diff --git a/code/game/gamemodes/clock_cult/clock_effects/spatial_gateway.dm b/code/game/gamemodes/clock_cult/clock_effects/spatial_gateway.dm
index 1c49d36693..5c1d3fb5fb 100644
--- a/code/game/gamemodes/clock_cult/clock_effects/spatial_gateway.dm
+++ b/code/game/gamemodes/clock_cult/clock_effects/spatial_gateway.dm
@@ -180,17 +180,26 @@
 			return procure_gateway(invoker, time_duration, gateway_uses, two_way)
 	var/istargetobelisk = istype(target, /obj/structure/destructible/clockwork/powered/clockwork_obelisk)
 	var/issrcobelisk = istype(src, /obj/structure/destructible/clockwork/powered/clockwork_obelisk)
-	if(issrcobelisk && !anchored)
-		to_chat(invoker, "<span class='warning'>[src] is no longer secured!</span>")
-		return FALSE
+	if(issrcobelisk)
+		if(!anchored)
+			to_chat(invoker, "<span class='warning'>[src] is no longer secured!</span>")
+			return FALSE
+		var/obj/structure/destructible/clockwork/powered/clockwork_obelisk/CO = src //foolish as I am, how I set this proc up makes substypes unfeasible
+		if(CO.active)
+			to_chat(invoker, "<span class='warning'>[src] is now sustaining a gateway!</span>")
+			return FALSE
 	if(istargetobelisk)
 		if(!target.anchored)
 			to_chat(invoker, "<span class='warning'>That [target.name] is no longer secured!</span>")
 			return procure_gateway(invoker, time_duration, gateway_uses, two_way)
 		var/obj/structure/destructible/clockwork/powered/clockwork_obelisk/CO = target
+		if(CO.active)
+			to_chat(invoker, "<span class='warning'>That [target.name] is sustaining a gateway, and cannot recieve another!</span>")
+			return procure_gateway(invoker, time_duration, gateway_uses, two_way)
 		var/efficiency = CO.get_efficiency_mod()
 		gateway_uses = round(gateway_uses * (2 * efficiency), 1)
 		time_duration = round(time_duration * (2 * efficiency), 1)
+		CO.active = TRUE //you'd be active in a second but you should update immediately
 	invoker.visible_message("<span class='warning'>The air in front of [invoker] ripples before suddenly tearing open!</span>", \
 	"<span class='brass'>With a word, you rip open a [two_way ? "two-way":"one-way"] rift to [input_target_key]. It will last for [time_duration / 10] seconds and has [gateway_uses] use[gateway_uses > 1 ? "s" : ""].</span>")
 	var/obj/effect/clockwork/spatial_gateway/S1 = new(issrcobelisk ? get_turf(src) : get_step(get_turf(invoker), invoker.dir))
diff --git a/code/game/gamemodes/clock_cult/clock_structures/clockwork_obelisk.dm b/code/game/gamemodes/clock_cult/clock_structures/clockwork_obelisk.dm
index 2bebb4c9a5..580f5fbed5 100644
--- a/code/game/gamemodes/clock_cult/clock_structures/clockwork_obelisk.dm
+++ b/code/game/gamemodes/clock_cult/clock_structures/clockwork_obelisk.dm
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 			var/input = stripped_input(usr, "Please choose a message to send over the Hierophant Network.", "Hierophant Broadcast", "")
 			if(!is_servant_of_ratvar(user) || !input || !user.canUseTopic(src, !issilicon(user)))
 				return
-			if(anchored)
+			if(!anchored)
 				to_chat(user, "<span class='warning'>[src] is no longer secured!</span>")
 				return FALSE
 			if(active)
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@
 				return
 			if(procure_gateway(user, round(100 * get_efficiency_mod(), 1), round(5 * get_efficiency_mod(), 1), 1))
 				process()
-				if(!active)
+				if(!active) //we won't be active if nobody has sent a gateway to us
+					active = TRUE
 					clockwork_say(user, text2ratvar("Spatial Gateway, activate!"))
 					return
 			return_power(gateway_cost) //if we didn't return above, ie, successfully create a gateway, we give the power back
@@ -92,7 +93,8 @@
 /obj/structure/destructible/clockwork/powered/clockwork_obelisk/process()
 	if(!anchored)
 		return
-	if(locate(/obj/effect/clockwork/spatial_gateway) in loc)
+	var/obj/effect/clockwork/spatial_gateway/SG = locate(/obj/effect/clockwork/spatial_gateway)
+	if(SG && SG.timerid) //it's a valid gateway, we're active
 		icon_state = active_icon
 		density = 0
 		active = TRUE