diff --git a/awx/api/serializers.py b/awx/api/serializers.py
index e171f3b232..0bbdfa35c6 100644
--- a/awx/api/serializers.py
+++ b/awx/api/serializers.py
@@ -1393,13 +1393,15 @@ class ProjectSerializer(UnifiedJobTemplateSerializer, ProjectOptionsSerializer):
         if 'allow_override' in attrs and self.instance:
             # case where user is turning off this project setting
             if self.instance.allow_override and not attrs['allow_override']:
-                used_by = (
-                    set(JobTemplate.objects.filter(project=self.instance, scm_branch__isnull=False).values_list('pk', flat=True)) |
-                    set(JobTemplate.objects.filter(project=self.instance, ask_scm_branch_on_launch=True).values_list('pk', flat=True))
+                used_by = set(
+                    JobTemplate.objects.filter(
+                        models.Q(project=self.instance),
+                        models.Q(ask_scm_branch_on_launch=True) | ~models.Q(scm_branch="")
+                    ).values_list('pk', flat=True)
                 )
                 if used_by:
                     raise serializers.ValidationError({
-                        'allow_override': _('One or more job templates already specify a branch for this project (ids: {}).').format(
+                        'allow_override': _('One or more job templates depend on branch override behavior for this project (ids: {}).').format(
                             ' '.join([str(pk) for pk in used_by])
                         )})
 
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_project.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_project.py
index 003934b12d..571d0624fb 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_project.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_project.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def test_no_changing_overwrite_behavior_if_used(post, patch, organization, admin
         user=admin_user,
         expect=400
     )
-    assert 'job templates already specify a branch for this project' in str(r2.data['allow_override'])
+    assert 'job templates depend on branch override behavior for this project' in str(r2.data['allow_override'])
     assert 'ids: 2' in str(r2.data['allow_override'])
     assert Project.objects.get(pk=r1.data['id']).allow_override is True