diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 9028c4d..b7d1a1f 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
 # Message textarea height in pixels.
 # BOOK_TEXTAREA_HEIGHT=150
 
-# Custom HTML template file with {{title}}, {{form}}, {{entries}}, and {{style}} placeholders.
+# Custom HTML template file with {{title}}, {{prompt}}, {{form}}, {{entries}}, and {{style}} placeholders.
 # Uses built-in default if unset.
 # BOOK_TEMPLATE=./templates/default.html
 
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 2f13a71..897e6f4 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "guestbook"
-version = "0.2.4"
+version = "0.2.5"
 dependencies = [
  "axum",
  "base64 0.22.1",
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4a1810f..e00f2bf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ Running `guestbook` with no env vars will give you a working guestbook on `local
 # Message textarea height in pixels.
 # BOOK_TEXTAREA_HEIGHT=150
 
-# Custom HTML template file with {{title}}, {{form}}, {{entries}}, and {{style}} placeholders.
+# Custom HTML template file with {{title}}, {{prompt}}, {{form}}, {{entries}}, and {{style}} placeholders.
 # Uses built-in default if unset.
 # BOOK_TEMPLATE=./templates/default.html
 
@@ -344,10 +344,13 @@ The `status` field can be `pending`, `approved`, or `denied`. Only approved entr
   Available placeholders:
 
     title   - Site title (BOOK_SITE_TITLE). Useful in <title> and headings.
+    prompt  - The form prompt text (BOOK_FORM_PROMPT), wrapped in a
+              <span class="guestbook-prompt">. Empty when submissions
+              are disabled. Place anywhere relative to the form.
     form    - The submission form (labels, inputs, button). Controlled by
-              BOOK_FORM_PROMPT, BOOK_LABEL_NAME, BOOK_LABEL_WEBSITE,
-              BOOK_LABEL_MESSAGE, BOOK_BUTTON_TEXT, BOOK_TEXTAREA_WIDTH,
-              BOOK_TEXTAREA_HEIGHT. Empty when BOOK_ENABLE_SUBMISSIONS=false.
+              BOOK_LABEL_NAME, BOOK_LABEL_WEBSITE, BOOK_LABEL_MESSAGE,
+              BOOK_BUTTON_TEXT, BOOK_TEXTAREA_WIDTH, BOOK_TEXTAREA_HEIGHT.
+              Empty when BOOK_ENABLE_SUBMISSIONS=false.
     entries - Approved guestbook entries, newest first. Entry separator
               controlled by BOOK_SEPARATOR.
     style   - Custom CSS from BOOK_STYLE or BOOK_STYLE_FILE, wrapped in
@@ -370,6 +373,7 @@ The `status` field can be `pending`, `approved`, or `denied`. Only approved entr
 guestbook
 =========
 
+{{prompt}}
 {{form}}
 
 entries
diff --git a/src/render.rs b/src/render.rs
index b72b9f9..abb6c3e 100644
--- a/src/render.rs
+++ b/src/render.rs
@@ -13,8 +13,17 @@ pub fn render_page(template: &str, config: &Config, entries: &[Entry], form_html
         &config.style
     };
     let style = format!("<style>\n{css}\n  </style>");
+    let prompt = if config.enable_submissions {
+        format!(
+            "<span class=\"guestbook-prompt\">{}</span>",
+            config.form_prompt
+        )
+    } else {
+        String::new()
+    };
     template
         .replace("{{title}}", &config.site_title)
+        .replace("{{prompt}}", &prompt)
         .replace("{{form}}", form_html)
         .replace("{{entries}}", &entries_html)
         .replace("{{style}}", &style)
@@ -174,8 +183,7 @@ pub fn render_form(config: &Config) -> String {
     };
 
     format!(
-        r#"<span class="guestbook-prompt">{prompt}</span>
-<form class="guestbook-form" method="post" action="/submit" accept-charset="UTF-8">
+        r#"<form class="guestbook-form" method="post" action="/submit" accept-charset="UTF-8">
 <label class="guestbook-label" for="name">{label_name}</label>
 <input class="guestbook-input" id="name" name="name" required>
 {website_section}
@@ -184,7 +192,6 @@ pub fn render_form(config: &Config) -> String {
 {captcha_section}
 {drawing_section}{voice_note_section}<input name="url" aria-hidden="true" style="position:absolute;width:1px;height:1px;overflow:hidden;clip:rect(0,0,0,0)" tabindex="-1" autocomplete="off"><button class="guestbook-button" type="submit">{button}</button>
 </form>"#,
-        prompt = config.form_prompt,
         label_name = config.label_name,
         website_section = website_section,
         label_message = config.label_message,
@@ -437,7 +444,8 @@ mod tests {
         config.button_text = "submit".into();
         config.label_name = "Name:".into();
         let form = render_form(&config);
-        assert!(form.contains("Leave a note!"));
+        let html = render_page(DEFAULT_TEMPLATE, &config, &[], &form);
+        assert!(html.contains("Leave a note!"));
         assert!(form.contains("submit"));
         assert!(form.contains("Name:"));
     }
diff --git a/templates/default.html b/templates/default.html
index cac844c..4ed31b8 100644
--- a/templates/default.html
+++ b/templates/default.html
@@ -7,10 +7,13 @@
   Available placeholders:
 
     title   - Site title (BOOK_SITE_TITLE). Useful in <title> and headings.
+    prompt  - The form prompt text (BOOK_FORM_PROMPT), wrapped in a
+              <span class="guestbook-prompt">. Empty when submissions
+              are disabled. Place anywhere relative to the form.
     form    - The submission form (labels, inputs, button). Controlled by
-              BOOK_FORM_PROMPT, BOOK_LABEL_NAME, BOOK_LABEL_WEBSITE,
-              BOOK_LABEL_MESSAGE, BOOK_BUTTON_TEXT, BOOK_TEXTAREA_WIDTH,
-              BOOK_TEXTAREA_HEIGHT. Empty when BOOK_ENABLE_SUBMISSIONS=false.
+              BOOK_LABEL_NAME, BOOK_LABEL_WEBSITE, BOOK_LABEL_MESSAGE,
+              BOOK_BUTTON_TEXT, BOOK_TEXTAREA_WIDTH, BOOK_TEXTAREA_HEIGHT.
+              Empty when BOOK_ENABLE_SUBMISSIONS=false.
     entries - Approved guestbook entries, newest first. Entry separator
               controlled by BOOK_SEPARATOR.
     style   - Custom CSS from BOOK_STYLE or BOOK_STYLE_FILE, wrapped in
@@ -33,6 +36,7 @@
 guestbook
 =========
 
+{{prompt}}
 {{form}}
 
 entries