diff --git a/src/Controller/JobOrderController.php b/src/Controller/JobOrderController.php
index 61630861..ca3d271a 100644
--- a/src/Controller/JobOrderController.php
+++ b/src/Controller/JobOrderController.php
@@ -956,24 +956,38 @@ class JobOrderController extends BaseController
         if (empty($obj))
             throw $this->createNotFoundException('The item does not exist');
 
+        // check if cancelled already
+        if (!$obj->canDispatch())
+        {
+            throw $this->createNotFoundException('Could not dispatch. Job Order is not pending.');
+            // TODO: have this handled better, so UI shows the error
+            // $error_array['dispatch'] = 'Could not dispatch. Job Order is not pending.';
+        }
+
         // check if lat and lng are provided
-        if (empty($req->request->get('coord_lng')) || empty($req->request->get('coord_lat'))) {
+        if (empty($req->request->get('coord_lng')) || empty($req->request->get('coord_lat')))
+        {
             $error_array['coordinates'] = 'No map coordinates provided. Please click on a location on the map.';
         }
 
         // check if hub is set
-        if (empty($req->request->get('hub'))) {
+        if (empty($req->request->get('hub')))
+        {
             $error_array['hub'] = 'No hub selected.';
-        } else {
+        }
+        else
+        {
             // get hub
             $hub = $em->getRepository(Hub::class)->find($req->request->get('hub'));
 
-            if (empty($hub)) {
+            if (empty($hub))
+            {
                 $error_array['hub'] = 'Invalid hub specified.';
             }
         }
 
-        if (empty($error_array)) {
+        if (empty($error_array))
+        {
             // coordinates
             $point = new Point($req->request->get('coord_lng'), $req->request->get('coord_lat'));
 
@@ -1001,7 +1015,8 @@ class JobOrderController extends BaseController
         }
 
         // check if any errors were found
-        if (!empty($error_array)) {
+        if (!empty($error_array))
+        {
             // return validation failure response
             return $this->json([
                 'success' => false,
diff --git a/src/Entity/JobOrder.php b/src/Entity/JobOrder.php
index cd4f14fb..d4a40373 100644
--- a/src/Entity/JobOrder.php
+++ b/src/Entity/JobOrder.php
@@ -726,4 +726,12 @@ class JobOrder
         return $this->flag_coolant;
     }
 
+    public function canDispatch()
+    {
+        if ($this->status == JOStatus::PENDING)
+            return true;
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
 }