diff --git a/bookwyrm/static/css/format.css b/bookwyrm/static/css/format.css
index e3ae1ce7..522c23f7 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/static/css/format.css
+++ b/bookwyrm/static/css/format.css
@@ -25,6 +25,17 @@ html {
     min-width: 75% !important;
 }
 
+
+/* --- "disabled" for non-buttons --- */
+.is-disabled {
+    background-color: #dbdbdb;
+    border-color: #dbdbdb;
+    box-shadow: none;
+    color: #7a7a7a;
+    opacity: .5;
+    cursor: not-allowed;
+}
+
 /* --- SHELVING --- */
 
 /** @todo Replace icons with SVG symbols.
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/pagination.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/pagination.html
index 252be29e..a11bbbb4 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/pagination.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/pagination.html
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {% load i18n %}
 <nav class="pagination" aria-label="pagination">
-    <a class="pagination-previous" {% if page.has_previous %}href="{{ path }}?{% for k, v in request.GET.items %}{% if k != 'page' %}{{ k }}={{ v }}&{% endif %}{% endfor %}page={{ page.previous_page_number }}{{ anchor }}" {% else %}disabled{% endif %}>
+    <a class="pagination-previous {% if not page.has_previous %}is-disabled{% endif %}" {% if page.has_previous %}href="{{ path }}?{% for k, v in request.GET.items %}{% if k != 'page' %}{{ k }}={{ v }}&{% endif %}{% endfor %}page={{ page.previous_page_number }}{{ anchor }}"{% endif %}>
         <span class="icon icon-arrow-left"></span>
         {% trans "Previous" %}
     </a>
 
-    <a class="pagination-next" {% if page.has_next %}href="{{ path }}?{% for k, v in request.GET.items %}{% if k != 'page' %}{{ k }}={{ v }}&{% endif %}{% endfor %}page={{ page.next_page_number }}{{ anchor }}"{% else %} disabled{% endif %}>
+    <a class="pagination-next {% if not page.has_next %}is-disabled{% endif %}" {% if page.has_next %}href="{{ path }}?{% for k, v in request.GET.items %}{% if k != 'page' %}{{ k }}={{ v }}&{% endif %}{% endfor %}page={{ page.next_page_number }}{{ anchor }}"{% endif %}>
         {% trans "Next" %}
         <span class="icon icon-arrow-right"></span>
     </a>