diff --git a/awx/main/access.py b/awx/main/access.py
index 19b4e34f70..592359a031 100644
--- a/awx/main/access.py
+++ b/awx/main/access.py
@@ -978,7 +978,8 @@ class JobTemplateAccess(BaseAccess):
 
         for k, v in data.items():
             if hasattr(obj, k) and getattr(obj, k) != v:
-                if k not in field_whitelist and v != getattr(obj, '%s_id' % k, None):
+                if k not in field_whitelist and v != getattr(obj, '%s_id' % k, None) \
+                        and not (hasattr(obj, '%s_id' % k) and getattr(obj, '%s_id' % k) is None and v == ''): # Equate '' to None in the case of foreign keys
                     return False
         return True