diff --git a/awx/api/serializers.py b/awx/api/serializers.py
index d7d38c3b4f..eb0d5141e7 100644
--- a/awx/api/serializers.py
+++ b/awx/api/serializers.py
@@ -2435,7 +2435,16 @@ class NotificationTemplateSerializer(BaseSerializer):
 
     def validate(self, attrs):
         from awx.api.views import NotificationTemplateDetail
-        notification_class = NotificationTemplate.CLASS_FOR_NOTIFICATION_TYPE[attrs['notification_type']]
+
+        notification_type = None
+        if 'notification_type' in attrs:
+            notification_type = attrs['notification_type']
+        elif self.instance:
+            notification_type = self.instance.notification_type
+        if not notification_type:
+            raise serializers.ValidationError('Missing required fields for Notification Configuration: notification_type')
+
+        notification_class = NotificationTemplate.CLASS_FOR_NOTIFICATION_TYPE[notification_type]
         missing_fields = []
         incorrect_type_fields = []
         error_list = []
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/test_notifications.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/test_notifications.py
index d6db3e608c..c54e9fb3f2 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/functional/test_notifications.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/test_notifications.py
@@ -104,3 +104,11 @@ def test_notification_template_merging(get, post, user, organization, project, n
     organization.notification_templates_any.add(notification_template)
     project.notification_templates_any.add(notification_template)
     assert len(project.notification_templates['any']) == 1
+
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_notification_template_simple_patch(patch, notification_template, admin):
+    patch(reverse('api:notification_template_detail', args=(notification_template.id,)), { 'name': 'foo'}, admin, expect=200)
+
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_notification_template_invalid_notification_type(patch, notification_template, admin):
+    patch(reverse('api:notification_template_detail', args=(notification_template.id,)), { 'notification_type': 'invalid'}, admin, expect=400)