'datepicker--error': !this.isFiveMinutesFromNow(scheduledAt) })}>
         <div className='datepicker__hint'>
           <FormattedMessage id='datepicker.hint' defaultMessage='Scheduled to post at…' />
         </div>
diff --git a/app/soapbox/reducers/compose.js b/app/soapbox/reducers/compose.js
index fa11f62f5..b7e496ebe 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/reducers/compose.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/reducers/compose.js
@@ -84,10 +84,6 @@ const initialPoll = ImmutableMap({
   multiple: false,
 });
 
-const initialSchedule = new Date();
-initialSchedule.setDate(initialSchedule.getDate() - 1);
-
-
 function statusToTextMentions(state, status, account) {
   const author = status.getIn(['account', 'acct']);
   const mentions = status.get('mentions', []).map(m => m.get('acct'));
@@ -407,7 +403,7 @@ export default function compose(state = initialState, action) {
   case COMPOSE_POLL_REMOVE:
     return state.set('poll', null);
   case COMPOSE_SCHEDULE_ADD:
-    return state.set('schedule', initialSchedule);
+    return state.set('schedule', new Date());
   case COMPOSE_SCHEDULE_SET:
     return state.set('schedule', action.date);
   case COMPOSE_SCHEDULE_REMOVE:
diff --git a/app/styles/components/datepicker.scss b/app/styles/components/datepicker.scss
index 9a86981a3..ef8483b97 100644
--- a/app/styles/components/datepicker.scss
+++ b/app/styles/components/datepicker.scss
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
   &__cancel {
     padding-left: 10px;
   }
+
+  &--error .react-datepicker__input-container {
+    border-color: $error-red !important;
+  }
 }
 
 .datepicker .react-datepicker {