diff --git a/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/JobTemplateAdd/JobTemplateAdd.test.js b/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/JobTemplateAdd/JobTemplateAdd.test.js
index 59eb272126..91b0a623ed 100644
--- a/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/JobTemplateAdd/JobTemplateAdd.test.js
+++ b/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/JobTemplateAdd/JobTemplateAdd.test.js
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ describe('<JobTemplateAdd />', () => {
     CredentialTypesAPI.loadAllTypes = jest.fn();
     CredentialTypesAPI.loadAllTypes.mockResolvedValue([]);
     ProjectsAPI.readPlaybooks.mockResolvedValue({
-      data: [],
+      data: ['ping-playbook.yml'],
     });
     LabelsAPI.read.mockResolvedValue({ data: { results: [] } });
     ProjectsAPI.readDetail.mockReturnValue({
@@ -164,10 +164,6 @@ describe('<JobTemplateAdd />', () => {
         id: 1,
         name: 'Foo',
       });
-      wrapper.update();
-      wrapper.find('Select#template-playbook').prop('onToggle')();
-      wrapper.update();
-      wrapper.find('Select#template-playbook').prop('onSelect')(null, 'Baz');
     });
     wrapper.update();
     act(() => {
@@ -186,7 +182,7 @@ describe('<JobTemplateAdd />', () => {
       name: 'Bar',
       job_type: 'check',
       project: 2,
-      playbook: 'Baz',
+      playbook: 'ping-playbook.yml',
       inventory: 2,
       webhook_credential: undefined,
       webhook_service: '',
diff --git a/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/JobTemplateForm.js b/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/JobTemplateForm.js
index 5c15d3adb1..79ecfec507 100644
--- a/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/JobTemplateForm.js
+++ b/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/JobTemplateForm.js
@@ -187,6 +187,14 @@ function JobTemplateForm({
     [setFieldValue, setFieldTouched]
   );
 
+  const handlePlaybookUpdate = useCallback(
+    (value) => {
+      setFieldValue('playbook', value);
+      setFieldTouched('playbook', true, false);
+    },
+    [setFieldValue, setFieldTouched]
+  );
+
   useEffect(() => {
     validateField('inventory');
   }, [askInventoryOnLaunchField.value, validateField]);
@@ -359,7 +367,7 @@ function JobTemplateForm({
           }
         >
           <PlaybookSelect
-            onChange={playbookHelpers.setValue}
+            onChange={handlePlaybookUpdate}
             projectId={projectField.value?.id}
             isValid={!playbookMeta.touched || !playbookMeta.error}
             selected={playbookField.value}
diff --git a/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/PlaybookSelect.js b/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/PlaybookSelect.js
index d2ee4c11d2..860acf5956 100644
--- a/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/PlaybookSelect.js
+++ b/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/PlaybookSelect.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import React, { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
-import { number, string, oneOfType } from 'prop-types';
+import { func, number, string, oneOfType } from 'prop-types';
 
 import { t } from '@lingui/macro';
 import { SelectVariant, Select, SelectOption } from '@patternfly/react-core';
@@ -28,8 +28,11 @@ function PlaybookSelect({
       }
       const { data } = await ProjectsAPI.readPlaybooks(projectId);
 
+      if (data.length === 1) {
+        onChange(data[0]);
+      }
       return data;
-    }, [projectId]),
+    }, [projectId, onChange]),
     []
   );
 
@@ -76,9 +79,11 @@ function PlaybookSelect({
 }
 PlaybookSelect.propTypes = {
   projectId: oneOfType([number, string]),
+  onChange: func,
 };
 PlaybookSelect.defaultProps = {
   projectId: null,
+  onChange: () => {},
 };
 
 export { PlaybookSelect as _PlaybookSelect };
diff --git a/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/PlaybookSelect.test.js b/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/PlaybookSelect.test.js
index 12958302e7..43a8aab8b7 100644
--- a/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/PlaybookSelect.test.js
+++ b/awx/ui/src/screens/Template/shared/PlaybookSelect.test.js
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ describe('<PlaybookSelect />', () => {
         <PlaybookSelect
           projectId={1}
           isValid
-          form={{}}
-          field={{ onChange: () => {}, value: '' }}
+          onChange={() => {}}
           onError={() => {}}
         />
       );