diff --git a/app/models/partner_request.rb b/app/models/partner_request.rb
index 3b4c3549..9560a67a 100644
--- a/app/models/partner_request.rb
+++ b/app/models/partner_request.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class PartnerRequest < ApplicationRecord
   accepts_nested_attributes_for :items, allow_destroy: true, reject_if: proc { |attributes| attributes["quantity"].blank? }
 
   validates :partner, presence: true
-
+  validates_associated :items
   def export_json
     {
       request: {
diff --git a/spec/models/partner_request_spec.rb b/spec/models/partner_request_spec.rb
index b59980de..e2f37f12 100644
--- a/spec/models/partner_request_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/partner_request_spec.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
   describe "#formatted_items_hash" do
     let(:partner_request) { create(:partner_request_with_items, items_count: 1) }
     it "builds the item hash values for export json" do
+      partner_request.reload
       item = partner_request.items.first
       formatted_hash = { item.name => item.quantity }
       expect(partner_request.formatted_items_hash(partner_request.items)).to eql(formatted_hash)