diff --git a/app/controllers/conference_registrations_controller.rb b/app/controllers/conference_registrations_controller.rb
index c9d7d216..40218b31 100644
--- a/app/controllers/conference_registrations_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/conference_registrations_controller.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 class ConferenceRegistrationsController < ApplicationController
   before_filter :authenticate_user!, except: [:new, :create]
   load_resource :conference, find_by: :short_title
-  authorize_resource :conference_registrations, class: Registration
+  authorize_resource :conference_registrations, class: Registration, except: [:new, :create]
   before_action :set_registration, only: [:edit, :update, :destroy, :show]
 
   def new
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@ class ConferenceRegistrationsController < ApplicationController
       return
     end
 
-    @registration = Registration.new
-
+    @registration = Registration.new(conference_id: @conference.id)
+    # make sure that conference is open for registration
+    authorize! :new, @registration
     # @user variable needs to be set so that _sign_up_form_embedded works properly
     @user = @registration.build_user
   end
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ class ConferenceRegistrationsController < ApplicationController
     end
 
     @registration.user = @user
+    authorize! :create, @registration
 
     if @registration.save
       # Trigger ahoy event
diff --git a/app/models/ability.rb b/app/models/ability.rb
index 16313da9..c20ddfc0 100644
--- a/app/models/ability.rb
+++ b/app/models/ability.rb
@@ -46,9 +46,13 @@ class Ability
     can :show, Commercial, commercialable_type: 'Event', commercialable_id: Event.where(state: 'confirmed').pluck(:id)
     can :show, User
     unless CONFIG['authentication']['ichain']['enabled']
-      can [:show, :create], Registration do |registration|
+      can :show, Registration do |registration|
         registration.new_record?
       end
+
+      can [:new, :create], Registration do |registration|
+        registration.conference.registration_open? && registration.new_record?
+      end
       can :show, Event do |event|
         event.new_record?
       end
diff --git a/spec/features/conference_registration_spec.rb b/spec/features/conference_registration_spec.rb
index b1ab5f08..3084e9d0 100644
--- a/spec/features/conference_registration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/conference_registration_spec.rb
@@ -49,5 +49,16 @@ feature Registration do
         expect(conference.user_registered?(participant)).to be(true)
       end
     end
+
+    context 'registration is closed' do
+      let(:conference_with_closed_registration) { create(:conference, registration_period: create(:registration_period)) }
+
+      scenario 'registers for a conference', feature: true do
+        participant.is_admin = false
+        visit new_conference_conference_registrations_path(conference_with_closed_registration.short_title)
+        expect(current_path).to eq(root_path)
+        expect(flash).to eq 'You are not authorized to access this page.'
+      end
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/features/proposal_spec.rb b/spec/features/proposal_spec.rb
index 720a1bc3..55c8ebb5 100644
--- a/spec/features/proposal_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/proposal_spec.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 
 feature Event do
   let!(:conference) { create(:conference) }
+  let!(:registration_period) { create(:registration_period, conference: conference, start_date: Date.current) }
   let!(:cfp) { create(:cfp, program_id: conference.program.id) }
   let!(:organizer_role) { Role.find_by(name: 'organizer', resource: conference) }
   let!(:organizer) { create(:user, email: 'admin@example.com', role_ids: [organizer_role.id]) }
@@ -134,6 +135,7 @@ feature Event do
       click_link "confirm_proposal_#{@event.id}"
       expect(flash).
         to eq('The proposal was confirmed. Please register to attend the conference.')
+      expect(current_path).to eq(new_conference_conference_registrations_path(conference.short_title))
       @event.reload
       expect(@event.state).to eq('confirmed')
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/ability_spec.rb b/spec/models/ability_spec.rb
index 71e11171..dd389545 100644
--- a/spec/models/ability_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/ability_spec.rb
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ describe 'User' do
 
     # Test abilities for not signed in users
     context 'when user is not signed in' do
+      let(:conference_with_open_registration) { create(:conference) }
+      let!(:open_registration_period) { create(:registration_period, conference: conference_with_open_registration, start_date: Date.current - 6.days) }
+      let(:conference_with_closed_registration) { create(:conference) }
+      let!(:closed_registration_period) { create(:registration_period, conference: conference_with_closed_registration, start_date: Date.current - 6.days, end_date: Date.current - 6.days) }
+
       it{ should be_able_to(:index, Conference)}
 
       it{ should be_able_to(:show, conference_public)}
@@ -55,8 +60,11 @@ describe 'User' do
 
       it{ should be_able_to(:show, User)}
 
-      it{ should be_able_to(:create, Registration)}
       it{ should be_able_to(:show, Registration.new)}
+      it{ should be_able_to(:create, Registration.new(conference_id: conference_with_open_registration.id))}
+      it{ should be_able_to(:new, Registration.new(conference_id: conference_with_open_registration.id))}
+      it{ should_not be_able_to(:new, Registration.new(conference_id: conference_with_closed_registration.id))}
+      it{ should_not be_able_to(:create, Registration.new(conference_id: conference_with_closed_registration.id))}
       it{ should_not be_able_to(:manage, registration)}
 
       it{ should be_able_to(:create, Event)}