diff --git a/mod/data/lang/en/data.php b/mod/data/lang/en/data.php
index 88d20507aa8df..9ccaf3a700d93 100755
--- a/mod/data/lang/en/data.php
+++ b/mod/data/lang/en/data.php
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@
 $string['chooseexportfields'] = 'Choose the fields you wish to export:';
 $string['chooseexportformat'] = 'Choose the format you wish to export to:';
 $string['chooseorupload'] = 'Choose file';
+$string['expired'] = 'Sorry, this activity closed on {$a} and is no longer available';
 $string['importsuccess'] = 'The preset has been successfully applied.';
 $string['insufficiententries'] = 'more entries needed to view this database';
 $string['intro'] = 'Introduction';
@@ -242,6 +243,7 @@
 $string['nosingletemplate'] = 'Single template is not yet defined';
 $string['notapproved'] = 'Entry is not approved yet.';
 $string['notinjectivemap'] = 'Not an injective map';
+$string['notopenyet'] = 'Sorry, this activity is not available until {$a}';
 $string['number'] = 'Number';
 $string['numberrssarticles'] = 'RSS articles';
 $string['numnotapproved'] = 'Pending';
diff --git a/mod/data/lib.php b/mod/data/lib.php
index fa9ecb0216215..6ca7cdb4d7570 100755
--- a/mod/data/lib.php
+++ b/mod/data/lib.php
@@ -1946,6 +1946,12 @@ function data_user_can_add_entry($data, $currentgroup, $groupmode) {
         return false;
     }
 
+    //if in the view only time window
+    $now = time();
+    if ($now>$data->timeviewfrom && $now<$data->timeviewto) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     if (!$groupmode or has_capability('moodle/site:accessallgroups', $context)) {
         return true;
     }
diff --git a/mod/data/view.php b/mod/data/view.php
index 757405de17932..162ba899152ab 100755
--- a/mod/data/view.php
+++ b/mod/data/view.php
@@ -368,6 +368,15 @@
     }
 
 
+//if data activity closed dont let students in
+if (!has_capability('mod/data:manageentries', $context)) {
+    $timenow = time();
+    if (!empty($data->timeavailablefrom) && $data->timeavailablefrom > $timenow) {
+        print_error('notopenyet', 'data', null, userdate($data->timeavailablefrom));
+    } else if (!empty($data->timeavailableto) && $timenow > $data->timeavailableto) {
+        print_error('expired', 'data', null, userdate($data->timeavailableto));
+    }
+}
 
 /// Print the tabs