diff --git a/tailbone/templates/batch/inventory/desktop_form.mako b/tailbone/templates/batch/inventory/desktop_form.mako
index 77d573dd..22ca68d7 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/batch/inventory/desktop_form.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/batch/inventory/desktop_form.mako
@@ -114,6 +114,10 @@
                         $('#size').val(data.product.size);
                         $('#case_quantity').val(data.product.case_quantity);
 
+                        if (data.force_unit_item) {
+                            $('#product-info .warning.force-unit').show();
+                        }
+
                         if (data.already_present_in_batch) {
                             $('#product-info .warning.present').show();
                             $('#cases').val(data.cases);
@@ -248,6 +252,7 @@
         <div class="img-wrapper"><img /></div>
         <div class="warning notfound">please confirm UPC and provide more details</div>
         <div class="warning present">product already exists in batch, please confirm count</div>
+        <div class="warning force-unit">pack item scanned, but must count units instead</div>
       </div>
     </div>
   </div>
diff --git a/tailbone/views/inventory.py b/tailbone/views/inventory.py
index eb1105f5..18312e56 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/inventory.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/inventory.py
@@ -380,6 +380,12 @@ class InventoryBatchView(BatchMasterView):
         else:
             product = self.find_product(entry)
 
+        force_unit_item = True # TODO: make configurable?
+        unit_forced = False
+        if force_unit_item and product.is_pack_item():
+            product = product.unit
+            unit_forced = True
+
         data = self.product_info(product)
         if type2:
             data['type2'] = True
@@ -389,7 +395,7 @@ class InventoryBatchView(BatchMasterView):
                 else:
                     data['units'] = float((price / product.regular_price.price).quantize(decimal.Decimal('0.01')))
 
-        result = {'product': data, 'upc_raw': entry, 'upc': None}
+        result = {'product': data, 'upc_raw': entry, 'upc': None, 'force_unit_item': unit_forced}
         if not data:
             upc = re.sub(r'\D', '', entry.strip())
             if upc:
@@ -513,6 +519,11 @@ class InventoryBatchView(BatchMasterView):
             product = self.find_product(entry)
         if product:
 
+            force_unit_item = True # TODO: make configurable?
+            if force_unit_item and product.is_pack_item():
+                product = product.unit
+                self.request.session.flash("You scanned a pack item, but must count the units instead.", 'error')
+
             aggregate = self.should_aggregate_products(batch)
             if aggregate:
                 row = self.find_row_for_product(batch, product)