diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/ContestEntriesController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/ContestEntriesController.php
index f74bf90aa38..462cc473a83 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/ContestEntriesController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/ContestEntriesController.php
@@ -62,10 +62,6 @@ public function judgeVote($id)
             ->with('judgeVotes')
             ->findOrFail($id);
 
-        if (!$entry->contest->isJudgingActive()) {
-            throw new InvariantException(osu_trans('contest.judge.validation.judging_not_active'));
-        }
-
         priv_check('ContestJudge', $entry->contest)->ensureCan();
 
         $params = get_params(request()->all(), null, [
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/ContestsController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/ContestsController.php
index 427b7ee4f7e..2466c416607 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/ContestsController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/ContestsController.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public function judge($id)
             ->with('judgeCategories')
             ->findOrFail($id);
 
-        abort_if(!$contest->isJudgingActive(), 404);
+        abort_if(!$contest->isJudged(), 404);
 
         priv_check('ContestJudge', $contest)->ensureCan();
 
diff --git a/app/Libraries/OsuAuthorize.php b/app/Libraries/OsuAuthorize.php
index eb2030c94f5..21e0a9143c3 100644
--- a/app/Libraries/OsuAuthorize.php
+++ b/app/Libraries/OsuAuthorize.php
@@ -1340,6 +1340,10 @@ public function checkContestJudge(?User $user, Contest $contest): string
     {
         $this->ensureLoggedIn($user);
 
+        if (!$contest->isJudgingActive()) {
+            return 'contest.judging_not_active';
+        }
+
         if ($contest->judges->find($user->getKey()) === null) {
             return 'unauthorized';
         }
diff --git a/resources/lang/en/authorization.php b/resources/lang/en/authorization.php
index a48be061aac..1db30df9de9 100644
--- a/resources/lang/en/authorization.php
+++ b/resources/lang/en/authorization.php
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@
     ],
 
     'contest' => [
+        'judging_not_active' => 'Judging for this contest isn\'t active.',
         'voting_over' => 'You cannot change your vote after the voting period for this contest has ended.',
 
         'entry' => [
diff --git a/resources/lang/en/contest.php b/resources/lang/en/contest.php
index 9658262d2a5..cdf974aa862 100644
--- a/resources/lang/en/contest.php
+++ b/resources/lang/en/contest.php
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
         'update' => 'update',
         'validation' => [
             'contest_vote_judged' => 'can\'t vote in judged contests',
-            'judging_not_active' => 'judging for this contest isn\'t active',
             'missing_category_vote' => 'missing category vote',
         ],
     ],
diff --git a/resources/views/contests/voting.blade.php b/resources/views/contests/voting.blade.php
index 2cfe49389c6..badef22af8c 100644
--- a/resources/views/contests/voting.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/contests/voting.blade.php
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
             {{ $noVoteReason }}
         </div>
 
-        @if ($contestMeta->isJudgingActive() && priv_check('ContestJudge', $contestMeta)->can())
+        @if ($contestMeta->isJudged() && priv_check('ContestJudge', $contestMeta)->can())
             <div class='contest__voting-notice'>
                 <a href="{{ route('contests.judge', $contestMeta) }}" target="_blank">{{osu_trans('contest.voting.judge_link')}}</a>
             </div>