diff --git a/bookwyrm/forms.py b/bookwyrm/forms.py
index 0a69dbe09..d330211c1 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/forms.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/forms.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import datetime
 from collections import defaultdict
 
 from django import forms
+from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.forms import ModelForm, PasswordInput, widgets
 from django.forms.widgets import Textarea
 from django.utils import timezone
@@ -203,6 +204,13 @@ class ExpiryWidget(widgets.Select):
 
 
 class InviteRequestForm(CustomForm):
+    def clean(self):
+        """ make sure the email isn't in use by a registered user """
+        cleaned_data = super().clean()
+        email = cleaned_data.get("email")
+        if email and models.User.objects.filter(email=email).exists():
+            self.add_error("email", _("A user with this email already exists."))
+
     class Meta:
         model = models.InviteRequest
         fields = ["email"]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/discover/landing_layout.html b/bookwyrm/templates/discover/landing_layout.html
index 5cfa1fd39..8e507531e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/discover/landing_layout.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/discover/landing_layout.html
@@ -45,9 +45,33 @@
             <form name="register" method="post" action="/register">
                 {% include 'snippets/register_form.html' %}
             </form>
+
             {% else %}
+
             <h2 class="title">{% trans "This instance is closed" %}</h2>
             <p>{{ site.registration_closed_text | safe}}</p>
+
+            {% if site.allow_invite_requests %}
+            {% if request_received %}
+            <p>
+                {% trans "Thank you! Your request has been received." %}
+            </p>
+            {% else %}
+            <h3>{% trans "Request an Invitation" %}</h3>
+            <form name="invite-request" action="{% url 'invite-request' %}" method="post">
+                {% csrf_token %}
+                <div class="block">
+                    <label for="id_request_email" class="label">{% trans "Email address:" %}</label>
+                    <input type="email" name="email" maxlength="255" class="input" required="" id="id_request_email">
+                    {% for error in request_form.email.errors %}
+                    <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
+                    {% endfor %}
+                </div>
+                <button type="submit" class="button is-link">{% trans "Submit" %}</button>
+            </form>
+            {% endif %}
+            {% endif %}
+
             {% endif %}
         </div>
         {% else %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/settings/site.html b/bookwyrm/templates/settings/site.html
index 27be0c9b2..28009e1a8 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/settings/site.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/settings/site.html
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@
             <label class="label" for="id_allow_registration">{% trans "Allow registration:" %}
             {{ site_form.allow_registration }}
         </div>
+        <div class="control">
+            <label class="label" for="id_allow_invite_requests">{% trans "Allow invite requests:" %}
+            {{ site_form.allow_invite_requests }}
+        </div>
         <div class="control">
             <label class="label" for="id_registration_closed_text">{% trans "Registration closed text:" %}</label>
             {{ site_form.registration_closed_text }}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index c24b83f70..ca58d3005 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(
         r"^settings/invites/?$", views.ManageInvites.as_view(), name="settings-invites"
     ),
+    re_path(
+        r"^invite-request/?$", views.InviteRequest.as_view(), name="invite-request"
+    ),
     re_path(r"^invite/(?P<code>[A-Za-z0-9]+)/?$", views.Invite.as_view()),
     # moderation
     re_path(r"^settings/reports/?$", views.Reports.as_view(), name="settings-reports"),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py b/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
index e98cb24af..119fc492f 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from .goal import Goal, hide_goal
 from .import_data import Import, ImportStatus
 from .inbox import Inbox
 from .interaction import Favorite, Unfavorite, Boost, Unboost
-from .invite import ManageInvites, Invite
+from .invite import ManageInvites, Invite, InviteRequest
 from .isbn import Isbn
 from .landing import About, Home, Discover
 from .list import Lists, List, Curate, UserLists
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py b/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
index 20332cbda..c62856bab 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import re
 from requests import HTTPError
 from django.core.exceptions import FieldError
-from django.db.models import Q
+from django.db.models import Max, Q
 
 from bookwyrm import activitypub, models
 from bookwyrm.connectors import ConnectorException, get_data
@@ -216,3 +216,20 @@ def is_blocked(viewer, user):
     if viewer.is_authenticated and viewer in user.blocks.all():
         return True
     return False
+
+
+def get_discover_books():
+    """ list of books for the discover page """
+    return list(
+        set(
+            models.Edition.objects.filter(
+                review__published_date__isnull=False,
+                review__deleted=False,
+                review__user__local=True,
+                review__privacy__in=["public", "unlisted"],
+            )
+            .exclude(cover__exact="")
+            .annotate(Max("review__published_date"))
+            .order_by("-review__published_date__max")[:6]
+        )
+    )
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/invite.py b/bookwyrm/views/invite.py
index 1f1ccaf11..0f5a65b6a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/invite.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/invite.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from django.views import View
 
 from bookwyrm import forms, models
 from bookwyrm.settings import PAGE_LENGTH
+from . import helpers
 
 
 # pylint: disable= no-self-use
@@ -77,3 +78,22 @@ class Invite(View):
         return TemplateResponse(request, "invite.html", data)
 
     # post handling is in views.authentication.Register
+
+
+class InviteRequest(View):
+    """ prospective users sign up here """
+
+    def post(self, request):
+        """ create a request """
+        form = forms.InviteRequestForm(request.POST)
+        received = False
+        if form.is_valid():
+            received = True
+            form.save()
+
+        data = {
+            "request_form": form,
+            "request_received": received,
+            "books": helpers.get_discover_books(),
+        }
+        return TemplateResponse(request, "discover/discover.html", data)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/landing.py b/bookwyrm/views/landing.py
index 2c4a51478..86f7d3e9f 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/landing.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/landing.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 """ non-interactive pages """
-from django.db.models import Max
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.views import View
 
 from bookwyrm import forms, models
 from .feed import Feed
+from . import helpers
 
 
 # pylint: disable= no-self-use
@@ -33,20 +33,9 @@ class Discover(View):
 
     def get(self, request):
         """ tiled book activity page """
-        books = (
-            models.Edition.objects.filter(
-                review__published_date__isnull=False,
-                review__deleted=False,
-                review__user__local=True,
-                review__privacy__in=["public", "unlisted"],
-            )
-            .exclude(cover__exact="")
-            .annotate(Max("review__published_date"))
-            .order_by("-review__published_date__max")[:6]
-        )
-
         data = {
             "register_form": forms.RegisterForm(),
-            "books": list(set(books)),
+            "request_form": forms.InviteRequestForm(),
+            "books": helpers.get_discover_books(),
         }
         return TemplateResponse(request, "discover/discover.html", data)