diff --git a/acqui/neworderempty.pl b/acqui/neworderempty.pl
index 02b829a409..459dfe88a6 100755
--- a/acqui/neworderempty.pl
+++ b/acqui/neworderempty.pl
@@ -333,6 +333,9 @@ if (C4::Context->preference('AcqCreateItem') eq 'ordering' && !$ordernumber) {
 my @itemtypes;
 @itemtypes = C4::ItemType->all unless C4::Context->preference('item-level_itypes');
 
+# Find the items.barcode subfield for barcode validations
+my (undef, $barcode_subfield) = GetMarcFromKohaField('items.barcode', '');
+
 # fill template
 $template->param(
     close        => $close,
@@ -386,6 +389,7 @@ $template->param(
     unitprice        => sprintf("%.2f", $data->{'unitprice'}),
     notes            => $data->{'notes'},
     publishercode    => $data->{'publishercode'},
+    barcode_subfield => $barcode_subfield,
     
     import_batch_id  => $import_batch_id,
 
diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/acqui/neworderempty.tt b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/acqui/neworderempty.tt
index 5da11bcfa4..d46f53c9b3 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/acqui/neworderempty.tt
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/acqui/neworderempty.tt
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ function Check(ff) {
             if (ff.field_value[i].value.length == 0 && ff.mandatory[i].value == 1) {
                 empty_item_mandatory++;
             }
-            if(ff.subfield[i].value === 'p' && ff.field_value[i].value.length != 0) {
+            if(ff.subfield[i].value === '[% barcode_subfield %]' && ff.field_value[i].value.length != 0) {
                 barcodes.push(ff.field_value[i].value);
             }
         }