diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/prompt.controller.js b/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/prompt.controller.js
index 5377efbecf..82e42ca7eb 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/prompt.controller.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/prompt.controller.js
@@ -15,17 +15,9 @@ export default [ 'Rest', 'GetBasePath', 'ProcessErrors', 'CredentialTypeModel',
             scope = _scope_;
             ({ modal } = scope[scope.ns]);
 
-            vm.isInventoryOptional = false;
-
             scope.$watch('vm.promptData.triggerModalOpen', () => {
-
                 vm.actionButtonClicked = false;
                 if(vm.promptData && vm.promptData.triggerModalOpen) {
-
-                    if (vm.promptData.templateType === "workflow_job_template") {
-                        vm.isInventoryOptional = true;
-                    }
-
                     scope.$emit('launchModalOpen', true);
                     vm.promptDataClone = _.cloneDeep(vm.promptData);
 
diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/prompt.partial.html b/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/prompt.partial.html
index 0023ca2c9c..dc3ad632c2 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/prompt.partial.html
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/prompt.partial.html
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
         <div class="Prompt-footer">
             <button id="prompt_cancel" class="Prompt-defaultButton" ng-click="vm.cancel()" ng-show="!vm.readOnlyPrompts">{{:: vm.strings.get('CANCEL') }}</button>
             <button id="prompt_close" class="Prompt-defaultButton" ng-click="vm.cancel()" ng-show="vm.readOnlyPrompts">{{:: vm.strings.get('CLOSE') }}</button>
-            <button id="prompt_inventory_next" class="Prompt-actionButton" ng-show="vm.steps.inventory.tab._active" ng-click="vm.next(vm.steps.inventory.tab)" ng-disabled="!vm.isInventoryOptional && !vm.promptDataClone.prompts.inventory.value.id && !vm.readOnlyPrompts">{{:: vm.strings.get('NEXT') }}</button>
+            <button id="prompt_inventory_next" class="Prompt-actionButton" ng-show="vm.steps.inventory.tab._active" ng-click="vm.next(vm.steps.inventory.tab)" ng-disabled="vm.promptData.templateType === 'workflow_job_template' && !vm.promptDataClone.prompts.inventory.value.id && vm.promptDataClone.launchConf.defaults.inventory.id && !vm.readOnlyPrompts">{{:: vm.strings.get('NEXT') }}</button>
             <button id="prompt_credential_next" class="Prompt-actionButton"
                 ng-show="vm.steps.credential.tab._active"
                 ng-click="vm.next(vm.steps.credential.tab)"
diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/steps/inventory/prompt-inventory.directive.js b/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/steps/inventory/prompt-inventory.directive.js
index 7177964518..ab633cd6d7 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/steps/inventory/prompt-inventory.directive.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/steps/inventory/prompt-inventory.directive.js
@@ -47,17 +47,31 @@ export default [ 'templateUrl', 'QuerySet', 'GetBasePath', 'generateList', '$com
                     invList.disableRow = "{{ readOnlyPrompts }}";
                     invList.disableRowValue = "readOnlyPrompts";
 
-                    const listConfig = {
+                    const defaultWarning = i18n._("This inventory is applied to all job template nodes that prompt for an inventory.");
+                    const missingWarning = i18n._("This workflow job template has a default inventory which must be included or replaced before proceeding.");
+
+                    const updateInventoryWarning = () => {
+                        scope.inventoryWarning = null;
+                        if (scope.promptData.templateType === "workflow_job_template") {
+                            scope.inventoryWarning = defaultWarning;
+
+                            const isPrompted = _.get(scope.promptData, 'launchConf.ask_inventory_on_launch');
+                            const isDefault =  _.get(scope.promptData, 'launchConf.defaults.inventory.id');
+                            const isSelected = _.get(scope.promptData, 'prompts.inventory.value.id', null) !== null;
+
+                            if (isPrompted && isDefault && !isSelected) {
+                                scope.inventoryWarning = missingWarning;
+                            }
+                        }
+                    };
+
+                    updateInventoryWarning();
+
+                    let html = GenerateList.build({
                         list: invList,
                         input_type: 'radio',
                         mode: 'lookup',
-                    };
-
-                    if (scope.promptData.templateType === "workflow_job_template") {
-                        listConfig.lookupMessage = i18n._("This inventory is applied to all job template nodes that prompt for an inventory.");
-                    }
-
-                    let html = GenerateList.build(listConfig);
+                    });
 
                     scope.list = invList;
 
@@ -74,6 +88,8 @@ export default [ 'templateUrl', 'QuerySet', 'GetBasePath', 'generateList', '$com
                             else {
                                 scope.inventories[i].checked = 0;
                             }
+
+                            updateInventoryWarning();
                         });
                     });
                 });
diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/steps/inventory/prompt-inventory.partial.html b/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/steps/inventory/prompt-inventory.partial.html
index 9caecf594c..b4c1d88e39 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/steps/inventory/prompt-inventory.partial.html
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/templates/prompt/steps/inventory/prompt-inventory.partial.html
@@ -14,5 +14,8 @@
             </div>
         </div>
     </div>
+    <div ng-if="inventoryWarning" class="Prompt-credentialTypeMissing">
+        <span class="fa fa-warning"></span>&nbsp; {{ inventoryWarning }}
+    </div>
     <div id="prompt-inventory"></div>
 </div>