diff --git a/erpnext/buying/doctype/purchase_order/test_purchase_order.py b/erpnext/buying/doctype/purchase_order/test_purchase_order.py
index 590370e808c..2e6df8525cc 100644
--- a/erpnext/buying/doctype/purchase_order/test_purchase_order.py
+++ b/erpnext/buying/doctype/purchase_order/test_purchase_order.py
@@ -1239,6 +1239,11 @@ class TestPurchaseOrder(FrappeTestCase):
 
 		automatically_fetch_payment_terms(enable=0)
 
+	def test_variant_item_po(self):
+		po = create_purchase_order(item_code="_Test Variant Item", qty=1, rate=100, do_not_save=1)
+
+		self.assertRaises(frappe.ValidationError, po.save)
+
 
 def make_pr_against_po(po, received_qty=0):
 	pr = make_purchase_receipt(po)
@@ -1342,8 +1347,8 @@ def create_purchase_order(**args):
 			},
 		)
 
-	po.set_missing_values()
 	if not args.do_not_save:
+		po.set_missing_values()
 		po.insert()
 		if not args.do_not_submit:
 			if po.is_subcontracted == "Yes":
diff --git a/erpnext/stock/get_item_details.py b/erpnext/stock/get_item_details.py
index 6fb9205d4b9..15d77544236 100644
--- a/erpnext/stock/get_item_details.py
+++ b/erpnext/stock/get_item_details.py
@@ -226,8 +226,10 @@ def validate_item_details(args, item):
 
 	validate_end_of_life(item.name, item.end_of_life, item.disabled)
 
-	if args.transaction_type == "selling" and cint(item.has_variants):
-		throw(_("Item {0} is a template, please select one of its variants").format(item.name))
+	if cint(item.has_variants):
+		msg = f"Item {item.name} is a template, please select one of its variants"
+
+		throw(_(msg), title=_("Template Item Selected"))
 
 	elif args.transaction_type == "buying" and args.doctype != "Material Request":
 		if args.get("is_subcontracted") == "Yes" and item.is_sub_contracted_item != 1: