diff --git a/src/w3c/headers.js b/src/w3c/headers.js
index 2874398879..8ed195c80b 100644
--- a/src/w3c/headers.js
+++ b/src/w3c/headers.js
@@ -400,13 +400,26 @@ export async function run(conf) {
   }
 
   if (conf.isEd) conf.thisVersion = conf.edDraftURI;
-  if (conf.isCGBG) validateCGBG(conf);
+  if (conf.isCGBG) {
+    validateCGBG(conf);
+  }
+  if (conf.isTagEditorFinding && !conf.latestVersion) {
+    conf.latestVersion = null;
+  }
   if (conf.latestVersion !== null) {
     conf.latestVersion = conf.latestVersion
       ? w3Url(conf.latestVersion)
       : pubSpace
         ? w3Url(`${pubSpace}/${conf.shortName}/`)
         : "";
+    if (conf.latestVersion && !conf.isNoTrack && conf.specStatus !== "FPWD") {
+      const exists = await resourceExists(conf.latestVersion);
+      if (exists === null) {
+        const msg = `The "Latest published version:" header link points to a URL that does not exist.`;
+        const hint = docLink`Check that the ${"[shortName]"} is correct and you are using the right ${"[specStatus]"} for this kind of document.`;
+        showWarning(msg, name, { hint });
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   if (conf.latestVersion) validateIfAllowedOnTR(conf);
@@ -485,7 +498,12 @@ export async function run(conf) {
   conf.publishISODate = conf.publishDate.toISOString();
   conf.shortISODate = ISODate.format(conf.publishDate);
   validatePatentPolicies(conf);
-  await deriveHistoryURI(conf);
+
+  // Only derive historyURI if not explicitly suppressed by the user (null).
+  if (conf.historyURI !== null) {
+    conf.historyURI = await deriveHistoryURI(conf);
+  }
+
   if (conf.isTagEditorFinding) {
     delete conf.thisVersion;
     delete conf.latestVersion;
@@ -674,7 +692,6 @@ function validateIfAllowedOnTR(conf) {
     const msg = docLink`Documents with a status of \`"${conf.specStatus}"\` can't be published on the W3C's /TR/ (Technical Report) space.`;
     const hint = docLink`Ask a W3C Team Member for a W3C URL where the report can be published and change ${"[latestVersion]"} to something else.`;
     showError(msg, name, { hint });
-    return;
   }
 }
 
@@ -713,9 +730,6 @@ function derivePubSpace(conf) {
 function validateCGBG(conf) {
   // @ts-expect-error -- specStatus is always set by defaults
   const reportType = status2text[conf.specStatus];
-  const latestVersionURL = conf.latestVersion
-    ? new URL(w3Url(conf.latestVersion))
-    : null;
 
   if (!conf.wg) {
     const msg = docLink`The ${"[group]"} configuration option is required for this kind of document (${reportType}).`;
@@ -723,8 +737,17 @@ function validateCGBG(conf) {
     return;
   }
 
+  // @ts-expect-error -- specStatus is always set by defaults
+  if (conf.specStatus.endsWith("-DRAFT") && !conf.latestVersion) {
+    conf.latestVersion = null;
+    return;
+  }
+
   // Deal with final reports
   if (conf.isCGFinal) {
+    const latestVersionURL = conf.latestVersion
+      ? new URL(w3Url(conf.latestVersion))
+      : null;
     // Final report require a w3.org URL.
     const isW3C =
       latestVersionURL?.origin === "https://www.w3.org" ||
@@ -740,19 +763,18 @@ function validateCGBG(conf) {
 
 /** @param {Conf} conf */
 async function deriveHistoryURI(conf) {
-  if (!conf.shortName || conf.historyURI === null || !conf.latestVersion) {
-    return; // Nothing to do
+  if (!conf.shortName || !conf.latestVersion) {
+    return null;
   }
 
   // @ts-expect-error -- specStatus is always set by defaults
   const canShowHistory = conf.isEd || trStatus.includes(conf.specStatus);
 
-  if (conf.historyURI && !canShowHistory) {
-    const msg = docLink`The ${"[historyURI]"} can't be used with non /TR/ documents.`;
+  if (!canShowHistory && conf.historyURI) {
+    const msg = docLink`The ${"[historyURI]"} can't be used with non-standards track documents.`;
     const hint = docLink`Please remove ${"[historyURI]"}.`;
     showError(msg, name, { hint });
-    conf.historyURI = null;
-    return;
+    return null;
   }
 
   const historyURL = new URL(
@@ -767,21 +789,23 @@ async function deriveHistoryURI(conf) {
     // @ts-expect-error -- specStatus is always set by defaults
     ["FPWD", "DNOTE", "NOTE", "DRY"].includes(conf.specStatus)
   ) {
-    conf.historyURI = historyURL.href;
-    return;
+    return historyURL.href;
   }
 
   // Let's get the history from the W3C.
   // Do a fetch HEAD request to see if the history exists...
   // We don't discriminate... if it's on the W3C website with a history,
   // we show it.
+  return await resourceExists(historyURL);
+}
+
+/** @returns {Promise<string|null>} Final URL after redirects, or null if unreachable. */
+async function resourceExists(/** @type {string|URL} */ url) {
   try {
-    const response = await fetch(historyURL, { method: "HEAD" });
-    if (response.ok) {
-      conf.historyURI = response.url;
-    }
+    const response = await fetch(url, { method: "HEAD" });
+    return response.ok ? response.url : null;
   } catch {
-    // Ignore fetch errors
+    return null;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/w3c/templates/cgbg-headers.js b/src/w3c/templates/cgbg-headers.js
index 3209302de6..cf8242ab03 100644
--- a/src/w3c/templates/cgbg-headers.js
+++ b/src/w3c/templates/cgbg-headers.js
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ export default (conf, options) => {
               >
             </dd>`
         : ""}
-      ${"latestVersion" in conf // latestVersion can be falsy
+      ${conf.latestVersion !== null && conf.latestVersion !== undefined
         ? html`<dt>${l10n.latest_published_version}</dt>
             <dd>
-              ${conf.latestVersion
+              ${conf.latestVersion !== ""
                 ? html`<a href="${conf.latestVersion}"
                     >${conf.latestVersion}</a
                   >`
diff --git a/tests/spec/w3c/headers-spec.js b/tests/spec/w3c/headers-spec.js
index 19dd6197eb..7f8596ee6c 100644
--- a/tests/spec/w3c/headers-spec.js
+++ b/tests/spec/w3c/headers-spec.js
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ import {
   makeDefaultBody,
   makeRSDoc,
   makeStandardOps,
+  warningFilters,
 } from "../SpecHelper.js";
 
 const headerErrors = errorFilters.filter("w3c/headers");
+const headerWarnings = warningFilters.filter("w3c/headers");
 const defaultErrors = errorFilters.filter("w3c/defaults");
 
 const findContent = string => {
@@ -62,26 +64,27 @@ describe("W3C — Headers", () => {
     expect(exportedDoc.querySelector(".head details[open]")).toBeTruthy();
   });
 
-  it("links to the 'kinds of documents' only for W3C documents", async () => {
-    const statuses = ["FPWD", "WD", "CR", "CRD", "PR", "REC", "NOTE"];
-    for (const specStatus of statuses) {
+  for (const specStatus of recTrackStatus) {
+    it(`links to the 'kinds of documents' only for W3C documents with status ${specStatus}`, async () => {
       const doc = await makeRSDoc(
         makeStandardOps({ specStatus, group: "webapps" })
       );
       const w3cLink = doc.querySelector(
         `.head a[href='https://www.w3.org/standards/types#${specStatus}']`
       );
-      expect(w3cLink).withContext(`specStatus: ${specStatus}`).toBeTruthy();
-    }
+      expect(w3cLink).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+  }
 
-    for (const specStatus of ["unofficial", "base"]) {
+  for (const specStatus of noTrackStatus) {
+    it(`doesn't link to the 'kinds of documents' for non-rec track ${specStatus}`, async () => {
       const doc = await makeRSDoc(makeStandardOps({ specStatus }));
       const w3cLink = doc.querySelector(
         ".head a[href='https://www.w3.org/standards/types#UD']"
       );
-      expect(w3cLink).withContext(`specStatus: ${specStatus}`).toBeNull();
-    }
-  });
+      expect(w3cLink).toBeNull();
+    });
+  }
 
   describe("prevRecShortname & prevRecURI", () => {
     it("takes prevRecShortname and prevRecURI into account", async () => {
@@ -1449,6 +1452,21 @@ describe("W3C — Headers", () => {
       expect(latestVersionLink.textContent).toBe("https://www.w3.org/TR/foo/");
     });
 
+    it("warns if latestVersion URL doesn't exist", async () => {
+      const ops = makeStandardOps({
+        shortName: "foo",
+        specStatus: "WD",
+        group: "webapps",
+        github: "w3c/respec",
+      });
+      const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+      const warnings = headerWarnings(doc);
+      expect(warnings).toHaveSize(1);
+      expect(warnings[0].message).toContain(
+        `The "Latest published version:" header link points to a URL that does not exist`
+      );
+    });
+
     it("allows skipping latest published version link in initial ED", async () => {
       const ops = makeStandardOps({
         specStatus: "ED",
@@ -1563,11 +1581,7 @@ describe("W3C — Headers", () => {
           group: "wicg",
         });
         const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
-        const terms = [...doc.querySelectorAll(".head dt")];
-        const latestVersion = terms.find(
-          el => el.textContent.trim() === "Latest published version:"
-        );
-        expect(latestVersion).toHaveSize(0);
+        expect(contains(doc, "dt", "Latest published version:")).toHaveSize(0);
       });
     }
     for (const specStatus of noTrackStatus) {
@@ -2056,7 +2070,7 @@ describe("W3C — Headers", () => {
       { specStatus: "BG-FINAL", group: "publishingbg" },
     ];
     for (const { specStatus, group } of finalReportStatus) {
-      it("requires that the ${specStatus} latestVersion be a w3c URL", async () => {
+      it(`requires that the ${specStatus} latestVersion be a w3c URL`, async () => {
         const ops = makeStandardOps({
           specStatus,
           group,
@@ -2633,8 +2647,8 @@ describe("W3C — Headers", () => {
       );
     });
 
-    for (const specStatus of trStatus) {
-      it(`includes the history for "${specStatus}" rec-track status`, async () => {
+    for (const specStatus of recTrackStatus) {
+      it(`includes the history for rec-track "${specStatus}" docs`, async () => {
         const shortName = `push-api`;
         const ops = makeStandardOps({
           shortName,
@@ -2647,7 +2661,7 @@ describe("W3C — Headers", () => {
         expect(history).withContext(specStatus).toBeTruthy();
         expect(history.nextElementSibling).withContext(specStatus).toBeTruthy();
         const historyLink = history.nextElementSibling.querySelector("a");
-        expect(historyLink).toBeTruthy();
+        expect(historyLink).withContext(specStatus).toBeTruthy();
         expect(historyLink.href).toBe(
           `https://www.w3.org/standards/history/${shortName}/`
         );