diff --git a/app/controllers/conference_registrations_controller.rb b/app/controllers/conference_registrations_controller.rb
index 6bf79202..b304f7d7 100644
--- a/app/controllers/conference_registrations_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/conference_registrations_controller.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class ConferenceRegistrationsController < ApplicationController
 
   def new
     @registration = Registration.new(conference_id: @conference.id)
-    authorize! :new, @registration
+    authorize! :new, @registration, message: "Sorry, you can not register for #{@conference.title}. Registration limit exceeded or the registration is not open."
 
     # Redirect to registration edit when user is already registered
     if @conference.user_registered?(current_user)
@@ -23,11 +23,6 @@ class ConferenceRegistrationsController < ApplicationController
       redirect_to edit_conference_conference_registrations_path(@conference.short_title)
     end
 
-    if @conference.registration_limit_exceeded?
-      redirect_to root_path, error: "Sorry, registration limit exceeded for #{@conference.title}"
-      return
-    end
-
     # @user variable needs to be set so that _sign_up_form_embedded works properly
     @user = @registration.build_user
   end
diff --git a/app/models/ability.rb b/app/models/ability.rb
index 2c1914be..fb48808a 100644
--- a/app/models/ability.rb
+++ b/app/models/ability.rb
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ class Ability
       end
 
       can [:new, :create], Registration do |registration|
-        registration.conference.registration_open? && registration.new_record?
+        conference = registration.conference
+        conference.registration_open? && registration.new_record? && !conference.registration_limit_exceeded?
       end
 
       can :show, Event do |event|
@@ -74,7 +75,8 @@ class Ability
     can :manage, Registration, user_id: user.id
 
     can [:new, :create], Registration do |registration|
-      registration.conference.registration_open?
+      conference = registration.conference
+      conference.registration_open? && !conference.registration_limit_exceeded?
     end
 
     can :index, Ticket