diff --git a/src/visualBuilder/components/__test__/addInstanceButton.test.tsx b/src/visualBuilder/components/__test__/addInstanceButton.test.tsx
index 92fc7364..066d33b7 100644
--- a/src/visualBuilder/components/__test__/addInstanceButton.test.tsx
+++ b/src/visualBuilder/components/__test__/addInstanceButton.test.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import React from "preact/compat";
 import {
     act,
     cleanup,
@@ -7,6 +8,21 @@ import {
 } from "@testing-library/preact";
 import { singleLineFieldSchema } from "../../../__test__/data/fields";
 import AddInstanceButtonComponent from "../addInstanceButton";
+import visualBuilderPostMessageActual from "../../utils/visualBuilderPostMessage";
+import { getDiscussionIdByFieldMetaData } from "../../utils/getDiscussionIdByFieldMetaData";
+
+const visualBuilderPostMessage = vi.mocked(visualBuilderPostMessageActual);
+
+vi.mock("../../utils/visualBuilderPostMessage", async () => {
+    return {
+        default: {
+            send: vi.fn().mockImplementation((_eventName: string) => {
+                return Promise.resolve({});
+            }),
+            on: vi.fn(),
+        },
+    };
+});
 
 describe("AddInstanceButtonComponent", () => {
     afterEach(cleanup);
@@ -18,10 +34,16 @@ describe("AddInstanceButtonComponent", () => {
                 <AddInstanceButtonComponent
                     value={[]}
                     fieldSchema={singleLineFieldSchema}
+                    // @ts-expect-error mocking fieldMetadata
+                    fieldMetadata={{}}
+                    index={0}
                     onClick={onClickCallback}
+                    label="Add instance"
+                    // @ts-expect-error mocking signal
+                    loading={{ value: false }}
                 />
             );
-        })
+        });
         const buttonElement = getByTestId(
             document.body,
             "visual-builder-add-instance-button"
@@ -33,22 +55,63 @@ describe("AddInstanceButtonComponent", () => {
         expect(buttonElement.querySelector("path")).toBeTruthy();
     });
 
-    test("calls onClickCallback when button is clicked", async () => {
+    test("sends add-instance message when clicked", async () => {
         const onClickCallback = vi.fn();
         await act(() => {
             render(
                 <AddInstanceButtonComponent
                     value={[]}
                     fieldSchema={singleLineFieldSchema}
+                    // @ts-expect-error mocking fieldMetadata
+                    fieldMetadata={{}}
+                    index={0}
                     onClick={onClickCallback}
+                    label="Add instance"
+                    // @ts-expect-error mocking signal
+                    loading={{ value: false }}
                 />
             );
-        })
+        });
         const buttonElement = getByTestId(
             document.body,
             "visual-builder-add-instance-button"
         );
-        fireEvent.click(buttonElement);
+        await act(() => {
+            fireEvent.click(buttonElement);
+        });
+        expect(visualBuilderPostMessage?.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            "add-instance",
+            {
+                fieldMetadata: {},
+                index: 0,
+            }
+        );
+    });
+
+    test("calls onClick callback when clicked", async () => {
+        const onClickCallback = vi.fn();
+        await act(() => {
+            render(
+                <AddInstanceButtonComponent
+                    value={[]}
+                    fieldSchema={singleLineFieldSchema}
+                    // @ts-expect-error mocking fieldMetadata
+                    fieldMetadata={{}}
+                    index={0}
+                    onClick={onClickCallback}
+                    label="Add instance"
+                    // @ts-expect-error mocking signal
+                    loading={{ value: false }}
+                />
+            );
+        });
+        const buttonElement = getByTestId(
+            document.body,
+            "visual-builder-add-instance-button"
+        );
+        await act(() => {
+            fireEvent.click(buttonElement);
+        });
         expect(onClickCallback).toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 });
diff --git a/src/visualBuilder/components/addInstanceButton.tsx b/src/visualBuilder/components/addInstanceButton.tsx
index 036644fe..650341a3 100644
--- a/src/visualBuilder/components/addInstanceButton.tsx
+++ b/src/visualBuilder/components/addInstanceButton.tsx
@@ -3,44 +3,82 @@ import classNames from "classnames";
 import { visualBuilderStyles } from "../visualBuilder.style";
 import { PlusIcon } from "./icons";
 import { ISchemaFieldMap } from "../utils/types/index.types";
+import { CslpData } from "../../cslp/types/cslp.types";
+import visualBuilderPostMessage from "../utils/visualBuilderPostMessage";
+import { VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents } from "../utils/types/postMessage.types";
+import { Signal } from "@preact/signals";
 
 interface AddInstanceButtonProps {
     value: any;
     onClick: (event: MouseEvent) => void;
     label?: string | undefined;
     fieldSchema: ISchemaFieldMap | undefined;
+    fieldMetadata: CslpData;
+    index: number;
+    loading: Signal<boolean>;
 }
 
 function AddInstanceButtonComponent(
     props: AddInstanceButtonProps
 ): JSX.Element {
     const fieldSchema = props.fieldSchema;
-    const disabled =
-        fieldSchema && "max_instance" in fieldSchema && fieldSchema.max_instance
-            ? props.value.length >= fieldSchema.max_instance
-            : false;
+    const fieldMetadata = props.fieldMetadata;
+    const index = props.index;
+    const loading = props.loading;
+
+    const onClick = async (event: MouseEvent) => {
+        loading.value = true;
+        try {
+            await visualBuilderPostMessage?.send(
+                VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.ADD_INSTANCE,
+                {
+                    fieldMetadata,
+                    index,
+                }
+            );
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.error("Visual Builder: Failed to add instance", error);
+        }
+        loading.value = false;
+        props.onClick(event);
+    };
+
+    const buttonClassName = classNames(
+        "visual-builder__add-button",
+        visualBuilderStyles()["visual-builder__add-button"],
+        {
+            "visual-builder__add-button--with-label": props.label,
+        },
+        {
+            [visualBuilderStyles()["visual-builder__add-button--loading"]]:
+                loading.value,
+        },
+        visualBuilderStyles()["visual-builder__tooltip"]
+    );
+
+    const maxInstances =
+        fieldSchema && fieldSchema.data_type !== "block"
+            ? fieldSchema.max_instance
+            : undefined;
+    const isMaxInstances = maxInstances
+        ? props.value.length >= maxInstances
+        : false;
+    const disabled = loading.value || isMaxInstances;
 
     return (
         <button
-            className={classNames(
-                "visual-builder__add-button",
-                visualBuilderStyles()["visual-builder__add-button"],
-                {
-                    "visual-builder__add-button--with-label": props.label,
-                },
-                visualBuilderStyles()["visual-builder__tooltip"]
-            )}
+            className={buttonClassName}
             data-tooltip={"Add section"}
             data-testid="visual-builder-add-instance-button"
             disabled={disabled}
             title={
-                disabled && fieldSchema && "max_instance" in fieldSchema
-                    ? `Max ${fieldSchema.max_instance} instances allowed`
+                maxInstances && isMaxInstances
+                    ? `Max ${maxInstances} instances allowed`
                     : undefined
             }
             onClick={(e) => {
                 const event = e as unknown as MouseEvent;
-                props.onClick(event);
+                onClick(event);
             }}
         >
             <PlusIcon />
diff --git a/src/visualBuilder/utils/__test__/instanceButtons.test.ts b/src/visualBuilder/generators/__test__/generateAddInstanceButtons.test.tsx
similarity index 55%
rename from src/visualBuilder/utils/__test__/instanceButtons.test.ts
rename to src/visualBuilder/generators/__test__/generateAddInstanceButtons.test.tsx
index 2d9934dd..2595260f 100644
--- a/src/visualBuilder/utils/__test__/instanceButtons.test.ts
+++ b/src/visualBuilder/generators/__test__/generateAddInstanceButtons.test.tsx
@@ -1,29 +1,67 @@
+import React from "preact/compat";
 import { singleLineFieldSchema } from "../../../__test__/data/fields";
-import { ISchemaFieldMap } from "../types/index.types";
 import {
     getAddInstanceButtons,
     generateAddInstanceButton,
-} from "./../../generators/generateAddInstanceButtons";
+} from "../generateAddInstanceButtons";
+import AddInstanceButtonComponentActual from "../../components/addInstanceButton";
+
+const AddInstanceButtonComponent = vi.mocked(AddInstanceButtonComponentActual);
+
+vi.mock("../../components/addInstanceButton", async () => {
+    return {
+        default: vi.fn().mockImplementation(() => {
+            return (
+                <button data-testid="add-instance-button">
+                    Add instance button
+                </button>
+            );
+        }),
+    };
+});
 
 describe("generateAddInstanceButton", () => {
-    test("should generate a button", () => {
+    afterEach(() => {
+        vi.clearAllMocks();
+    });
+
+    test("should generate and return a button", () => {
         const button = generateAddInstanceButton({
             fieldSchema: singleLineFieldSchema,
             value: "",
-            onClick: () => {},
+            // @ts-expect-error mock field metadata
+            fieldMetadata: { hello: "world" },
+            onClick: vi.fn(),
+            // @ts-expect-error mocking preact signal
+            loading: { value: false },
+            index: 0,
+            label: "Add Instance",
         });
         expect(button).toBeInstanceOf(HTMLButtonElement);
     });
 
-    test("should call the callback when clicked", () => {
-        const callback = vi.fn();
-        const button = generateAddInstanceButton({
+    test("should call the AddInstanceButtonComponent with the correct props", () => {
+        generateAddInstanceButton({
+            fieldSchema: singleLineFieldSchema,
+            value: "",
+            // @ts-expect-error mock field metadata
+            fieldMetadata: { hello: "world" },
+            onClick: vi.fn(),
+            // @ts-expect-error mocking preact signal
+            loading: { value: false },
+            index: 0,
+            label: "Add Instance",
+        });
+        const args = AddInstanceButtonComponent.mock.calls[0][0];
+        expect(args).toStrictEqual({
             fieldSchema: singleLineFieldSchema,
             value: "",
-            onClick: callback,
+            fieldMetadata: { hello: "world" },
+            onClick: expect.any(Function),
+            loading: { value: false },
+            index: 0,
+            label: "Add Instance",
         });
-        button.click();
-        expect(callback).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/visualBuilder/generators/generateAddInstanceButtons.tsx b/src/visualBuilder/generators/generateAddInstanceButtons.tsx
index 5d552e84..d39272c2 100644
--- a/src/visualBuilder/generators/generateAddInstanceButtons.tsx
+++ b/src/visualBuilder/generators/generateAddInstanceButtons.tsx
@@ -1,31 +1,44 @@
+import React from "preact/compat";
 import { render } from "preact";
 import AddInstanceButtonComponent from "../components/addInstanceButton";
 import { ISchemaFieldMap } from "../utils/types/index.types";
+import { CslpData } from "../../cslp/types/cslp.types";
+import { Signal } from "@preact/signals";
 
 /**
- * Generates a button element, when clicked, triggers the provided callback function.
+ * Generates a button element, when clicked, sends the add instance message and
+ * then calls the provided callback function.
  * @param onClickCallback - The function to be called when the button is clicked.
  * @returns The generated button element.
  */
 export function generateAddInstanceButton({
-    fieldSchema,
     value,
+    fieldSchema,
+    fieldMetadata,
+    index,
+    loading,
     onClick,
     label,
 }: {
+    fieldSchema: ISchemaFieldMap | undefined;
     value: any;
+    fieldMetadata: CslpData;
+    index: number;
+    loading: Signal<boolean>;
     onClick: (event: MouseEvent) => void;
     label?: string | undefined;
-    fieldSchema: ISchemaFieldMap | undefined;
 }): HTMLButtonElement {
     const wrapper = document.createDocumentFragment();
 
     render(
         <AddInstanceButtonComponent
+            loading={loading}
+            index={index}
             value={value}
             label={label}
             onClick={onClick}
             fieldSchema={fieldSchema}
+            fieldMetadata={fieldMetadata}
         />,
         wrapper
     );
diff --git a/src/visualBuilder/utils/__test__/multipleElementAddButton.test.ts b/src/visualBuilder/utils/__test__/multipleElementAddButton.test.ts
index 82043d23..fd3e44ae 100644
--- a/src/visualBuilder/utils/__test__/multipleElementAddButton.test.ts
+++ b/src/visualBuilder/utils/__test__/multipleElementAddButton.test.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import getChildrenDirection from "../getChildrenDirection";
 import visualBuilderPostMessage from "../visualBuilderPostMessage";
 import { VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents } from "../types/postMessage.types";
 import { singleLineFieldSchema } from "../../../__test__/data/fields";
+import { signal } from "@preact/signals";
 
 Object.defineProperty(globalThis, "crypto", {
     value: {
@@ -46,27 +47,16 @@ vi.mock("../visualBuilderPostMessage", async () => {
     };
 });
 
-describe("generateAddInstanceButton", () => {
-    test("should generate a button", () => {
-        const button = generateAddInstanceButton({
-            fieldSchema: singleLineFieldSchema,
-            value: "",
-            onClick: () => {},
-        });
-        expect(button.tagName).toBe("BUTTON");
-    });
-
-    test("should run the callback when the button is clicked", () => {
-        const mockCallback = vi.fn();
-        const button = generateAddInstanceButton({
-            fieldSchema: singleLineFieldSchema,
-            value: "",
-            onClick: mockCallback,
-        });
-
-        button.click();
-        expect(mockCallback).toHaveBeenCalled();
-    });
+vi.mock("@preact/signals", async (importOriginal) => {
+    const actual = await importOriginal();
+    return {
+        ...(actual as unknown as Record<string, any>),
+        signal: (initialValue: any) => {
+            return {
+                value: initialValue,
+            };
+        },
+    };
 });
 
 // TODO: rewrite this
@@ -577,13 +567,19 @@ describe("removeAddInstanceButtons", () => {
 
         previousButton = generateAddInstanceButton({
             fieldSchema: singleLineFieldSchema,
+            // @ts-expect-error mock field metadata
+            fieldMetadata: { hello: "world" },
             value: "",
             onClick: vi.fn(),
+            loading: signal(false),
         });
         nextButton = generateAddInstanceButton({
             fieldSchema: singleLineFieldSchema,
             value: "",
+            // @ts-expect-error mock field metadata
+            fieldMetadata: { hello: "world" },
             onClick: vi.fn(),
+            loading: signal(false),
         });
         overlayWrapper = document.createElement("div");
         eventTarget = document.createElement("div");
@@ -672,7 +668,10 @@ describe("removeAddInstanceButtons", () => {
             const button = generateAddInstanceButton({
                 fieldSchema: singleLineFieldSchema,
                 value: "",
-                onClick: () => {},
+                // @ts-expect-error mock field metadata
+                fieldMetadata: { hello: "world" },
+                onClick: vi.fn(),
+                loading: signal(false),
             });
             visualBuilderContainer.appendChild(button);
         }
@@ -704,7 +703,10 @@ describe("removeAddInstanceButtons", () => {
             const button = generateAddInstanceButton({
                 fieldSchema: singleLineFieldSchema,
                 value: "",
-                onClick: () => {},
+                // @ts-expect-error mock field metadata
+                fieldMetadata: { hello: "world" },
+                onClick: vi.fn(),
+                loading: signal(false),
             });
             visualBuilderContainer.appendChild(button);
         }
diff --git a/src/visualBuilder/utils/multipleElementAddButton.ts b/src/visualBuilder/utils/multipleElementAddButton.ts
index adea673d..97fbe82a 100644
--- a/src/visualBuilder/utils/multipleElementAddButton.ts
+++ b/src/visualBuilder/utils/multipleElementAddButton.ts
@@ -3,12 +3,11 @@ import {
     generateAddInstanceButton,
     getAddInstanceButtons,
 } from "../generators/generateAddInstanceButtons";
-import visualBuilderPostMessage from "./visualBuilderPostMessage";
-import { VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents } from "./types/postMessage.types";
 import getChildrenDirection from "./getChildrenDirection";
 import { hideOverlay } from "../generators/generateOverlay";
 import { hideHoverOutline } from "../listeners/mouseHover";
 import { ISchemaFieldMap } from "./types/index.types";
+import { signal } from "@preact/signals";
 
 const WAIT_FOR_NEW_INSTANCE_TIMEOUT = 4000;
 
@@ -106,32 +105,30 @@ export function handleAddButtonsForMultiple(
         });
     };
 
+    // this is a shared loading state between the
+    // next and previous button for the duration
+    // between the add-instance post message being
+    // sent and receiving a response for it.
+    const loading = signal(false);
+
     const previousButton = generateAddInstanceButton({
-        onClick: () => {
-            visualBuilderPostMessage
-                ?.send(VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.ADD_INSTANCE, {
-                    fieldMetadata: eventDetails.fieldMetadata,
-                    index: prevIndex,
-                })
-                .then(onMessageSent.bind(null, prevIndex));
-        },
-        label,
         fieldSchema,
         value: expectedFieldData,
+        fieldMetadata: eventDetails.fieldMetadata,
+        index: prevIndex,
+        onClick: onMessageSent.bind(null, prevIndex),
+        loading,
+        label,
     });
 
     const nextButton = generateAddInstanceButton({
-        onClick: () => {
-            visualBuilderPostMessage
-                ?.send(VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.ADD_INSTANCE, {
-                    fieldMetadata: eventDetails.fieldMetadata,
-                    index: nextIndex,
-                })
-                .then(onMessageSent.bind(null, nextIndex));
-        },
-        label,
         fieldSchema,
         value: expectedFieldData,
+        fieldMetadata: eventDetails.fieldMetadata,
+        index: nextIndex,
+        onClick: onMessageSent.bind(null, nextIndex),
+        loading,
+        label,
     });
 
     if (!visualBuilderContainer.contains(previousButton)) {
@@ -216,7 +213,7 @@ export function removeAddInstanceButtons(
 }
 
 /**
- * This function that observes the parent element and focuses the newly added instance.
+ * This function observes the parent element and focuses the newly added instance.
  *
  * @param parentCslp The parent cslp value.
  * @param index The index of the new instance.
diff --git a/src/visualBuilder/visualBuilder.style.ts b/src/visualBuilder/visualBuilder.style.ts
index 64327c4e..ee2cd279 100644
--- a/src/visualBuilder/visualBuilder.style.ts
+++ b/src/visualBuilder/visualBuilder.style.ts
@@ -148,6 +148,13 @@ export function visualBuilderStyles() {
             overflow: hidden;
             text-overflow: ellipsis;
         `,
+        "visual-builder__add-button--loading": css`
+            cursor: wait;
+            /* we have not-allowed on disabled, so we need this */
+            &:disabled {
+                cursor: wait;
+            }
+        `,
         "visual-builder__start-editing-btn": css`
             z-index: 1000;
             text-decoration: none;
@@ -666,7 +673,7 @@ export const VisualBuilderGlobalStyles = `
        [data-cslp] [contenteditable="true"] {
             outline: none;
         }
-        
+
         @keyframes visual-builder__spinner {
             0% {
                 transform: rotate(0deg);