diff --git a/app/Exceptions/CheckoutNotAllowed.php b/app/Exceptions/CheckoutNotAllowed.php
index 74c65efb1f..dc80a44f4e 100644
--- a/app/Exceptions/CheckoutNotAllowed.php
+++ b/app/Exceptions/CheckoutNotAllowed.php
@@ -7,6 +7,6 @@ class CheckoutNotAllowed extends Exception
 {
     public function __toString()
     {
-        "A checkout is not allowed under these circumstances";
+       return "A checkout is not allowed under these circumstances";
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/AssetsController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/AssetsController.php
index 8d1fe7b335..6b005c2bc8 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/AssetsController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/AssetsController.php
@@ -457,16 +457,28 @@ class AssetsController extends Controller
 
         $this->authorize('checkout', $asset);
 
+        $error_payload = [];
+        $error_payload['asset'] = [
+            'id' => $asset->id,
+            'asset_tag' => $asset->asset_tag,
+        ];
         if ($request->has('user_id')) {
             $target = User::find($request->input('user_id'));
+            $error_payload['target_id'] = $request->input('user_id');
+            $error_payload['target_type'] = User::class;
+        // Don't let the user check an asset out to itself
         } elseif ($request->has('asset_id')) {
-            $target = Asset::find($request->input('asset_id'));
+            $target = Asset::where('id','!=',$asset_id)->find($request->input('asset_id'));
+            $error_payload['target_id'] = $request->input('asset_id');
+            $error_payload['target_type'] = Asset::class;
         } elseif ($request->has('location_id')) {
             $target = Location::find($request->input('location_id'));
+            $error_payload['target_id'] = $request->input('location_id');
+            $error_payload['target_type'] = Location::class;
         }
 
         if (!isset($target)) {
-            return response()->json(Helper::formatStandardApiResponse('error', ['asset'=> e($asset->asset_tag)], 'No valid checkout target specified for asset '.e($asset->asset_tag).'.'));
+            return response()->json(Helper::formatStandardApiResponse('error', $error_payload, 'No valid checkout target specified for asset '.e($asset->asset_tag).'.'));
         }
 
         $checkout_at = request('checkout_at', date("Y-m-d H:i:s"));
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/AssetsController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/AssetsController.php
index 0e91949fb2..01fc3d55c2 100755
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/AssetsController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/AssetsController.php
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ class AssetsController extends Controller
         if (request('assigned_user')) {
             $target = User::find(request('assigned_user'));
         } elseif (request('assigned_asset')) {
-            $target = Asset::find(request('assigned_asset'));
+            $target = Asset::where('id','!=',$assetId)->find(request('assigned_asset'));
         } elseif (request('assigned_location')) {
             $target = Location::find(request('assigned_location'));
         }
diff --git a/app/Http/Requests/AssetCheckoutRequest.php b/app/Http/Requests/AssetCheckoutRequest.php
index 7c341b3028..d0991b308d 100644
--- a/app/Http/Requests/AssetCheckoutRequest.php
+++ b/app/Http/Requests/AssetCheckoutRequest.php
@@ -23,10 +23,13 @@ class AssetCheckoutRequest extends Request
      */
     public function rules()
     {
-        return [
+        $rules = [
             "assigned_user"   => 'required_without_all:assigned_asset,assigned_location',
-            "assigned_asset"   => 'required_without_all:assigned_user,assigned_location',
+            "assigned_asset"   => 'required_without_all:assigned_user,assigned_location|different:'.$this->id,
             "assigned_location"   => 'required_without_all:assigned_user,assigned_asset',
         ];
+
+
+        return $rules;
     }
 }