diff --git a/app/graphql/mutations/ask_question.rb b/app/graphql/mutations/ask_question.rb
index 2c0297a5b..6609f4180 100644
--- a/app/graphql/mutations/ask_question.rb
+++ b/app/graphql/mutations/ask_question.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 module Mutations
   class AskQuestion < BaseMutation
     argument :registration_id, ID, required: true, loads: Types::RegistrationType
+    argument :urgent, Boolean, required: false
     argument :body, String, required: true
 
     field :question, Types::QuestionType, null: false
@@ -15,8 +16,8 @@ def authorized?(registration:, **_args)
       raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, 'You do not have permission.'
     end
 
-    def resolve(registration:, body:)
-      q = Question.new(registration: registration, body: body)
+    def resolve(registration:, urgent:, body:)
+      q = Question.new(registration: registration, urgent: urgent, body: body)
       saved = q.save
       raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, q.errors.full_messages.to_sentence unless saved
 
diff --git a/app/graphql/types/question_type.rb b/app/graphql/types/question_type.rb
index a2f18a614..c9916e660 100644
--- a/app/graphql/types/question_type.rb
+++ b/app/graphql/types/question_type.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ class QuestionType < Types::BaseObject
     def registration
       RecordLoader.for(Registration).load(object.registration_id)
     end
+    field :urgent, Boolean, null: false
     field :body, String, null: false
     field :created_at, GraphQL::Types::ISO8601DateTime, null: false
   end
diff --git a/app/javascript/components/workflows/proctor/exams/index.tsx b/app/javascript/components/workflows/proctor/exams/index.tsx
index 8f9482d67..557557863 100644
--- a/app/javascript/components/workflows/proctor/exams/index.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/components/workflows/proctor/exams/index.tsx
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ interface Question {
   type: MessageType.Question;
   time: DateTime;
   id: string;
+  urgent: boolean;
   body: string;
   registration: {
     id: string;
@@ -152,6 +153,7 @@ export interface MessageProps {
   iconClass?: string;
   tooltip: string;
   time: DateTime;
+  urgent: boolean;
   body: React.ReactElement | string;
 }
 
@@ -161,6 +163,7 @@ const ShowMessage: React.FC<MessageProps> = (props) => {
     iconClass,
     tooltip,
     time,
+    urgent,
     body,
     children,
   } = props;
@@ -174,6 +177,7 @@ const ShowMessage: React.FC<MessageProps> = (props) => {
           <i className="text-muted">
             {`${tooltip} (${time.toLocaleString(DateTime.TIME_SIMPLE)})`}
           </i>
+          {urgent && <strong className="text-danger"> LOCKED OUT</strong>}
           {children}
         </p>
         <p className="wrap-anywhere">{body}</p>
@@ -784,6 +788,7 @@ const ShowQuestion: React.FC<{
   const {
     registration,
     body,
+    urgent,
     time,
   } = question;
   const reply = useCallback(() => replyTo(registration.id), [registration.id]);
@@ -791,6 +796,7 @@ const ShowQuestion: React.FC<{
     <ShowMessage
       icon={MdMessage}
       tooltip={`Received from ${registration.user.displayName}`}
+      urgent={urgent}
       body={body}
       time={time}
     >
@@ -1084,6 +1090,7 @@ const newQuestionSubscriptionSpec = graphql`
             displayName
           }
         }
+        urgent
         body
       }
       questionsEdge {
@@ -1371,6 +1378,7 @@ const ExamMessages: React.FC<{
                   displayName
                 }
               }
+              urgent
               body
             }
           }
@@ -1410,6 +1418,7 @@ const ExamMessages: React.FC<{
     questions: res.questions.edges.map(({ node: question }) => ({
       type: MessageType.Question,
       id: question.id,
+      urgent: question.urgent,
       body: question.body,
       registration: question.registration,
       time: DateTime.fromISO(question.createdAt),
diff --git a/app/javascript/components/workflows/student/exams/show/components/AnomalousMessaging.tsx b/app/javascript/components/workflows/student/exams/show/components/AnomalousMessaging.tsx
index beec8cebe..ca6914482 100644
--- a/app/javascript/components/workflows/student/exams/show/components/AnomalousMessaging.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/components/workflows/student/exams/show/components/AnomalousMessaging.tsx
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ const AnomalousMessaging: React.FC<{
             <Card.Title>
               <h2>Ask a question</h2>
             </Card.Title>
-            <AskQuestion examKey={res} />
+            <AskQuestion examKey={res} urgent />
           </Card.Body>
         </Card>
       </Col>
diff --git a/app/javascript/components/workflows/student/exams/show/components/navbar/AskQuestion.tsx b/app/javascript/components/workflows/student/exams/show/components/navbar/AskQuestion.tsx
index 37279ccb8..20eba5e44 100644
--- a/app/javascript/components/workflows/student/exams/show/components/navbar/AskQuestion.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/components/workflows/student/exams/show/components/navbar/AskQuestion.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ const ShowQuestion: React.FC<{
     graphql`
     fragment AskQuestion_single on Question {
       createdAt
+      urgent
       body
     }
     `,
@@ -54,9 +55,11 @@ const ShowQuestion: React.FC<{
 
 const SendQuestion: React.FC<{
   registrationId: string;
+  urgent: boolean;
 }> = (props) => {
   const {
     registrationId,
+    urgent,
   } = props;
   const [val, setVal] = useState('');
   const [inTimeout, setInTimeout] = useState(false);
@@ -151,6 +154,7 @@ const SendQuestion: React.FC<{
             variables: {
               input: {
                 registrationId,
+                urgent,
                 body: val,
               },
             },
@@ -186,11 +190,13 @@ const questionPaginationConfig = {
 
 interface AskQuestionProps {
   examKey: AskQuestion$key;
+  urgent: boolean;
 }
 
 const AskQuestion: React.FC<AskQuestionProps> = (props) => {
   const {
     examKey,
+    urgent,
   } = props;
   const { alert } = useContext(AlertContext);
   const [res, { isLoading, hasMore, loadMore }] = usePagination(
@@ -222,7 +228,7 @@ const AskQuestion: React.FC<AskQuestionProps> = (props) => {
   const { edges } = res.myRegistration.questions;
   return (
     <div>
-      <SendQuestion registrationId={res.myRegistration.id} />
+      <SendQuestion registrationId={res.myRegistration.id} urgent={urgent} />
       <span className="clearfix" />
       <hr className="my-2" />
       {edges.length === 0 && (
diff --git a/db/migrate/20200522182009_create_schema.rb b/db/migrate/20200522182009_create_schema.rb
index fd02ce871..f0f4de401 100644
--- a/db/migrate/20200522182009_create_schema.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/20200522182009_create_schema.rb
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def change
       t.index [:user_id, :exam_version_id], unique: true
       t.index [:room_id, :user_id], unique: true
       t.index [:user_id, :room_id], unique: true
-      
+
       t.boolean :published, null: false, default: false
 
       t.datetime :start_time
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ def change
     create_table :questions do |t|
       t.references :registration, null: false, foreign_key: true
 
+      t.boolean :urgent, null: false, default: false
       t.text :body, null: false
       t.timestamps
     end
@@ -220,7 +221,7 @@ def change
       t.string :student_feedback, null: true
       t.float :points, null: false
       t.integer :order, null: true
-      
+
       t.timestamps
     end
 
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 948b8cb7a..f531624a7 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@
 
   create_table "questions", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.bigint "registration_id", null: false
+    t.boolean "urgent", default: false, null: false
     t.text "body", null: false
     t.datetime "created_at", precision: 6, null: false
     t.datetime "updated_at", precision: 6, null: false