diff --git a/awx/api/serializers.py b/awx/api/serializers.py
index f0094a52e2..060ce1cb91 100644
--- a/awx/api/serializers.py
+++ b/awx/api/serializers.py
@@ -2244,6 +2244,8 @@ class InventorySourceSerializer(UnifiedJobTemplateSerializer, InventorySourceOpt
         obj = super(InventorySourceSerializer, self).update(obj, validated_data)
         if deprecated_fields:
             self._update_deprecated_fields(deprecated_fields, obj)
+        if obj.source == 'constructed':
+            raise serializers.ValidationError({'error': _("Cannot edit source of type constructed.")})
         return obj
 
     # TODO: remove when old 'credential' fields are removed
diff --git a/awx/api/views/inventory.py b/awx/api/views/inventory.py
index 64550e11c5..4085cf9bff 100644
--- a/awx/api/views/inventory.py
+++ b/awx/api/views/inventory.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from rest_framework.exceptions import PermissionDenied
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework import status
+from rest_framework import serializers
 
 # AWX
 from awx.main.models import ActivityStream, Inventory, JobTemplate, Role, User, InstanceGroup, InventoryUpdateEvent, InventoryUpdate
@@ -115,6 +116,10 @@ class InventoryInputInventoriesList(SubListAttachDetachAPIView):
     parent_model = Inventory
     relationship = 'input_inventories'
 
+    def is_valid_relation(self, parent, sub, created=False):
+        if sub.kind == 'constructed':
+            raise serializers.ValidationError({'error': 'You cannot add a constructed inventory to another constructed inventory.'})
+
 
 class InventoryActivityStreamList(SubListAPIView):
     model = ActivityStream
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/conftest.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/conftest.py
index 4f8b6bc83c..e1284ce87c 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/functional/conftest.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/conftest.py
@@ -511,6 +511,14 @@ def group(inventory):
     return inventory.groups.create(name='single-group')
 
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def constructed_inventory(organization):
+    """
+    creates a new constructed inventory source
+    """
+    return Inventory.objects.create(name='dummy1', kind='constructed', organization=organization)
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def inventory_source(inventory):
     # by making it ec2, the credential is not required
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/test_inventory_input_constructed.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/test_inventory_input_constructed.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2602cf2947
--- /dev/null
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/test_inventory_input_constructed.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import pytest
+from awx.main.models import Inventory
+from awx.api.versioning import reverse
+
+
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_constructed_inventory_post(post, admin_user, organization):
+    inv1 = Inventory.objects.create(name='dummy1', kind='constructed', organization=organization)
+    inv2 = Inventory.objects.create(name='dummy2', kind='constructed', organization=organization)
+    resp = post(
+        url=reverse('api:inventory_input_inventories', kwargs={'pk': inv1.pk}),
+        data={'id': inv2.pk},
+        user=admin_user,
+        expect=400,
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+
+
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_add_constructed_inventory_source(post, admin_user, constructed_inventory):
+    resp = post(
+        url=reverse('api:inventory_inventory_sources_list', kwargs={'pk': constructed_inventory.pk}),
+        data={'name': 'dummy1', 'source': 'constructed'},
+        user=admin_user,
+        expect=400,
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+
+
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_add_constructed_inventory_host(post, admin_user, constructed_inventory):
+    resp = post(
+        url=reverse('api:inventory_hosts_list', kwargs={'pk': constructed_inventory.pk}),
+        data={'name': 'dummy1'},
+        user=admin_user,
+        expect=400,
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+
+
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_add_constructed_inventory_group(post, admin_user, constructed_inventory):
+    resp = post(
+        reverse('api:inventory_groups_list', kwargs={'pk': constructed_inventory.pk}),
+        data={'name': 'group-test'},
+        user=admin_user,
+        expect=400,
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+
+
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_edit_constructed_inventory_source(patch, admin_user, inventory_source_factory):
+    inv_src = inventory_source_factory(name='dummy1', source='constructed')
+    resp = patch(
+        reverse('api:inventory_source_detail', kwargs={'pk': inv_src.pk}),
+        data={'description': inv_src.name},
+        user=admin_user,
+        expect=400,
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 400