diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/ProjectAdd/ProjectAdd.test.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/ProjectAdd/ProjectAdd.test.jsx
index de8840e911..554ebf83ef 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/ProjectAdd/ProjectAdd.test.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/ProjectAdd/ProjectAdd.test.jsx
@@ -128,23 +128,14 @@ describe('<ProjectAdd />', () => {
       });
     });
     await waitForElement(wrapper, 'ContentLoading', el => el.length === 0);
-    const formik = wrapper.find('Formik').instance();
-    const changeState = new Promise(resolve => {
-      formik.setState(
-        {
-          values: {
-            ...projectData,
-            scm_type: 'manual',
-          },
-        },
-        () => resolve()
+    await act(async () => {
+      wrapper.find('ProjectForm').prop('handleSubmit')(
+        { ...projectData },
+        { scm_type: 'manual' }
       );
     });
-    await changeState;
-    await act(async () => {
-      wrapper.find('form').simulate('submit');
-    });
     wrapper.update();
+    expect(ProjectsAPI.create).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     expect(wrapper.find('ProjectAdd .formSubmitError').length).toBe(1);
   });
 
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/shared/ProjectForm.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/shared/ProjectForm.jsx
index 5ac2454319..93175eae07 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/shared/ProjectForm.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/shared/ProjectForm.jsx
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ function ProjectForm({ project, ...props }) {
             credential: project.credential || '',
             custom_virtualenv: project.custom_virtualenv || '',
             description: project.description || '',
-            local_path: project.local_path || null,
+            local_path: project.local_path || '',
             name: project.name || '',
             organization: project.organization || '',
             scm_branch: project.scm_branch || '',
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/shared/ProjectSubForms/ManualSubForm.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/shared/ProjectSubForms/ManualSubForm.jsx
index 260f3906ff..f8caaedf5d 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/shared/ProjectSubForms/ManualSubForm.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Project/shared/ProjectSubForms/ManualSubForm.jsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import React from 'react';
 import { withI18n } from '@lingui/react';
 import { t } from '@lingui/macro';
 import { Field } from 'formik';
+import { required } from '@util/validators';
 import AnsibleSelect from '@components/AnsibleSelect';
 import FormField, { FieldTooltip } from '@components/FormField';
 import { FormGroup, Alert } from '@patternfly/react-core';
@@ -74,9 +75,13 @@ const ManualSubForm = ({
       {options.length !== 1 && (
         <Field
           name="local_path"
+          validate={required(i18n._(t`Select a value for this field`), i18n)}
           render={({ field, form }) => (
             <FormGroup
               fieldId="project-local-path"
+              helperTextInvalid={form.errors.local_path}
+              isRequired
+              isValid={!form.touched.local_path || !form.errors.local_path}
               label={i18n._(t`Playbook Directory`)}
             >
               <FieldTooltip