diff --git a/RP_L4/RPL4FE.cpp b/RP_L4/RPL4FE.cpp
index f8643f3..2c07399 100644
--- a/RP_L4/RPL4FE.cpp
+++ b/RP_L4/RPL4FE.cpp
@@ -413,8 +413,9 @@ namespace
 		launch->rect.right = col3 + col_w;
 		launch->rect.bottom = client_h - row_h;
 
-		// Steam lobby buttons (only when the Steam wire is live)
-		if (RPL4Lobby_Available())
+		// Steam lobby buttons, offered whenever environ.ini asked for Steam.
+		// Painting greys them out and says so if the wire never came up.
+		if (RPL4Lobby_Configured())
 		{
 			FEItem *host = &fe->items[fe->itemCount++];
 			host->group = GroupSteamHost;
@@ -544,12 +545,38 @@ namespace
 			RECT row = item->rect;
 			if (item->group >= GroupLaunch)
 			{
-				HBRUSH launch_brush = CreateSolidBrush(kGreenBright);
+				//
+				// The lobby buttons are offered whenever environ.ini asked
+				// for Steam, but they only work once the client is actually
+				// there. Dim them and say why rather than leaving them out -
+				// two buttons quietly missing looks like a broken build.
+				//
+				Logical steam_button =
+					(item->group == GroupSteamHost || item->group == GroupSteamJoin);
+				Logical dead = steam_button && !RPL4Lobby_Available();
+
+				COLORREF ink = dead ? kGreenDim : kGreenBright;
+				HBRUSH launch_brush = CreateSolidBrush(ink);
 				FrameRect(mem, &row, launch_brush);
 				DeleteObject(launch_brush);
-				SetTextColor(mem, kGreenBright);
+				SetTextColor(mem, ink);
 				DrawTextA(mem, ItemName(item->group, item->index), -1, &row,
 					DT_CENTER | DT_VCENTER | DT_SINGLELINE);
+
+				//
+				// The reason, on its own line above the pair. It does not
+				// fit inside a button - they are about sixteen characters
+				// wide and this is more than twice that.
+				//
+				if (dead && item->group == GroupSteamHost)
+				{
+					RECT notice = row;
+					notice.bottom = row.top;
+					notice.top = row.top - (row.bottom - row.top);
+					SetTextColor(mem, kGreenDim);
+					DrawTextA(mem, "STEAM NOT RUNNING", -1, &notice,
+						DT_CENTER | DT_VCENTER | DT_SINGLELINE);
+				}
 				continue;
 			}
 
@@ -613,8 +640,12 @@ namespace
 				}
 				else if (item->group == GroupSteamHost || item->group == GroupSteamJoin)
 				{
-					fe->steamAction = (item->group == GroupSteamHost) ? 1 : 2;
-					PostMessageA(fe->menuWindow, WM_NULL, 0, 0);
+					// dead until the Steam client is there; the button says so
+					if (RPL4Lobby_Available())
+					{
+						fe->steamAction = (item->group == GroupSteamHost) ? 1 : 2;
+						PostMessageA(fe->menuWindow, WM_NULL, 0, 0);
+					}
 				}
 				else
 				{
diff --git a/RP_L4/RPL4LOBBY.cpp b/RP_L4/RPL4LOBBY.cpp
index f8ece7b..32d6da3 100644
--- a/RP_L4/RPL4LOBBY.cpp
+++ b/RP_L4/RPL4LOBBY.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 //########################################################################
 
 Logical RPL4Lobby_Available()						{ return False; }
+Logical RPL4Lobby_Configured()						{ return False; }
 Logical RPL4Lobby_InRoom()							{ return False; }
 int RPL4Lobby_Host(HINSTANCE, HWND)					{ return LobbyRoomLeft; }
 int RPL4Lobby_Join(HINSTANCE, HWND)					{ return LobbyRoomLeft; }
@@ -919,6 +920,18 @@ Logical
 	return SteamNetTransport_GetFakeAddressString()[0] != '\0';
 }
 
+//
+// The environ.ini switch, read the same way RPL4.CPP reads it to decide
+// whether to install the transport at all. Says nothing about whether the
+// Steam client was actually there.
+//
+Logical
+	RPL4Lobby_Configured()
+{
+	const char *steam_switch = getenv("RP412STEAM");
+	return (steam_switch != NULL && atoi(steam_switch) != 0) ? True : False;
+}
+
 Logical
 	RPL4Lobby_InRoom()
 {
diff --git a/RP_L4/RPL4LOBBY.h b/RP_L4/RPL4LOBBY.h
index ccffaa4..aed69f3 100644
--- a/RP_L4/RPL4LOBBY.h
+++ b/RP_L4/RPL4LOBBY.h
@@ -33,6 +33,15 @@ enum RPL4LobbyOutcome
 Logical
 	RPL4Lobby_Available();
 
+// True when this build has Steam and environ.ini asked for it, whether
+// or not it actually came up. The menu offers the lobby buttons on this
+// and greys them out on Available() - a player who turned Steam on and
+// then launched without the client running should be told so, not left
+// looking at a menu that quietly has two fewer buttons than the last
+// time they saw it.
+Logical
+	RPL4Lobby_Configured();
+
 // True while we sit in a lobby (races return to the room).
 Logical
 	RPL4Lobby_InRoom();