diff --git a/app/models/available_course_lecturer.rb b/app/models/available_course_lecturer.rb
index b1fc1593d..aa89450f9 100644
--- a/app/models/available_course_lecturer.rb
+++ b/app/models/available_course_lecturer.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class AvailableCourseLecturer < ApplicationRecord
   belongs_to :lecturer, class_name: 'Employee'
 
   # validations
-  validates :coordinator, inclusion: { in: [true, false] }
+  validates :coordinator, presence: true, inclusion: { in: [true, false] }
 
   # scopes
   scope :coordinator, -> { where(coordinator: true) }
diff --git a/test/models/course/available_course_lecturer_test.rb b/test/models/course/available_course_lecturer_test.rb
index 0537f16c7..9c8344d76 100644
--- a/test/models/course/available_course_lecturer_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/course/available_course_lecturer_test.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,13 @@ class AvailableCourseLecturerTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  # validations: presence
+  test 'should not save available_course_group without coordinator info' do
+    available_course_lecturers(:ati_group_1_lecturer_john).coordinator = nil
+    assert_not available_course_lecturers(:ati_group_1_lecturer_john).valid?
+    assert_not_empty available_course_lecturers(:ati_group_1_lecturer_john).errors[:coordinator]
+  end
+
   # scopes
   test 'coordinator scope returns coordinator lecturers' do
     lecturers = available_course_groups(:ati_group_1).lecturers