diff --git a/app/controllers/schemes_controller.rb b/app/controllers/schemes_controller.rb
index 7da934cb2..538a9efc5 100644
--- a/app/controllers/schemes_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/schemes_controller.rb
@@ -21,23 +21,28 @@ class SchemesController < ApplicationController
     render_not_found and return unless @scheme
   end
 
-  def deactivate
+  def new_deactivation
     if params[:scheme].blank?
       render "toggle_active", locals: { action: "deactivate" }
     else
-      @scheme.run_deactivation_validations = true
-      @scheme.deactivation_date = deactivation_date
-      @scheme.deactivation_date_type = params[:scheme][:deactivation_date_type]
-      if params[:scheme][:confirm].present?
-        confirm_deactivation
-      elsif @scheme.valid?
-        render "toggle_active_confirm", locals: { action: "deactivate", deactivation_date: @scheme.deactivation_date, deactivation_date_type: @scheme.deactivation_date_type }
+      prepare_for_validation
+      if @scheme.valid?
+        redirect_to scheme_deactivate_confirm_path(@scheme, deactivation_date: @scheme.deactivation_date, deactivation_date_type: @scheme.deactivation_date_type)
       else
         render "toggle_active", locals: { action: "deactivate" }, status: :unprocessable_entity
       end
     end
   end
 
+  def deactivate_confirm
+    render "toggle_active_confirm", locals: { action: "deactivate", deactivation_date: params[:deactivation_date], deactivation_date_type: params[:deactivation_date_type] }
+  end
+
+  def deactivate
+    prepare_for_validation
+    confirm_deactivation
+  end
+
   def reactivate
     render "toggle_active", locals: { action: "reactivate" }
   end
@@ -303,4 +308,10 @@ private
 
     Time.utc(year.to_i, month.to_i, day.to_i) if Date.valid_date?(year.to_i, month.to_i, day.to_i)
   end
+
+  def prepare_for_validation
+    @scheme.run_deactivation_validations = true
+    @scheme.deactivation_date = deactivation_date
+    @scheme.deactivation_date_type = params[:scheme][:deactivation_date_type]
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/scheme.rb b/app/models/scheme.rb
index 6d1cdbf64..c7ac918b9 100644
--- a/app/models/scheme.rb
+++ b/app/models/scheme.rb
@@ -225,8 +225,12 @@ class Scheme < ApplicationRecord
     status == :active
   end
 
+  def run_deactivation_validations
+    deactivation_date.present? || @run_deactivation_validations
+  end
+
   def deactivation_date_errors
-    return unless run_deactivation_validations == true
+    return unless run_deactivation_validations
 
     collection_start_date = FormHandler.instance.current_collection_start_date
     if deactivation_date_type.blank?
diff --git a/app/views/schemes/show.html.erb b/app/views/schemes/show.html.erb
index ff8a25c0a..2c01c06f1 100644
--- a/app/views/schemes/show.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/schemes/show.html.erb
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 <% if FeatureToggle.scheme_toggle_enabled? %>
   <% if @scheme.active? %>
-    <%= govuk_button_link_to "Deactivate this scheme", scheme_deactivate_path(@scheme), warning: true %>
+    <%= govuk_button_link_to "Deactivate this scheme", scheme_new_deactivation_path(@scheme), warning: true %>
   <% else %>
     <%= govuk_button_link_to "Reactivate this scheme", scheme_reactivate_path(@scheme) %>
   <% end %>
diff --git a/app/views/schemes/toggle_active.html.erb b/app/views/schemes/toggle_active.html.erb
index 37a73ddeb..11dd2f276 100644
--- a/app/views/schemes/toggle_active.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/schemes/toggle_active.html.erb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
         href: scheme_details_path(@scheme),
       ) %>
 <% end %>
-<%= form_with model: @scheme, url: scheme_deactivate_path(@scheme), method: "patch", local: true do |f| %>
+<%= form_with model: @scheme, url: scheme_new_deactivation_path(@scheme), method: "patch", local: true do |f| %>
   <div class="govuk-grid-row">
     <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
       <% collection_start_date = FormHandler.instance.current_collection_start_date %>
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 4c6619c87..a5e13b4cd 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -49,8 +49,10 @@ Rails.application.routes.draw do
     get "check-answers", to: "schemes#check_answers"
     get "edit-name", to: "schemes#edit_name"
     get "support-services-provider", to: "schemes#support_services_provider"
-    get "deactivate", to: "schemes#deactivate"
+    get "new-deactivation", to: "schemes#new_deactivation"
+    get "deactivate-confirm", to: "schemes#deactivate_confirm"
     get "reactivate", to: "schemes#reactivate"
+    patch "new-deactivation", to: "schemes#new_deactivation"
     patch "deactivate", to: "schemes#deactivate"
 
     resources :locations do