diff --git a/data/core.yaml b/data/core.yaml
index 95ad8d4e2..14a181da9 100644
--- a/data/core.yaml
+++ b/data/core.yaml
@@ -1353,7 +1353,9 @@ en:
       tip: "Find unconnected highways and paths"
       highway:
         message: "{highway} is disconnected from other roads and paths"
+        message_new_road: "New {highway} is disconnected from existing road network"
         reference: "Highways should connect to other highways or building entrances."
+        reference_new_road: "New roads should connect to existing road network or building entrances."
     fixme_tag:
       title: '"Fix Me" Requests'
       message: '{feature} has a "Fix Me" request'
diff --git a/dist/locales/en.json b/dist/locales/en.json
index 6f6e45291..e03abe352 100644
--- a/dist/locales/en.json
+++ b/dist/locales/en.json
@@ -1669,7 +1669,9 @@
                 "tip": "Find unconnected highways and paths",
                 "highway": {
                     "message": "{highway} is disconnected from other roads and paths",
-                    "reference": "Highways should connect to other highways or building entrances."
+                    "message_new_road": "New {highway} is disconnected from existing road network",
+                    "reference": "Highways should connect to other highways or building entrances.",
+                    "reference_new_road": "New roads should connect to existing road network or building entrances."
                 }
             },
             "fixme_tag": {
diff --git a/modules/validations/disconnected_way.js b/modules/validations/disconnected_way.js
index 3f4e147ee..8b720d89b 100644
--- a/modules/validations/disconnected_way.js
+++ b/modules/validations/disconnected_way.js
@@ -20,13 +20,20 @@ export function validationDisconnectedWay() {
     function isTaggedAsHighway(entity) {
         return highways[entity.tags.highway];
     }
-
+    
+    function isNewRoad(entityId) { 
+        return entityId[0] === 'w' && entityId[1] === '-'; 
+    }
 
     var validation = function checkDisconnectedWay(entity, context) {
         var graph = context.graph();
 
         if (!isTaggedAsHighway(entity)) return [];
-        if (!isDisconnectedWay(entity) && !isDisconnectedMultipolygon(entity)) return [];
+
+        if (!isDisconnectedWay(entity) && !isDisconnectedMultipolygon(entity)
+        && !isNewRoadUnreachableFromExistingRoads(entity, graph)) {
+         return [];
+        }
 
         var entityLabel = utilDisplayLabel(entity, context);
         var fixes = [];
@@ -81,7 +88,14 @@ export function validationDisconnectedWay() {
         return [new validationIssue({
             type: type,
             severity: 'warning',
-            message: t('issues.disconnected_way.highway.message', { highway: entityLabel }),
+            message: (isNewRoad(entity.id)
+                ? t('issues.disconnected_way.highway.message_new_road', { highway: entityLabel })
+                : t('issues.disconnected_way.highway.message', { highway: entityLabel })
+            ),
+            tooltip: (isNewRoad(entity.id)
+                ? t('issues.disconnected_way.highway.reference_new_road')
+                : t('issues.disconnected_way.highway.reference')
+            ),
             reference: showReference,
             entities: [entity],
             fixes: fixes
@@ -135,6 +149,34 @@ export function validationDisconnectedWay() {
         }
 
 
+        // check if entity is a new road that cannot eventually connect to any
+        // existing roads
+        function isNewRoadUnreachableFromExistingRoads(entity) {
+            if (!isNewRoad(entity.id) || !isTaggedAsHighway(entity)) return false;
+
+            var visitedWids = new Set();
+            return !connectToExistingRoadOrEntrance(entity, visitedWids);
+        }
+
+
+        function connectToExistingRoadOrEntrance(way, visitedWids) {
+            visitedWids.add(way.id);
+            for (var i = 0; i < way.nodes.length; i++) {
+                var vertex = graph.entity(way.nodes[i]);
+                if (vertex.tags.entrance && vertex.tags.entrance !== 'no') return true;
+
+                var parentWays = graph.parentWays(vertex);
+                for (var j = 0; j < parentWays.length; j++) {
+                    var parentWay = parentWays[j];
+                    if (visitedWids.has(parentWay.id)) continue;
+                    if (isTaggedAsHighway(parentWay) && !isNewRoad(parentWay.id)) return true;
+                    if (connectToExistingRoadOrEntrance(parentWay, visitedWids)) return true;
+                }
+            }
+            return false;
+        }
+
+
         function isDisconnectedMultipolygon(entity) {
             if (entity.type !== 'relation' || !entity.isMultipolygon()) return false;
 
diff --git a/test/spec/validations/disconnected_way.js b/test/spec/validations/disconnected_way.js
index 59735a4da..f0d392ed2 100644
--- a/test/spec/validations/disconnected_way.js
+++ b/test/spec/validations/disconnected_way.js
@@ -33,6 +33,22 @@ describe('iD.validations.disconnected_way', function () {
         );
     }
 
+    function createWayAtEndOfExistingOne(tags1, tags2) {
+        var n1 = iD.osmNode({id: 'n1', loc: [4,4]});
+        var n2 = iD.osmNode({id: 'n2', loc: [4,5]});
+        var n3 = iD.osmNode({id: 'n-3', loc: [5,5]});
+        var w = iD.osmWay({id: 'w1', nodes: ['n1', 'n2'], tags: tags1});
+        var w2 = iD.osmWay({id: 'w-2', nodes: ['n1', 'n-3'], tags: tags2});
+
+        context.perform(
+            iD.actionAddEntity(n1),
+            iD.actionAddEntity(n2),
+            iD.actionAddEntity(n3),
+            iD.actionAddEntity(w),
+            iD.actionAddEntity(w2)
+        );
+    }
+
     function validate() {
         var validator = iD.validationDisconnectedWay();
         var changes = context.history().changes();
@@ -91,8 +107,9 @@ describe('iD.validations.disconnected_way', function () {
         expect(issue.entities[0].id).to.eql('w-1');
     });
 
-    it('ignores highways that are connected', function() {
-        createConnectingWays({'highway': 'unclassified'}, {'highway': 'unclassified'});
+    it('ignores highways that are connected to existing highways', function() {
+        createWayAtEndOfExistingOne({'highway': 'secondary'}, {'highway': 'secondary'});
+
         var issues = validate();
         expect(issues).to.have.lengthOf(0);
     });