diff --git a/src/hooks/__tests__/useLoadConnect-test.tsx b/src/hooks/__tests__/useLoadConnect-test.tsx
index 5ddeab80a7..676cc00b25 100644
--- a/src/hooks/__tests__/useLoadConnect-test.tsx
+++ b/src/hooks/__tests__/useLoadConnect-test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import React, { useEffect } from 'react'
-import { useSelector } from 'react-redux'
+import { useDispatch, useSelector } from 'react-redux'
 import type { RootState } from 'src/redux/Store'
 import { screen, render } from 'src/utilities/testingLibrary'
 import useLoadConnect from 'src/hooks/useLoadConnect'
@@ -9,10 +9,13 @@ import { ApiProvider } from 'src/context/ApiContext'
 import { apiValue } from 'src/const/apiProviderMock'
 import { ConfigError } from 'src/components/ConfigError'
 import { COMBO_JOB_DATA_TYPES } from 'src/const/comboJobDataTypes'
+import { loadExperimentalFeatures } from 'src/redux/reducers/experimentalFeaturesSlice'
 
-const TestLoadConnectComponent: React.FC<{ clientConfig: ClientConfigType }> = ({
-  clientConfig,
-}) => {
+const TestLoadConnectComponent: React.FC<{
+  clientConfig: ClientConfigType
+  experimentalFeatures?: { unavailableInstitutions: { guid: string; name: string }[] }
+}> = ({ clientConfig, experimentalFeatures }) => {
+  const dispatch = useDispatch()
   const step = useSelector(
     (state: RootState) =>
       state.connect.location[state.connect.location.length - 1]?.step ?? STEPS.SEARCH,
@@ -21,6 +24,7 @@ const TestLoadConnectComponent: React.FC<{ clientConfig: ClientConfigType }> = (
   const { loadConnect } = useLoadConnect()
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    dispatch(loadExperimentalFeatures(experimentalFeatures || {}))
     loadConnect(clientConfig)
   }, [])
 
@@ -35,6 +39,8 @@ const TestLoadConnectComponent: React.FC<{ clientConfig: ClientConfigType }> = (
     return <p>Search</p>
   } else if (step === STEPS.ENTER_CREDENTIALS) {
     return <p>Enter credentials</p>
+  } else if (step === STEPS.INSTITUTION_STATUS_DETAILS) {
+    return <p>Institution status details</p>
   } else {
     return <p>Search</p>
   }
@@ -302,4 +308,33 @@ describe('useLoadConnect', () => {
       ),
     ).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
+
+  it('will return the INSTITUTION_STATUS_DETAILS step if the state contains a configured unavailable institution', async () => {
+    const mockApi = {
+      ...apiValue,
+      loadInstitutionByGuid: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(
+        Promise.resolve({
+          ...institutionData.institution,
+          guid: 'INS-unavailable',
+          name: 'Unavailable Bank',
+        }),
+      ),
+    }
+    render(
+      <ApiProvider apiValue={mockApi}>
+        <TestLoadConnectComponent
+          clientConfig={{
+            ...initialState.config,
+            current_institution_guid: 'INS-unavailable',
+          }}
+          experimentalFeatures={{
+            // Because the current_institution_guid in clientConfig matches this unavailableInstitution,
+            // the step should end up at INSTITUTION_STATUS_DETAILS
+            unavailableInstitutions: [{ guid: 'INS-unavailable', name: 'Unavailable Bank' }],
+          }}
+        />
+      </ApiProvider>,
+    )
+    expect(await screen.findByText(/Institution status details/i)).toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/hooks/useLoadConnect.tsx b/src/hooks/useLoadConnect.tsx
index d2e17724b7..8bbd416c60 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useLoadConnect.tsx
+++ b/src/hooks/useLoadConnect.tsx
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import { useApi, ApiContextTypes } from 'src/context/ApiContext'
 import { __ } from 'src/utilities/Intl'
 import type { RootState } from 'src/redux/Store'
 import { instutionSupportRequestedProducts } from 'src/utilities/Institution'
+import { getExperimentalFeatures } from 'src/redux/reducers/experimentalFeaturesSlice'
 
 export const getErrorResource = (err: { config: { url: string | string[] } }) => {
   if (err.config?.url.includes('/institutions')) {
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ export const getErrorResource = (err: { config: { url: string | string[] } }) =>
 const useLoadConnect = () => {
   const { api } = useApi()
   const profiles = useSelector((state: RootState) => state.profiles)
+  const experimentalFeatures = useSelector(getExperimentalFeatures)
   const clientLocale = useMemo(() => {
     return document.querySelector('html')?.getAttribute('lang') || 'en'
   }, [document.querySelector('html')?.getAttribute('lang')])
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ const useLoadConnect = () => {
             return from(api.loadMembers(clientLocale)).pipe(
               map((members = []) =>
                 loadConnectSuccess({
+                  experimentalFeatures,
                   members,
                   widgetProfile: profiles.widgetProfile,
                   ...dependencies,
diff --git a/src/redux/reducers/Connect.js b/src/redux/reducers/Connect.js
index 2a68614b04..0bc93e513a 100644
--- a/src/redux/reducers/Connect.js
+++ b/src/redux/reducers/Connect.js
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ const loadConnectSuccess = (state, action) => {
     microdeposit,
     config = {},
     institution = {},
+    experimentalFeatures = {},
     widgetProfile,
   } = action.payload
 
@@ -70,7 +71,15 @@ const loadConnectSuccess = (state, action) => {
     isComponentLoading: false,
     location: pushLocation(
       state.location,
-      getStartingStep(members, member, microdeposit, config, institution, widgetProfile),
+      getStartingStep(
+        members,
+        member,
+        microdeposit,
+        config,
+        institution,
+        widgetProfile,
+        experimentalFeatures,
+      ),
     ),
     selectedInstitution: institution,
     updateCredentials:
@@ -520,7 +529,24 @@ const upsertMember = (state, action) => {
 
   return [...state.members, loadedMember]
 }
-function getStartingStep(members, member, microdeposit, config, institution, widgetProfile) {
+function getStartingStep(
+  members,
+  member,
+  microdeposit,
+  config,
+  institution,
+  widgetProfile,
+  experimentalFeatures = {},
+) {
+  // Unavailable institutions experimental feature: Make sure we don't load a user
+  // directly to an institution that should be unavailable.
+  const unavailableInstitutions = experimentalFeatures?.unavailableInstitutions || []
+  const institutionIsAvailable =
+    institution &&
+    unavailableInstitutions.find(
+      (ins) => ins.guid === institution?.guid || ins.name === institution?.name,
+    ) === undefined
+
   const shouldStepToMFA =
     member && config.update_credentials && member.connection_status === ReadableStatuses.CHALLENGED
   const shouldUpdateCredentials =
@@ -530,13 +556,16 @@ function getStartingStep(members, member, microdeposit, config, institution, wid
     config.mode === VERIFY_MODE &&
     microdeposit.status !== MicrodepositsStatuses.PREINITIATED
   const shouldLoadWithInstitution =
-    institution && (config.current_institution_guid || config.current_institution_code)
+    institution &&
+    (config.current_institution_guid || config.current_institution_code) &&
+    institutionIsAvailable
   const shouldStepToConnecting =
     member?.connection_status === ReadableStatuses.REJECTED ||
     member?.connection_status === ReadableStatuses.EXPIRED
   const shouldStepToInstitutionStatusDetails =
     (institution && institutionIsBlockedForCostReasons(institution)) ||
-    (member && memberIsBlockedForCostReasons(member))
+    (member && memberIsBlockedForCostReasons(member)) ||
+    !institutionIsAvailable
 
   if (shouldStepToInstitutionStatusDetails) {
     return STEPS.INSTITUTION_STATUS_DETAILS
diff --git a/src/redux/reducers/__tests__/Connect-test.js b/src/redux/reducers/__tests__/Connect-test.js
index d89843d143..578f50ec13 100644
--- a/src/redux/reducers/__tests__/Connect-test.js
+++ b/src/redux/reducers/__tests__/Connect-test.js
@@ -312,6 +312,82 @@ describe('Connect redux store', () => {
       expect(afterState.members).toHaveLength(2)
       expect(afterState.members[0]).toEqual({ guid: 'MBR-1', institution_guid: 'INST-1' })
     })
+
+    it('should show the institutionStatusDetails step if the configured institution is blocked for fees/costs', () => {
+      const afterState = reducer(
+        defaultState,
+        loadConnectSuccess({
+          config: { current_institution_guid: 'INS-1' },
+          institution: { guid: 'INS-1', name: 'Chase Bank', is_disabled_by_client: true },
+          widgetProfile: {},
+        }),
+      )
+
+      expect(afterState.location[afterState.location.length - 1].step).toEqual(
+        STEPS.INSTITUTION_STATUS_DETAILS,
+      )
+    })
+
+    it('should show the credentials step if the configured institution is not blocked by the client for fees/costs', () => {
+      const afterState = reducer(
+        defaultState,
+        loadConnectSuccess({
+          config: { current_institution_guid: 'INS-1' },
+          institution: { guid: 'INS-1', name: 'Chase Bank', is_disabled_by_client: false },
+          widgetProfile: {},
+        }),
+      )
+
+      expect(afterState.location[afterState.location.length - 1].step).toEqual(
+        STEPS.ENTER_CREDENTIALS,
+      )
+    })
+
+    it('should show the institutionStatusDetails step if the configured institution is unavailable', () => {
+      const afterState = reducer(
+        defaultState,
+        loadConnectSuccess({
+          institution: { guid: 'INS-1', name: 'Unavailable Bank' },
+          experimentalFeatures: {
+            unavailableInstitutions: [{ guid: 'INS-1', name: 'Unavailable Bank' }],
+          },
+        }),
+      )
+
+      expect(afterState.location[afterState.location.length - 1].step).toEqual(
+        STEPS.INSTITUTION_STATUS_DETAILS,
+      )
+    })
+
+    it('should show the credentials step if the configured institution_guid is available', () => {
+      const afterState = reducer(
+        defaultState,
+        loadConnectSuccess({
+          config: { current_institution_guid: 'INS-1' },
+          institution: { guid: 'INS-1', name: 'Unavailable Bank' },
+          widgetProfile: {},
+        }),
+      )
+
+      expect(afterState.location[afterState.location.length - 1].step).toEqual(
+        STEPS.ENTER_CREDENTIALS,
+      )
+    })
+
+    it('should show the credentials step if the configured institution code is available', () => {
+      const afterState = reducer(
+        defaultState,
+        loadConnectSuccess({
+          config: { current_institution_code: 'unavailable_bank' },
+          institution: { guid: 'INS-1', name: 'Unavailable Bank' },
+          widgetProfile: {},
+        }),
+      )
+
+      expect(afterState.location[afterState.location.length - 1].step).toEqual(
+        STEPS.ENTER_CREDENTIALS,
+      )
+    })
   })
 
   describe('loadConnectError', () => {