diff --git a/grails-app/assets/javascripts/forms.js b/grails-app/assets/javascripts/forms.js
index 7e065b3e..c89bf9f4 100644
--- a/grails-app/assets/javascripts/forms.js
+++ b/grails-app/assets/javascripts/forms.js
@@ -724,7 +724,8 @@ function orEmptyArray(v) {
             var constraints = {
                 val: warningRule
             };
-            return validate({val: self()}, constraints, {fullMessages: false});
+            var data = ko.utils.unwrapObservable(self); // The SpeciesViewModel is a DataModelItem but not a knockout observable
+            return validate({val: data}, constraints, {fullMessages: false});
         };
 
         self.evaluateBehaviour = function (type, defaultValue) {
diff --git a/src/test/js/spec/SpeciesViewModelSpec.js b/src/test/js/spec/SpeciesViewModelSpec.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b5176a41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/js/spec/SpeciesViewModelSpec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+describe("SpeciesViewModel Spec", function () {
+    it("Can participate in the DataModelItem calls like checkWarnings", function () {
+
+        let speciesViewModel = new SpeciesViewModel({}, {searchBieUrl:'/species/searchBie'}, {});
+        expect(speciesViewModel.checkWarnings()).toBeUndefined();
+    });
+});
\ No newline at end of file