diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Content.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Content.cs
index e70078a857..8436da6230 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Content.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Content.cs
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets the current status of the Content
         /// </summary>
+        [IgnoreDataMember]
         public ContentStatus Status
         {
             get
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/IContent.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/IContent.cs
index 461680aa50..d66a8bbceb 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/IContent.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/IContent.cs
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models
         /// </summary>
         IContentType ContentType { get; }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the current status of the Content
+        /// </summary>
+        ContentStatus Status { get; }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Changes the <see cref="IContentType"/> for the current content object
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Services/ContentServiceTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Services/ContentServiceTests.cs
index 08a14e0d40..9cd91b0b03 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Services/ContentServiceTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Services/ContentServiceTests.cs
@@ -300,6 +300,79 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Services
             Assert.That(children.First(x => x.Id == 1048).Published, Is.False);//Expired 5 mins ago, so shouldn't be published
         }
 
+        [Test]
+        public void Cannot_Publish_Expired_Content()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var contentService = ServiceContext.ContentService;
+            var content = contentService.GetById(1048); //This Content expired 5min ago
+
+            var parent = contentService.GetById(1046);
+            bool parentPublished = contentService.Publish(parent, 0);//Publish root Home node to enable publishing of '1048'
+
+            // Act
+            bool published = contentService.Publish(content, 0);
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.That(parentPublished, Is.True);
+            Assert.That(published, Is.False);
+            Assert.That(content.Published, Is.False);
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void Cannot_Publish_Content_Awaiting_Release()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var contentService = ServiceContext.ContentService;
+            var content = contentService.GetById(1047);
+            content.ReleaseDate = DateTime.UtcNow.AddHours(2);
+            contentService.Save(content, 0);
+
+            var parent = contentService.GetById(1046);
+            bool parentPublished = contentService.Publish(parent, 0);//Publish root Home node to enable publishing of '1048'
+
+            // Act
+            bool published = contentService.Publish(content, 0);
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.That(parentPublished, Is.True);
+            Assert.That(published, Is.False);
+            Assert.That(content.Published, Is.False);
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void Cannot_Publish_Content_Where_Parent_Is_Unpublished()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var contentService = ServiceContext.ContentService;
+            var content = contentService.CreateContent(1046, "umbTextpage");
+            content.Name = "Subpage with Unpublisehed Parent";
+            contentService.Save(content, 0);
+
+            // Act
+            bool published = contentService.PublishWithChildren(content, 0);
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.That(published, Is.False);
+            Assert.That(content.Published, Is.False);
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void Cannot_Publish_Trashed_Content()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var contentService = ServiceContext.ContentService;
+            var content = contentService.GetById(1049);
+
+            // Act
+            bool published = contentService.Publish(content, 0);
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.That(published, Is.False);
+            Assert.That(content.Published, Is.False);
+            Assert.That(content.Trashed, Is.True);
+        }
+
         [Test]
         public void Can_Save_And_Publish_Content()
         {
@@ -487,6 +560,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Services
             //Create and Save Content "Text Page 1" based on "umbTextpage" -> 1047
             Content subpage = MockedContent.CreateTextpageContent(contentType, "Text Page 1", textpage.Id);
             subpage.ReleaseDate = DateTime.UtcNow.AddMinutes(-5);
+            subpage.ChangePublishedState(false);
             ServiceContext.ContentService.Save(subpage, 0);
 
             //Create and Save Content "Text Page 1" based on "umbTextpage" -> 1048
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Publishing/PublishingStrategy.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Publishing/PublishingStrategy.cs
index c8966d432e..bba152335e 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Publishing/PublishingStrategy.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Publishing/PublishingStrategy.cs
@@ -30,6 +30,33 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Publishing
 
             if (!e.Cancel)
             {
+                //Check if the Content is Expired to verify that it can in fact be published
+                if(content.Status == ContentStatus.Expired)
+                {
+                    LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
+                        string.Format("Content '{0}' with Id '{1}' has expired and could not be published.",
+                                      content.Name, content.Id));
+                    return false;
+                }
+
+                //Check if the Content is Awaiting Release to verify that it can in fact be published
+                if (content.Status == ContentStatus.AwaitingRelease)
+                {
+                    LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
+                        string.Format("Content '{0}' with Id '{1}' is awaiting release and could not be published.",
+                                      content.Name, content.Id));
+                    return false;
+                }
+
+                //Check if the Content is Trashed to verify that it can in fact be published
+                if (content.Status == ContentStatus.Trashed)
+                {
+                    LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
+                        string.Format("Content '{0}' with Id '{1}' is trashed and could not be published.",
+                                      content.Name, content.Id));
+                    return false;
+                }
+
                 content.ChangePublishedState(true);
 
                 LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
@@ -57,7 +84,9 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Publishing
         {
             var e = new PublishEventArgs();
 
-            //Only update content thats not already been published
+            /* Only update content thats not already been published - we want to loop through
+             * all unpublished content to write skipped content (expired and awaiting release) to log.
+             */
             foreach (var item in content.Where(x => x.Published == false))
             {
                 //Fire BeforePublish event
@@ -65,6 +94,33 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Publishing
                 if (e.Cancel)
                     return false;
 
+                //Check if the Content is Expired to verify that it can in fact be published
+                if (item.Status == ContentStatus.Expired)
+                {
+                    LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
+                        string.Format("Content '{0}' with Id '{1}' has expired and could not be published.",
+                                      item.Name, item.Id));
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                //Check if the Content is Awaiting Release to verify that it can in fact be published
+                if (item.Status == ContentStatus.AwaitingRelease)
+                {
+                    LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
+                        string.Format("Content '{0}' with Id '{1}' is awaiting release and could not be published.",
+                                      item.Name, item.Id));
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                //Check if the Content is Trashed to verify that it can in fact be published
+                if (item.Status == ContentStatus.Trashed)
+                {
+                    LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
+                        string.Format("Content '{0}' with Id '{1}' is trashed and could not be published.",
+                                      item.Name, item.Id));
+                    continue;
+                }
+
                 item.ChangePublishedState(true);
                 
                 LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
@@ -97,8 +153,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Publishing
                 //If Content has a release date set to before now, it should be removed so it doesn't interrupt an unpublish
                 //Otherwise it would remain released == published
                 if (content.ReleaseDate.HasValue && content.ReleaseDate.Value <= DateTime.UtcNow)
+                {
                     content.ReleaseDate = null;
 
+                    LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
+                        string.Format(
+                            "Content '{0}' with Id '{1}' had its release date removed, because it was unpublished.",
+                            content.Name, content.Id));
+                }
+
                 content.ChangePublishedState(false);
 
                 LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
@@ -137,8 +200,14 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Publishing
                 //If Content has a release date set to before now, it should be removed so it doesn't interrupt an unpublish
                 //Otherwise it would remain released == published
                 if (item.ReleaseDate.HasValue && item.ReleaseDate.Value <= DateTime.UtcNow)
+                {
                     item.ReleaseDate = null;
 
+                    LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
+                        string.Format("Content '{0}' with Id '{1}' had its release date removed, because it was unpublished.",
+                                      item.Name, item.Id));
+                }
+
                 item.ChangePublishedState(false);
 
                 LogHelper.Info<PublishingStrategy>(
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Services/ContentService.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Services/ContentService.cs
index 63f279aa91..b07fd2fa4e 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Services/ContentService.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Services/ContentService.cs
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Services
             var repository = RepositoryResolver.ResolveByType<IContentRepository, IContent, int>(_unitOfWork);
 
             //Check if parent is published (although not if its a root node) - if parent isn't published this Content cannot be published
-            if (content.ParentId != -1 && !GetById(content.ParentId).Published)
+            if (content.ParentId != -1 && content.ParentId != -20 && !GetById(content.ParentId).Published)
             {
                 LogHelper.Info<ContentService>(
                     string.Format("Content '{0}' with Id '{1}' could not be published because its parent is not published.",
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Services
             var repository = RepositoryResolver.ResolveByType<IContentRepository, IContent, int>(_unitOfWork);
 
             //Check if parent is published (although not if its a root node) - if parent isn't published this Content cannot be published
-            if (content.ParentId != -1 && GetById(content.ParentId).Published == false)
+            if (content.ParentId != -1 && content.ParentId != -20 && GetById(content.ParentId).Published == false)
             {
                 LogHelper.Info<ContentService>(
                     string.Format("Content '{0}' with Id '{1}' could not be published because its parent is not published.",