diff --git a/app/controllers/custom_workflows_controller.rb b/app/controllers/custom_workflows_controller.rb
index 5346136..592f56a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/custom_workflows_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/custom_workflows_controller.rb
@@ -66,9 +66,12 @@ class CustomWorkflowsController < ApplicationController
 
   def change_status
     respond_to do |format|
-      @workflow.update_attributes(:active => params[:active])
-      flash[:notice] = l(:notice_successful_status_change)
-      format.html { redirect_to(custom_workflows_path) }
+      if @workflow.update_attributes(:active => params[:active])
+        flash[:notice] = l(:notice_successful_status_change)
+        format.html { redirect_to(custom_workflows_path) }
+      else
+        format.html { render :action => :edit }
+      end
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/app/models/custom_workflow.rb b/app/models/custom_workflow.rb
index ffe99a8..6d7cb7c 100644
--- a/app/models/custom_workflow.rb
+++ b/app/models/custom_workflow.rb
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class CustomWorkflow < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def validate_syntax
-    return unless respond_to? :observable
+    return unless respond_to?(:observable) && active?
     case observable
       when 'shared'
         CustomWorkflow.run_shared_code(self)