diff --git a/app/controllers/spree/orders_controller_decorator.rb b/app/controllers/spree/orders_controller_decorator.rb
index 438f008ce6..2de1c82777 100644
--- a/app/controllers/spree/orders_controller_decorator.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/spree/orders_controller_decorator.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ Spree::OrdersController.class_eval do
   after_filter :populate_variant_attributes, :only => :populate
 
   def populate_order_distributor
-    @distributor = params.key?(:distributor_id) ? Spree::Distributor.find(params[:distributor_id]) : nil
+    @distributor = params[:distributor_id].present? ? Spree::Distributor.find(params[:distributor_id]) : nil
 
     if populate_valid? @distributor
       order = current_order(true)
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ Spree::OrdersController.class_eval do
       order.save!
 
     else
-      redirect_to cart_path
+      flash[:error] = "Please choose a distributor for this order." if @distributor.nil?
+      redirect_populate_to_first_product
     end
   end
 
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ Spree::OrdersController.class_eval do
 
 
   private
+
   def populate_valid? distributor
     # -- Distributor must be specified
     return false if distributor.nil?
@@ -55,4 +57,14 @@ Spree::OrdersController.class_eval do
 
     true
   end
+
+  def redirect_populate_to_first_product
+    product = if params[:products].present?
+                Spree::Product.find(params[:products].keys.first)
+              else
+                Spree::Variant.find(params[:variants].keys.first).product
+              end
+
+    redirect_to product
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/views/spree/products/_add_to_cart.html.haml b/app/views/spree/products/_add_to_cart.html.haml
index 62f164c8d4..174e9e15d9 100644
--- a/app/views/spree/products/_add_to_cart.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/spree/products/_add_to_cart.html.haml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
     - order = current_order(false)
     - if order.nil? || order.can_change_distributor?
       %p Distributor
-      = select_tag "distributor_id", options_from_collection_for_select(@product.distributors, "id", "name", current_distributor.andand.id)
+      = select_tag "distributor_id", options_from_collection_for_select([Spree::Distributor.new]+@product.distributors, "id", "name", current_distributor.andand.id)
     - else
       = hidden_field_tag "distributor_id", order.distributor.id
       .distributor-fixed= "Your distributor for this order is #{order.distributor.name}"
diff --git a/spec/requests/consumer/add_to_cart_spec.rb b/spec/requests/consumer/add_to_cart_spec.rb
index afb4440a8a..9db625c1fc 100644
--- a/spec/requests/consumer/add_to_cart_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/consumer/add_to_cart_spec.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,26 @@ feature %q{
   include AuthenticationWorkflow
   include WebHelper
 
+  scenario "adding a product to the cart with no distributor chosen" do
+    # Given a product and some distributors
+    d1 = create(:distributor)
+    d2 = create(:distributor)
+    p = create(:product, :distributors => [d1])
+    create(:product, :distributors => [d2])
+
+    # When I add an item to my cart without choosing a distributor
+    visit spree.product_path p
+    click_button 'Add To Cart'
+
+    # Then I should see an error message
+    page.should have_content "Please choose a distributor for this order."
+
+    # And the product should not have been added to my cart
+    Spree::Order.last.should be_nil
+    #order.line_items.should be_empty
+  end
+
+
   scenario "adding the first product to the cart" do
     # Given a product and some distributors
     d1 = create(:distributor)
@@ -40,6 +60,7 @@ feature %q{
 
     # When I add a product to my cart (which sets my distributor)
     visit spree.product_path p
+    select d1.name, :from => 'distributor_id'
     click_button 'Add To Cart'
     page.should have_content "You are shopping at #{d1.name}"
 
@@ -58,6 +79,7 @@ feature %q{
 
       # And a product in my cart
       visit spree.product_path p
+      select d.name, :from => 'distributor_id'
       click_button 'Add To Cart'
 
       # When I go to add it again, I should not have a choice of distributor
@@ -75,6 +97,7 @@ feature %q{
 
       # When I add one of them to my cart
       visit spree.product_path p1
+      select d1.name, :from => 'distributor_id'
       click_button 'Add To Cart'
 
       # And I attempt to add the other
@@ -93,6 +116,7 @@ feature %q{
 
       # When I add the first to my cart
       visit spree.product_path p1
+      select d.name, :from => 'distributor_id'
       click_button 'Add To Cart'
 
       # And I add the second
@@ -113,6 +137,7 @@ feature %q{
 
     # When I add the item to my cart
     visit spree.product_path p
+    select d.name, :from => 'distributor_id'
     fill_in "variants_#{p.master.id}", :with => 2
     fill_in "variant_attributes_#{p.master.id}_max_quantity", :with => 3
     click_button 'Add To Cart'
@@ -133,6 +158,7 @@ feature %q{
 
     # When I add the item to my cart
     visit spree.product_path p
+    select d.name, :from => 'distributor_id'
     fill_in "quantity", :with => 2
     fill_in "max_quantity", :with => 3
     click_button 'Add To Cart'
@@ -163,6 +189,7 @@ feature %q{
 
     # When I add the item to my cart
     visit spree.product_path p
+    select d.name, :from => 'distributor_id'
     fill_in "variants_#{p.master.id}", :with => 2
     fill_in "variant_attributes_#{p.master.id}_max_quantity", :with => 1
     click_button 'Add To Cart'
diff --git a/spec/requests/consumer/checkout_spec.rb b/spec/requests/consumer/checkout_spec.rb
index 29d5fb1583..cfaaee8bee 100644
--- a/spec/requests/consumer/checkout_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/consumer/checkout_spec.rb
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ feature %q{
 
     # When I add some apples and some garlic to my cart
     click_link 'Fuji apples'
+    select @distributor.name, :from => 'distributor_id'
     click_button 'Add To Cart'
     click_link 'Continue shopping'
 
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ feature %q{
     login_to_consumer_section
 
     click_link 'Fuji apples'
+    select @distributor.name, :from => 'distributor_id'
     click_button 'Add To Cart'
     click_link 'Continue shopping'