diff --git a/awx/api/views.py b/awx/api/views.py
index 3845d9c5e5..10746c8c37 100644
--- a/awx/api/views.py
+++ b/awx/api/views.py
@@ -1458,6 +1458,10 @@ class JobTemplateLaunch(GenericAPIView):
                                 status=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
         if obj.credential is None and ('credential' not in request.DATA and 'credential_id' not in request.DATA):
             return Response(dict(errors="Credential not provided"), status=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
+        if obj.project is None or not obj.project.active:
+            return Response(dict(errors="Job Template Project is missing or undefined"), status=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
+        if obj.inventory is None or not obj.inventory.active:
+            return Response(dict(errors="Job Template Inventory is missing or undefined"), status=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
         new_job = obj.create_unified_job(**request.DATA)
         result = new_job.signal_start(**request.DATA)
         if not result:
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/jobs.py b/awx/main/tests/jobs.py
index c03c2ca5a3..a532d7f27c 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/jobs.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/jobs.py
@@ -1038,6 +1038,7 @@ class JobTemplateTest(BaseJobTestMixin, django.test.TestCase):
             project      = self.proj_dev.pk,
             playbook     = self.proj_dev.playbooks[0],
         )
+
         with self.current_user(self.user_sue):
             response = self.post(url, data, expect=201)
             detail_url = reverse('api:job_template_detail',
@@ -1073,6 +1074,28 @@ class JobTemplateTest(BaseJobTestMixin, django.test.TestCase):
         with self.current_user(self.user_sue):
             response = self.post(no_launch_url, {}, expect=400)
 
+        # Job Templates without projects can not be launched
+        with self.current_user(self.user_sue):
+            data['name'] = "missing proj"
+            response = self.post(url, data, expect=201)
+            jt = JobTemplate.objects.get(pk=response['id'])
+            jt.project = None
+            jt.save()
+            launch_url = reverse('api:job_template_launch',
+                                 args=(response['id'],))
+            self.post(launch_url, {}, expect=400)
+
+        # Job Templates without inventory can not be launched
+        with self.current_user(self.user_sue):
+            data['name'] = "missing inv"
+            response = self.post(url, data, expect=201)
+            jt = JobTemplate.objects.get(pk=response['id'])
+            jt.inventory = None
+            jt.save()
+            launch_url = reverse('api:job_template_launch',
+                                 args=(response['id'],))
+            self.post(launch_url, {}, expect=400)
+
 class JobTest(BaseJobTestMixin, django.test.TestCase):
 
     def test_get_job_list(self):