diff --git a/app/Livewire/Admin/Maintenance.php b/app/Livewire/Admin/Maintenance.php
index 14b4472..70219b0 100644
--- a/app/Livewire/Admin/Maintenance.php
+++ b/app/Livewire/Admin/Maintenance.php
@@ -76,17 +76,17 @@ class Maintenance extends Component
 
             return null;
         }
-        if ($state === 'scheduled') {
-            if (empty($this->hostIds)) {
-                $this->addError('hostIds', __('maintenance.need_host'));
+        // A window always needs a host — otherwise a hostless draft can never be
+        // published (there is no edit-hosts action) and is stuck.
+        if (empty($this->hostIds)) {
+            $this->addError('hostIds', __('maintenance.need_host'));
 
-                return null;
-            }
-            if ($ends->isPast()) {
-                $this->addError('endsAt', __('maintenance.end_future'));
+            return null;
+        }
+        if ($state === 'scheduled' && $ends->isPast()) {
+            $this->addError('endsAt', __('maintenance.end_future'));
 
-                return null;
-            }
+            return null;
         }
 
         // Create the window and attach hosts atomically so a bad id can't leave
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ class Maintenance extends Component
             $notified = MaintenanceNotification::query()
                 ->where('maintenance_window_id', $window->id)
                 ->where('event', 'announcement')
+                ->whereNotNull('sent_at') // only customers who actually received it
                 ->pluck('customer_id');
             foreach (Customer::query()->whereIn('id', $notified)->get() as $customer) {
                 $this->deliverOnce($window, $customer, 'cancelled', new MaintenanceCancelledMail($window, $customer));
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Admin/MaintenanceTest.php b/tests/Feature/Admin/MaintenanceTest.php
index 70c8a4d..a9c97f7 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/Admin/MaintenanceTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/Admin/MaintenanceTest.php
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ it('emails a cancellation to customers who were announced', function () {
     $customer = affectedCustomerOn($host);
     $window = MaintenanceWindow::factory()->scheduled()->create();
     $window->hosts()->attach($host->id);
-    // Simulate the customer having received the announcement.
+    // Simulate the customer having actually received the announcement.
     \App\Models\MaintenanceNotification::create([
-        'maintenance_window_id' => $window->id, 'customer_id' => $customer->id, 'event' => 'announcement', 'email' => $customer->email,
+        'maintenance_window_id' => $window->id, 'customer_id' => $customer->id, 'event' => 'announcement', 'email' => $customer->email, 'sent_at' => now(),
     ]);
 
     Livewire::actingAs(operator('Owner'))->test(Maintenance::class)->call('cancel', $window->uuid);