diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ChatBox/ChatBox.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ChatBox/ChatBox.tsx
index 88aea43e5..1fe3f6e74 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ChatBox/ChatBox.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ChatBox/ChatBox.tsx
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ function ChatBox({
 
   function inputKeyUp(event: KeyboardEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) {
     // shift+enter shouldn't send message
-    if (event.key === "Enter" && !event.shiftKey) {
+    if (event.key === "Enter" && !event.shiftKey && !isSendingMessage) {
       // asynchronously send the message
       void sendChatMessage();
     }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/LoadingButton.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/LoadingButton.tsx
index 67dd4c0fd..734f91863 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/LoadingButton.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/LoadingButton.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@ function LoadingButton({
   isLoading?: boolean;
 }) {
   return (
-    <ThemedButton {...buttonProps}>
+    <ThemedButton
+      isDisabled={isLoading}
+      appearsDifferentWhenDisabled={false}
+      {...buttonProps}
+    >
       {isLoading ? (
         <span className="loader">
           <ThreeDots width="24px" color="white" />
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/ThemedButton.css b/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/ThemedButton.css
index 85e8e494a..b72379437 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/ThemedButton.css
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/ThemedButton.css
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
   color: var(--main-button-active-hover-text-colour);
 }
 
-.themed-button[disabled] {
+.themed-button.appearsDifferentWhenDisabled[disabled] {
   background-color: var(--main-button-disabled-background-colour);
   color: var(--main-button-disabled-text-colour);
   cursor: default;
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/ThemedButton.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/ThemedButton.tsx
index 74b79d2c0..c1007c454 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/ThemedButton.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ThemedButtons/ThemedButton.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ export interface ThemedButtonProps {
   isDisabled?: boolean;
   isSelected?: boolean;
   onClick: () => void;
+  appearsDifferentWhenDisabled?: boolean;
 }
 
 function ThemedButton({
@@ -14,8 +15,12 @@ function ThemedButton({
   onClick,
   isDisabled = false,
   isSelected = false,
+  appearsDifferentWhenDisabled = true,
 }: ThemedButtonProps) {
-  const buttonClass = clsx("themed-button", { selected: isSelected });
+  const buttonClass = clsx("themed-button", {
+    selected: isSelected,
+    appearsDifferentWhenDisabled: appearsDifferentWhenDisabled,
+  });
 
   return (
     <button className={buttonClass} onClick={onClick} disabled={isDisabled}>