diff --git a/tensorflow_datasets/core/dataset_builder.py b/tensorflow_datasets/core/dataset_builder.py
index 0537af9db81..4a8012ee473 100644
--- a/tensorflow_datasets/core/dataset_builder.py
+++ b/tensorflow_datasets/core/dataset_builder.py
@@ -294,6 +294,18 @@ def __init__(
       self.info.read_from_directory(self._data_dir)
     else:  # Use the code version (do not restore data)
       self.info.initialize_from_bucket()
+    if self.BLOCKED_VERSIONS is not None:
+      config_name = self._builder_config.name if self._builder_config else None
+      if is_blocked := self.BLOCKED_VERSIONS.is_blocked(
+          version=self._version, config=config_name
+      ):
+        default_msg = (
+            f"Dataset {self.name} is blocked at version {self._version} and"
+            f" config {config_name}."
+        )
+        self.info.set_is_blocked(
+            is_blocked.blocked_msg if is_blocked.blocked_msg else default_msg
+        )
 
   @utils.classproperty
   @classmethod
diff --git a/tensorflow_datasets/core/dataset_info.py b/tensorflow_datasets/core/dataset_info.py
index 121b79862ed..2325175292e 100644
--- a/tensorflow_datasets/core/dataset_info.py
+++ b/tensorflow_datasets/core/dataset_info.py
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ def __init__(
       alternative_file_formats: (
           Sequence[str | file_adapters.FileFormat] | None
       ) = None,
+      is_blocked: str | None = None,
       # LINT.ThenChange(:setstate)
   ):
     # pyformat: disable
@@ -243,6 +244,8 @@ def __init__(
       split_dict: information about the splits in this dataset.
       alternative_file_formats: alternative file formats that are availablefor
         this dataset.
+      is_blocked: A message explaining why the dataset, in its version and
+        config, is blocked. If empty or None, the dataset is not blocked.
     """
     # pyformat: enable
     self._builder_or_identity = builder
@@ -259,6 +262,8 @@ def __init__(
           f = file_adapters.FileFormat.from_value(f)
         self._alternative_file_formats.append(f)
 
+    self._is_blocked = is_blocked
+
     self._info_proto = dataset_info_pb2.DatasetInfo(
         name=self._identity.name,
         description=utils.dedent(description),
@@ -276,6 +281,7 @@ def __init__(
         alternative_file_formats=[
             f.value for f in self._alternative_file_formats
         ],
+        is_blocked=self._is_blocked,
     )
 
     if homepage:
@@ -440,6 +446,13 @@ def alternative_file_formats(self) -> Sequence[file_adapters.FileFormat]:
   def metadata(self) -> Metadata | None:
     return self._metadata
 
+  @property
+  def is_blocked(self) -> str | None:
+    return self._is_blocked
+
+  def set_is_blocked(self, is_blocked: str) -> None:
+    self._is_blocked = is_blocked
+
   @property
   def supervised_keys(self) -> Optional[SupervisedKeysType]:
     if not self.as_proto.HasField("supervised_keys"):
@@ -941,6 +954,7 @@ def __getstate__(self):
         "license": self.redistribution_info.license,
         "split_dict": self.splits,
         "alternative_file_formats": self.alternative_file_formats,
+        "is_blocked": self.is_blocked,
     }
   def __setstate__(self, state):
     # LINT.IfChange(setstate)
@@ -956,6 +970,7 @@ def __setstate__(self, state):
         license=state["license"],
         split_dict=state["split_dict"],
         alternative_file_formats=state["alternative_file_formats"],
+        is_blocked=state["is_blocked"],
     )
     # LINT.ThenChange(:dataset_info_args)
 
diff --git a/tensorflow_datasets/core/proto/dataset_info.proto b/tensorflow_datasets/core/proto/dataset_info.proto
index 6ce3f2ff4d9..bd77191562c 100644
--- a/tensorflow_datasets/core/proto/dataset_info.proto
+++ b/tensorflow_datasets/core/proto/dataset_info.proto
@@ -231,5 +231,9 @@ message DatasetInfo {
   // The data that was used to generate this dataset.
   repeated DataSourceAccess data_source_accesses = 20;
 
-  // Next available: 22
+  // A message explaining why the dataset is blocked. If empty, it means that
+  // the dataset is not blocked.
+  string is_blocked = 23;
+
+  // Next available: 24
 }
diff --git a/tensorflow_datasets/core/proto/dataset_info_generated_pb2.py b/tensorflow_datasets/core/proto/dataset_info_generated_pb2.py
index 4fc5d2ec9f7..96058616c64 100644
--- a/tensorflow_datasets/core/proto/dataset_info_generated_pb2.py
+++ b/tensorflow_datasets/core/proto/dataset_info_generated_pb2.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
     b' \x01(\t\x12\x10\n\x08\x64\x61ta_dir\x18\x04'
     b' \x01(\t\x12\x14\n\x0c\x64s_namespace\x18\x05'
     b' \x01(\t\x12\r\n\x05split\x18\x06'
-    b' \x01(\t"\xd6\x07\n\x0b\x44\x61tasetInfo\x12\x0c\n\x04name\x18\x01'
+    b' \x01(\t"\xea\x07\n\x0b\x44\x61tasetInfo\x12\x0c\n\x04name\x18\x01'
     b' \x01(\t\x12\x13\n\x0b\x64\x65scription\x18\x02'
     b' \x01(\t\x12\x0f\n\x07version\x18\t \x01(\t\x12I\n\rrelease_notes\x18\x12'
     b' \x03(\x0b\x32\x32.tensorflow_datasets.DatasetInfo.ReleaseNotesEntry\x12\x13\n\x0b\x63onfig_name\x18\r'
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@
     b' \x01(\x08\x12\x13\n\x0b\x66ile_format\x18\x11 \x01(\t\x12'
     b' \n\x18\x61lternative_file_formats\x18\x16'
     b' \x03(\t\x12\x43\n\x14\x64\x61ta_source_accesses\x18\x14'
-    b' \x03(\x0b\x32%.tensorflow_datasets.DataSourceAccess\x1a\x33\n\x11ReleaseNotesEntry\x12\x0b\n\x03key\x18\x01'
+    b' \x03(\x0b\x32%.tensorflow_datasets.DataSourceAccess\x12\x12\n\nis_blocked\x18\x17'
+    b' \x01(\t\x1a\x33\n\x11ReleaseNotesEntry\x12\x0b\n\x03key\x18\x01'
     b' \x01(\t\x12\r\n\x05value\x18\x02'
     b' \x01(\t:\x02\x38\x01\x1a\x38\n\x16\x44ownloadChecksumsEntry\x12\x0b\n\x03key\x18\x01'
     b' \x01(\t\x12\r\n\x05value\x18\x02'
@@ -146,9 +147,9 @@
   _TFDSDATASETREFERENCE._serialized_start = 1280
   _TFDSDATASETREFERENCE._serialized_end = 1404
   _DATASETINFO._serialized_start = 1407
-  _DATASETINFO._serialized_end = 2389
-  _DATASETINFO_RELEASENOTESENTRY._serialized_start = 2280
-  _DATASETINFO_RELEASENOTESENTRY._serialized_end = 2331
-  _DATASETINFO_DOWNLOADCHECKSUMSENTRY._serialized_start = 2333
-  _DATASETINFO_DOWNLOADCHECKSUMSENTRY._serialized_end = 2389
+  _DATASETINFO._serialized_end = 2409
+  _DATASETINFO_RELEASENOTESENTRY._serialized_start = 2300
+  _DATASETINFO_RELEASENOTESENTRY._serialized_end = 2351
+  _DATASETINFO_DOWNLOADCHECKSUMSENTRY._serialized_start = 2353
+  _DATASETINFO_DOWNLOADCHECKSUMSENTRY._serialized_end = 2409
 # @@protoc_insertion_point(module_scope)
diff --git a/tensorflow_datasets/core/read_only_builder.py b/tensorflow_datasets/core/read_only_builder.py
index 54b9a00faef..fba213f7bf3 100644
--- a/tensorflow_datasets/core/read_only_builder.py
+++ b/tensorflow_datasets/core/read_only_builder.py
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ def __init__(
     self.name = info_proto.name
     self.VERSION = version_lib.Version(info_proto.version)  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
     self.RELEASE_NOTES = info_proto.release_notes or {}  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
+    self.BLOCKED_VERSIONS = self._restore_blocked_versions(info_proto)  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
 
     if info_proto.module_name:
       # Overwrite the module so documenting `ReadOnlyBuilder` point to the
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ def __init__(
         config=builder_config,
         version=info_proto.version,
     )
+    self.assert_is_not_blocked()
 
     # For pickling, should come after super.__init__ which is setting that same
     # _original_state attribute.
@@ -103,6 +105,25 @@ def __init__(
           'was generated with an old TFDS version (<=3.2.1).'
       )
 
+  def _restore_blocked_versions(
+      self, info_proto: dataset_info_pb2.DatasetInfo
+  ) -> version_lib.BlockedVersions | None:
+    """Restores the blocked version information from the dataset info proto.
+
+    Args:
+      info_proto: DatasetInfo describing the name, config, etc of the requested
+        dataset.
+
+    Returns:
+      None if the dataset is not blocked, or a populated BlockedVersions object.
+    """
+    if info_proto.is_blocked:
+      configs = {
+          info_proto.version: {info_proto.config_name: info_proto.is_blocked}
+      }
+      return version_lib.BlockedVersions(configs=configs)
+    return None
+
   def _create_builder_config(
       self,
       builder_config: str | dataset_builder.BuilderConfig | None,
diff --git a/tensorflow_datasets/core/read_only_builder_test.py b/tensorflow_datasets/core/read_only_builder_test.py
index b023b8cf3ae..ad004852955 100644
--- a/tensorflow_datasets/core/read_only_builder_test.py
+++ b/tensorflow_datasets/core/read_only_builder_test.py
@@ -246,6 +246,29 @@ def test_builder_from_metadata(
   assert str(builder.info.features) == str(dummy_features)
 
 
+def test_restore_blocked_versions(
+    code_builder: dataset_builder.DatasetBuilder,
+    dummy_features: features_dict.FeaturesDict,
+):
+  info_proto = dataset_info_pb2.DatasetInfo(
+      name='abcd',
+      description='efgh',
+      config_name='en',
+      config_description='something',
+      version='0.1.0',
+      release_notes={'0.1.0': 'release description'},
+      citation='some citation',
+      features=dummy_features.to_proto(),
+      is_blocked='some reason for blocking',
+  )
+  with pytest.raises(
+      utils.DatasetVariantBlockedError, match='some reason for blocking'
+  ):
+    read_only_builder.builder_from_metadata(
+        code_builder.data_dir, info_proto=info_proto
+    )
+
+
 def test_builder_from_directory_dir_not_exists(tmp_path: pathlib.Path):
   with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError, match='Could not load dataset info'):
     read_only_builder.builder_from_directory(tmp_path)