diff --git a/src/components/Review.svelte b/src/components/Review.svelte
index c2768b168..6a593d24f 100644
--- a/src/components/Review.svelte
+++ b/src/components/Review.svelte
@@ -387,6 +387,7 @@
         {#if !!roles.isDelegateOrAuthor( config.publicKey, repo.delegates.map(delegate => delegate.did), review.author.did, )}
           <VerdictButton
             selectedVerdict={verdict}
+            draft={"draft" in review}
             summaryMissing={review.summary === undefined ||
               review.summary.trim() === ""}
             onSelect={async newVerdict => {
@@ -435,7 +436,7 @@
       <CommentComponent
         disableAttachments
         rid={repo.rid}
-        disallowEmptyBody={review.verdict === undefined}
+        disallowEmptyBody={!("draft" in review) && review.verdict === undefined}
         emptyBodyTooltip="Summary is mandatory when verdict is None"
         styleWidth="100%"
         caption={"draft" in review ? "draft review" : "published review"}
diff --git a/src/components/VerdictButton.svelte b/src/components/VerdictButton.svelte
index 5b2f4f960..8635c238b 100644
--- a/src/components/VerdictButton.svelte
+++ b/src/components/VerdictButton.svelte
@@ -15,11 +15,12 @@
 
   interface Props {
     onSelect: (selectedVerdict: Review["verdict"]) => Promise<void>;
+    draft: boolean;
     summaryMissing: boolean;
     selectedVerdict: Review["verdict"];
   }
 
-  const { onSelect, summaryMissing, selectedVerdict }: Props = $props();
+  const { onSelect, draft, summaryMissing, selectedVerdict }: Props = $props();
 
   let popoverExpanded: boolean = $state(false);
 </script>
@@ -69,7 +70,9 @@
             title={verdict === undefined && summaryMissing
               ? "Set a summary to select verdict None"
               : undefined}
-            disabled={verdict === undefined && summaryMissing}
+            disabled={draft === false &&
+              verdict === undefined &&
+              summaryMissing}
             selected={selectedVerdict === verdict}
             onclick={async () => {
               await onSelect(verdict);