diff --git a/src/openforms/forms/api/serializers/form_step.py b/src/openforms/forms/api/serializers/form_step.py
index d98de0d739..56061c0a75 100644
--- a/src/openforms/forms/api/serializers/form_step.py
+++ b/src/openforms/forms/api/serializers/form_step.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 from ...models import FormDefinition, FormStep
 from ...validators import validate_no_duplicate_keys_across_steps
 from .button_text import ButtonTextSerializer
+from ..validators import FormStepIsApplicableIfFirstValidator
 
 
 class FormStepLiteralsSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ class Meta:
             "index",
             "literals",
             "url",
+            "is_applicable",
         )
         extra_kwargs = {
             "uuid": {
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@ class Meta:
                 "read_only": True,
             },
         }
+        validators = [FormStepIsApplicableIfFirstValidator()]
 
     def create(self, validated_data):
         validated_data["form"] = self.context["form"]
diff --git a/src/openforms/forms/api/validators.py b/src/openforms/forms/api/validators.py
index 3f18fa2bb4..350d71e896 100644
--- a/src/openforms/forms/api/validators.py
+++ b/src/openforms/forms/api/validators.py
@@ -190,6 +190,19 @@ def __call__(self, attrs: dict, serializer: serializers.Serializer):
             )
 
 
+class FormStepIsApplicableIfFirstValidator:
+    def __call__(self, attrs: dict):
+        if not attrs.get("is_applicable", True) and attrs.get("order") == 0:
+            raise serializers.ValidationError(
+                {
+                    "is_applicable": serializers.ErrorDetail(
+                        _("First form step must be applicable."),
+                        code="invalid",
+                    ),
+                }
+            )
+
+
 def validate_template_expressions(configuration: JSONObject) -> None:
     """
     Validate that any template expressions in supported properties are correct.
diff --git a/src/openforms/forms/tests/test_api_formsteps.py b/src/openforms/forms/tests/test_api_formsteps.py
index 193af20435..59a299f2fd 100644
--- a/src/openforms/forms/tests/test_api_formsteps.py
+++ b/src/openforms/forms/tests/test_api_formsteps.py
@@ -1092,3 +1092,42 @@ def test_update_with_translations_validate_literals(self, _mock):
         for error in expected:
             with self.subTest(field=error["name"], code=error["code"]):
                 self.assertIn(error, invalid_params)
+
+
+class FormStepsAPIApplicabilityTests(APITestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super().setUp()
+
+        self.user = UserFactory.create()
+        self.form = FormFactory.create()
+        self.form_definition = FormDefinitionFactory.create()
+        self.client.force_authenticate(user=self.user)
+
+    def test_create_form_step_not_applicable_as_first_unsucessful(self):
+        self.user.user_permissions.add(Permission.objects.get(codename="change_form"))
+        self.user.is_staff = True
+        self.user.save()
+        url = reverse(
+            "api:form-steps-list", kwargs={"form_uuid_or_slug": self.form.uuid}
+        )
+
+        form_detail_url = reverse(
+            "api:formdefinition-detail",
+            kwargs={"uuid": self.form_definition.uuid},
+        )
+        data = {
+            "formDefinition": f"http://testserver{form_detail_url}",
+            "index": 0,
+            "isApplicable": False,
+        }
+        response = self.client.post(url, data=data)
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            response.json()["invalidParams"][0],
+            {
+                "name": "isApplicable",
+                "code": "invalid",
+                "reason": "First form step must be applicable.",
+            },
+        )
diff --git a/src/openforms/forms/tests/test_models.py b/src/openforms/forms/tests/test_models.py
index b9621f259e..da11720415 100644
--- a/src/openforms/forms/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/src/openforms/forms/tests/test_models.py
@@ -426,10 +426,15 @@ def test_clean(self):
             order=0,
             is_applicable=True,
         )
+        step_ok_order_1 = FormStepFactory.create(
+            order=1,
+            is_applicable=False,
+        )
         with self.subTest("clean raises"):
             self.assertRaises(ValidationError, step_raises.clean)
-        with self.subTest("clean does not raises"):
+        with self.subTest("clean does not raise"):
             step_ok.clean()
+            step_ok_order_1.clean()
 
 
 class FormLogicTests(TestCase):
diff --git a/src/openforms/js/components/admin/form_design/FormStep.js b/src/openforms/js/components/admin/form_design/FormStep.js
index f77a714fcd..4dd4202c62 100644
--- a/src/openforms/js/components/admin/form_design/FormStep.js
+++ b/src/openforms/js/components/admin/form_design/FormStep.js
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ const FormStep = ({data, onEdit, onComponentMutated, onFieldChange, onReplace})
     validationErrors = [],
     componentTranslations,
   } = data;
-  console.log(_generatedId);
   const previousFormDefinition = usePrevious(formDefinition);
   let forceBuilderUpdate = false;
   if (previousFormDefinition && previousFormDefinition != formDefinition) {