diff --git a/frontend/documentation/components/InputGroup.stories.tsx b/frontend/documentation/components/InputGroup.stories.tsx
index b17de28635d5..53b8b6a9e216 100644
--- a/frontend/documentation/components/InputGroup.stories.tsx
+++ b/frontend/documentation/components/InputGroup.stories.tsx
@@ -77,6 +77,21 @@ export const MultipleErrors: Story = {
   ),
 }
 
+// Untouched on purpose: isInvalid colours the control straight away, which is
+// what a form submitted with Enter needs. isValid alone waits for a blur.
+export const InvalidBeforeBlur: Story = {
+  render: () => (
+    <Field
+      title='Email'
+      isInvalid
+      inputProps={{
+        error: 'A user with this email address already exists.',
+        name: 'email',
+      }}
+    />
+  ),
+}
+
 export const Disabled: Story = {
   render: () => <Field title='Email' initialValue='you@example.com' disabled />,
 }
diff --git a/frontend/web/components/base/forms/Input.tsx b/frontend/web/components/base/forms/Input.tsx
index bfbbda3587cc..e2c2cd62bb3c 100644
--- a/frontend/web/components/base/forms/Input.tsx
+++ b/frontend/web/components/base/forms/Input.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ export interface InputMethods {
 
 export interface InputProps
   extends Omit<React.InputHTMLAttributes<HTMLInputElement>, 'size'> {
+  // Show the invalid state without waiting for the field to be touched, for a
+  // validity known up front, e.g. the API rejected the value.
   autoValidate?: boolean
   centered?: boolean
   inputClassName?: string
@@ -69,9 +71,7 @@ const Input: React.FC<InputProps> = ({
 }) => {
   const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null)
   const [isFocused, setIsFocused] = useState(false)
-  const [shouldValidate, setShouldValidate] = useState(
-    !!value || !!autoValidate,
-  )
+  const [hasBeenTouched, setHasBeenTouched] = useState(!!value)
   const [type, setType] = useState(typeProp)
 
   // No-op under E2E to avoid programmatic focus stealing during tests; native
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ const Input: React.FC<InputProps> = ({
 
   const onBlur = (e: FocusEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
     setIsFocused(false)
-    setShouldValidate(true)
+    setHasBeenTouched(true)
     onBlurProp?.(e)
   }
 
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ const Input: React.FC<InputProps> = ({
     onKeyDownProp?.(e)
   }
 
-  const invalid = shouldValidate && !isValid
+  const invalid = (hasBeenTouched || !!autoValidate) && !isValid
   const success = isValid && showSuccess
   const sizeClassName = size ? sizeClassNames[size] : ''
   const containerClassName = cn(
diff --git a/frontend/web/components/base/forms/InputGroup.tsx b/frontend/web/components/base/forms/InputGroup.tsx
index cb2c6d71a6fd..7ca99527b95e 100644
--- a/frontend/web/components/base/forms/InputGroup.tsx
+++ b/frontend/web/components/base/forms/InputGroup.tsx
@@ -94,6 +94,14 @@ const InputGroup: FC<InputGroupProps> = ({
   // the message for this field (htmlFor/id/aria-describedby all share `id`).
   const errorId = `${id}-error`
   const hasError = Array.isArray(error) ? error.length > 0 : !!error
+  // isInvalid is the caller stating the value is wrong, so it beats the computed
+  // validity and skips the wait for a blur.
+  let inputIsValid: boolean | undefined
+  if (isInvalid) {
+    inputIsValid = false
+  } else if (isValid !== null && isValid !== undefined) {
+    inputIsValid = !!isValid
+  }
   let errorContent: ReactNode = null
   if (typeof error === 'string') {
     errorContent = error
@@ -152,11 +160,8 @@ const InputGroup: FC<InputGroupProps> = ({
                   inputRef.current = c
                 }}
                 {...restInputProps}
-                isValid={
-                  isValid === null || isValid === undefined
-                    ? undefined
-                    : !!isValid
-                }
+                autoValidate={!!isInvalid}
+                isValid={inputIsValid}
                 disabled={disabled}
                 defaultValue={defaultValue}
                 value={value}