diff --git a/docs/PORTING.md b/docs/PORTING.md
index 6ab3967..ad7f416 100644
--- a/docs/PORTING.md
+++ b/docs/PORTING.md
@@ -253,6 +253,10 @@ weather, lighting, and day/night behavior while retaining distinct terrain.
 Caves remain enclosed. Skylands use Minecraft's uniform floating-island noise
 and Overworld-like surfaces without the End's central dragon island.
 
+Version 0.2.16.14 replaces the Explore text control with a compact eye symbol.
+Books opened from a Book Stand display the control disabled and do not request
+an explorable remote preview, preventing exploration while the book is mounted.
+
 Version 0.2.14.0 restores the legacy Linking and Descriptive Book artwork for
 inventory items and gives each book its matching open-book texture when placed
 on a Book Stand. Return Linking Books created inside another Age also retain and
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index b12b12f..acfdbd9 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ mod_name=Rivencraft
 # The license of the mod. Review your options at https://choosealicense.com/. All Rights Reserved is the default.
 mod_license=LGPL-3.0-or-later
 # The mod version. Rivencraft uses the x.y.z.b policy documented in README.md.
-mod_version=0.2.16.13
+mod_version=0.2.16.14
 immersive_portals_version=6.0.7
 # The group ID for the mod. It is only important when publishing as an artifact to a Maven repository.
 # This should match the base package used for the mod sources.
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/client/screen/DescriptiveBookScreen.java b/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/client/screen/DescriptiveBookScreen.java
index e5b992b..eb8348d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/client/screen/DescriptiveBookScreen.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/client/screen/DescriptiveBookScreen.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ public final class DescriptiveBookScreen extends Screen implements ExplorableBoo
     private static final int LINK_PANEL_Y = 35;
     private static final int LINK_PANEL_WIDTH = 126;
     private static final int LINK_PANEL_HEIGHT = 86;
+    private static final Component EXPLORE_ICON = Component.literal("👁");
 
     private final AgeReference age;
     private final ResourceLocation generationProfile;
@@ -87,16 +88,18 @@ public final class DescriptiveBookScreen extends Screen implements ExplorableBoo
             }
             if (preview.supportsExploration()) {
                 exploreButton = addRenderableWidget(Button.builder(
-                                Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.book.explore"), button -> enterExploreOverlay())
-                        .bounds(left + 61, top + 145, 60, 20).build());
+                                EXPLORE_ICON, button -> enterExploreOverlay())
+                        .bounds(left + 81, top + 145, 20, 20).build());
+                exploreButton.active = bookStandPos == null;
             }
             if (requestPreview) {
+                boolean allowExploration = preview.supportsExploration() && bookStandPos == null;
                 PacketDistributor.sendToServer(new RequestLinkPreviewPayload(
                         true,
                         bookStandPos != null,
                         bookStandPos == null && hand == InteractionHand.OFF_HAND,
                         bookStandPos == null ? BlockPos.ZERO : bookStandPos,
-                        preview.supportsExploration()
+                        allowExploration
                 ));
             }
         }
@@ -206,6 +209,9 @@ public final class DescriptiveBookScreen extends Screen implements ExplorableBoo
     }
 
     private void enterExploreOverlay() {
+        if (bookStandPos != null) {
+            return;
+        }
         preview.setExploring(true);
         movingToExploreOverlay = true;
         ClientBookExploreOverlay.open(this);
@@ -214,7 +220,7 @@ public final class DescriptiveBookScreen extends Screen implements ExplorableBoo
 
     private void resetExploration() {
         preview.resetView();
-        exploreButton.setMessage(Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.book.explore"));
+        exploreButton.setMessage(EXPLORE_ICON);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/client/screen/LinkingBookScreen.java b/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/client/screen/LinkingBookScreen.java
index d5a4153..8b66dce 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/client/screen/LinkingBookScreen.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/client/screen/LinkingBookScreen.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ public final class LinkingBookScreen extends Screen implements ExplorableBookScr
     private static final int PREVIEW_Y = 35;
     private static final int PREVIEW_WIDTH = 126;
     private static final int PREVIEW_HEIGHT = 86;
+    private static final Component EXPLORE_ICON = Component.literal("👁");
 
     private final InteractionHand hand;
     private final ItemStack book;
@@ -89,16 +90,18 @@ public final class LinkingBookScreen extends Screen implements ExplorableBookScr
             }
             if (preview.supportsExploration()) {
                 exploreButton = addRenderableWidget(Button.builder(
-                                Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.book.explore"), button -> enterExploreOverlay())
-                        .bounds(left + 61, top + 145, 60, 20).build());
+                                EXPLORE_ICON, button -> enterExploreOverlay())
+                        .bounds(left + 81, top + 145, 20, 20).build());
+                exploreButton.active = bookStandPos == null;
             }
             if (requestPreview) {
+                boolean allowExploration = preview.supportsExploration() && bookStandPos == null;
                 PacketDistributor.sendToServer(new RequestLinkPreviewPayload(
                         false,
                         bookStandPos != null,
                         bookStandPos == null && hand == InteractionHand.OFF_HAND,
                         bookStandPos == null ? BlockPos.ZERO : bookStandPos,
-                        preview.supportsExploration()
+                        allowExploration
                 ));
             }
         }
@@ -206,6 +209,9 @@ public final class LinkingBookScreen extends Screen implements ExplorableBookScr
     }
 
     private void enterExploreOverlay() {
+        if (bookStandPos != null) {
+            return;
+        }
         preview.setExploring(true);
         movingToExploreOverlay = true;
         ClientBookExploreOverlay.open(this);
@@ -214,7 +220,7 @@ public final class LinkingBookScreen extends Screen implements ExplorableBookScr
 
     private void resetExploration() {
         preview.resetView();
-        exploreButton.setMessage(Component.translatable("screen.rivencraft.book.explore"));
+        exploreButton.setMessage(EXPLORE_ICON);
     }
 
     public void acceptPreview(LinkPreviewPayload payload) {