diff --git a/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.html b/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.html
index 7c991a1d77..939f23209a 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.html
+++ b/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.html
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
      [ngClass]="{'w-100': windowService.isXs()}">
   <button class="btn btn-outline-primary dropdown-toggle"
           id="sectionControls"
+          [disabled]="!(hasSections$ | async)"
           [ngClass]="{'w-100': (windowService.isXs() | async)}"
           ngbDropdownToggle>
           {{ 'submission.sections.general.add-more' | translate }} <i class="fa fa-plus" aria-hidden="true"></i>
@@ -13,10 +14,10 @@
        class="sections-dropdown-menu"
        aria-labelledby="sectionControls"
        [ngClass]="{'w-100': (windowService.isXs() | async)}">
-    <button class="dropdown-item disabled" *ngIf="(sectionList | async)?.length == 0">
+    <button class="dropdown-item disabled" *ngIf="!(hasSections$ | async)">
       {{ 'submission.sections.general.no-sections' | translate }}
     </button>
-    <button class="dropdown-item" *ngFor="let listItem of (sectionList | async)" (click)="addSection(listItem.id)">
+    <button class="dropdown-item" *ngFor="let listItem of (sectionList$ | async)" (click)="addSection(listItem.id)">
       {{'submission.sections.'+listItem.header | translate }}
     </button>
   </div>
diff --git a/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.spec.ts b/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.spec.ts
index 8add161a1a..236bd6de9b 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.spec.ts
@@ -130,13 +130,18 @@ describe('SubmissionFormSectionAddComponent Component', () => {
 
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
-      comp.sectionList.subscribe((list) => {
+      comp.sectionList$.subscribe((list) => {
         expect(list).toEqual(mockAvailableSections);
-      })
+      });
 
+      comp.hasSections$.subscribe((hasSections) => {
+        expect(hasSections).toEqual(true);
+      })
     });
 
     it('should call addSection', () => {
+      submissionServiceStub.getDisabledSectionsList.and.returnValue(observableOf(mockAvailableSections));
+
       comp.addSection(mockAvailableSections[1].id);
 
       fixture.detectChanges();
diff --git a/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.ts b/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.ts
index 304e53ac6c..20db74feac 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/form/section-add/submission-form-section-add.component.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { SectionsService } from '../../sections/sections.service';
 import { HostWindowService } from '../../../shared/host-window.service';
 import { SubmissionService } from '../../submission.service';
 import { SectionDataObject } from '../../sections/models/section-data.model';
+import { map } from 'rxjs/operators';
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'ds-submission-form-section-add',
@@ -16,7 +17,8 @@ export class SubmissionFormSectionAddComponent implements OnInit {
   @Input() collectionId: string;
   @Input() submissionId: string;
 
-  public sectionList: Observable<SectionDataObject[]>;
+  public sectionList$: Observable<SectionDataObject[]>;
+  public hasSections$: Observable<boolean>;
 
   constructor(private sectionService: SectionsService,
               private submissionService: SubmissionService,
@@ -24,7 +26,10 @@ export class SubmissionFormSectionAddComponent implements OnInit {
   }
 
   ngOnInit() {
-    this.sectionList = this.submissionService.getDisabledSectionsList(this.submissionId);
+    this.sectionList$ = this.submissionService.getDisabledSectionsList(this.submissionId);
+    this.hasSections$ = this.sectionList$.pipe(
+      map((list: SectionDataObject[]) => list.length > 0)
+    )
   }
 
   addSection(sectionId) {