diff --git a/api/src/org/labkey/api/data/Container.java b/api/src/org/labkey/api/data/Container.java
index 41361cedd06..218abe6ed91 100644
--- a/api/src/org/labkey/api/data/Container.java
+++ b/api/src/org/labkey/api/data/Container.java
@@ -1033,9 +1033,13 @@ public FolderType getFolderType()
     @NotNull
     public Boolean getAuditCommentsRequired()
     {
-        Map<String, String> props = PropertyManager.getProperties(this, AUDIT_SETTINGS_PROPERTY_SET_NAME);
         if (!ProductRegistry.isProductFeatureEnabled(ProductFeature.DataChangeCommentRequirement))
             return false;
+        // the audit setting is stored on the app home folder, which is the project only when product folders are enabled
+        Container container = isAppHomeFolder() ? this : getProject();
+        if (container == null) // shouldn't ever happen
+            return false;
+        Map<String, String> props = PropertyManager.getProperties(container, AUDIT_SETTINGS_PROPERTY_SET_NAME);
         return Boolean.parseBoolean(props.getOrDefault(REQUIRE_USER_COMMENTS_PROPERTY_NAME, "false"));
     }
 
diff --git a/query/src/org/labkey/query/controllers/QueryController.java b/query/src/org/labkey/query/controllers/QueryController.java
index 896d7577221..d29353ae270 100644
--- a/query/src/org/labkey/query/controllers/QueryController.java
+++ b/query/src/org/labkey/query/controllers/QueryController.java
@@ -5002,7 +5002,7 @@ public void validateForm(MoveRowsForm form, Errors errors)
             else
             {
                 // Since we are moving between containers, we know we have product folders enabled
-                if (getContainer().getProject().getAuditCommentsRequired() && StringUtils.isBlank(json.optString("auditUserComment")))
+                if (getContainer().getAuditCommentsRequired() && StringUtils.isBlank(json.optString("auditUserComment")))
                     errors.reject(ERROR_GENERIC, "A reason for the move of data is required.");
                 else
                 {
@@ -8101,6 +8101,9 @@ public void validateForm(QueryImportTemplateForm form, Errors errors)
         {
             User user = getUser();
             Container container = getContainer();
+
+            if (container != null && container.getAuditCommentsRequired() && StringUtils.isBlank(form.getAuditUserComment()))
+                errors.reject(ERROR_GENERIC, "A reason for the template update is required.");
             String domainURI = PropertyService.get().getDomainURI(form.getSchemaName(), form.getQueryName(), container, user);
             _kind = PropertyService.get().getDomainKind(domainURI);
             _domain = PropertyService.get().getDomain(container, domainURI);