diff --git a/src/app/features/hud/hud-dock.component.spec.ts b/src/app/features/hud/hud-dock.component.spec.ts
index df35861..755bf9c 100644
--- a/src/app/features/hud/hud-dock.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/features/hud/hud-dock.component.spec.ts
@@ -281,6 +281,21 @@ describe('HudDockComponent', () => {
 
     type('from', '');
     expect(plot().disabled).toBe(false);
+
+    // A space is not text that names a star: the field looks empty, the scene offers nothing to
+    // choose for it, and the button going dead would have nothing on screen to explain it.
+    type('from', ' ');
+    expect(plot().disabled).toBe(false);
+
+    // The offer beside a refusal is the same request by another route, so it is held to the same
+    // test: moving the range with nothing to plot leaves the panel contradicting itself.
+    fixture.componentRef.setInput('routeResult', { stars: [], totalPc: 0, neededRangePc: 1.8, gaveUp: false });
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+    const offer = () => host().querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>('[data-testid="route-summary"] button')!;
+    expect(offer().disabled).toBe(false);
+
+    type('from', 'Sol');
+    expect(offer().disabled).toBe(true);
   });
 
   it('does not replay the acquire wipe over the Routes panel, whose entries survive the trip', () => {
diff --git a/src/app/features/hud/routes-panel.component.ts b/src/app/features/hud/routes-panel.component.ts
index be8a612..a234c1d 100644
--- a/src/app/features/hud/routes-panel.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/features/hud/routes-panel.component.ts
@@ -117,8 +117,9 @@ type Field = 'from' | 'to';
               @if (plotted.neededRangePc !== null) {
                 <button
                   type="button"
+                  [disabled]="!canPlot() || pending()"
                   (click)="raiseTo(plotted.neededRangePc)"
-                  class="text-accent underline decoration-accent/40 underline-offset-2 hover:decoration-accent focus-visible:outline-1 focus-visible:outline-accent"
+                  class="text-accent underline decoration-accent/40 underline-offset-2 disabled:opacity-40 disabled:no-underline enabled:hover:decoration-accent focus-visible:outline-1 focus-visible:outline-accent"
                 >
                   {{ format(plotted.neededRangePc) }} would reach.
                 </button>
@@ -181,7 +182,9 @@ export class RoutesPanelComponent {
    * while the field is empty. Text left in it that names no chosen star used to fall back all the
    * same, so the panel read "Sol" and the route left from whatever the view had since flown to.
    */
-  private readonly departure = computed(() => this.chosen().from ?? (this.typed().from ? null : this.currentStar()));
+  // Trimmed, as the scene trims the same text before offering matches for it: a field holding one
+  // space looks empty, offers nothing to choose, and would otherwise count as a departure.
+  private readonly departure = computed(() => this.chosen().from ?? (this.typed().from.trim() ? null : this.currentStar()));
 
   readonly canPlot = computed(() => this.departure() !== null && this.chosen().to !== null);
   readonly rangeLabel = computed(() => formatParsecs(this.rangePc()));