diff --git a/app/Http/Requests/StoreAssetRequest.php b/app/Http/Requests/StoreAssetRequest.php
index 0730a19a37..719dfbb4b3 100644
--- a/app/Http/Requests/StoreAssetRequest.php
+++ b/app/Http/Requests/StoreAssetRequest.php
@@ -20,9 +20,18 @@ class StoreAssetRequest extends ImageUploadRequest
 
     public function prepareForValidation(): void
     {
+        if ($this->has('assigned_user')) {
+            $assigned_to = $this->assigned_user;
+        } elseif ($this->has('assigned_location')) {
+            $assigned_to = $this->assigned_location;
+        } elseif ($this->has('assigned_asset')) {
+            $assigned_to = $this->assigned_asset;
+        }
+
         $this->merge([
             'asset_tag' => $this->asset_tag ?? Asset::autoincrement_asset(),
             'company_id' => Company::getIdForCurrentUser($this->company_id),
+            'assigned_to' => $assigned_to ?? null,
         ]);
     }
 
diff --git a/app/Models/Asset.php b/app/Models/Asset.php
index 406f4deb19..60fd6dbb58 100644
--- a/app/Models/Asset.php
+++ b/app/Models/Asset.php
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class Asset extends Depreciable
         'byod'            => 'nullable|boolean',
         'order_number'    => 'nullable|string|max:191',
         'notes'           => 'nullable|string|max:65535',
-        'assigned_to'     => 'nullable|integer|exists:users,id',
+        'assigned_to'     => 'nullable|integer',
         'requestable'     => 'nullable|boolean',
     ];
 
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Api/Assets/AssetStoreTest.php b/tests/Feature/Api/Assets/AssetStoreTest.php
index cfbed7404f..746bea9d8f 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/Api/Assets/AssetStoreTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/Api/Assets/AssetStoreTest.php
@@ -253,7 +253,6 @@ class AssetStoreTest extends TestCase
         $response = $this->actingAsForApi($user)
             ->postJson(route('api.assets.store'), [
                 'assigned_user' => $userAssigned->id,
-                'assigned_to' => $userAssigned->id, // why are both of these needed? documentation says only assigned_user
                 'model_id' => $model->id,
                 'status_id' => $status->id,
             ])
@@ -266,4 +265,54 @@ class AssetStoreTest extends TestCase
         $this->assertTrue($asset->adminuser->is($user));
         $this->assertTrue($asset->assignedTo->is($userAssigned));
     }
+
+    public function testAnAssetCanBeCheckedOutToLocationOnStore()
+    {
+        $model = AssetModel::factory()->create();
+        $status = Statuslabel::factory()->create();
+        $location = Location::factory()->create();
+        $user = User::factory()->createAssets()->create();
+
+        $this->settings->enableAutoIncrement();
+
+        $response = $this->actingAsForApi($user)
+            ->postJson(route('api.assets.store'), [
+                'assigned_location' => $location->id,
+                'model_id' => $model->id,
+                'status_id' => $status->id,
+            ])
+            ->assertOk()
+            ->assertStatusMessageIs('success')
+            ->json();
+
+        $asset = Asset::find($response['payload']['id']);
+
+        $this->assertTrue($asset->adminuser->is($user));
+        $this->assertTrue($asset->location->is($location));
+    }
+
+    public function testAnAssetCanBeCheckedOutToAssetOnStore()
+    {
+        $model = AssetModel::factory()->create();
+        $status = Statuslabel::factory()->create();
+        $asset = Asset::factory()->create();
+        $user = User::factory()->createAssets()->create();
+
+        $this->settings->enableAutoIncrement();
+
+        $response = $this->actingAsForApi($user)
+            ->postJson(route('api.assets.store'), [
+                'assigned_asset' => $asset->id,
+                'model_id' => $model->id,
+                'status_id' => $status->id,
+            ])
+            ->assertOk()
+            ->assertStatusMessageIs('success')
+            ->json();
+
+        $apiAsset = Asset::find($response['payload']['id']);
+
+        $this->assertTrue($apiAsset->adminuser->is($user));
+        $this->assertTrue($apiAsset->assignedAssets()->is($asset)); //todo: figure this out
+    }
 }