diff --git a/fineract-provider/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/accounting/journalentry/service/JournalEntryWritePlatformServiceJpaRepositoryImpl.java b/fineract-provider/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/accounting/journalentry/service/JournalEntryWritePlatformServiceJpaRepositoryImpl.java
index 93f8d9e80..f3e13716e 100644
--- a/fineract-provider/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/accounting/journalentry/service/JournalEntryWritePlatformServiceJpaRepositoryImpl.java
+++ b/fineract-provider/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/accounting/journalentry/service/JournalEntryWritePlatformServiceJpaRepositoryImpl.java
@@ -687,6 +687,16 @@ public class JournalEntryWritePlatformServiceJpaRepositoryImpl implements Journa
     }
 
     private void validateBusinessRulesForJournalEntries(final JournalEntryCommand command) {
+        validateBusinessRulesForJournalEntries(command, true);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param requireBalanced
+     *            false for opening balances: every leg is posted against the contra account, so the books always
+     *            balance, and the submitted legs legitimately differ by the locked (denomination-managed) cash
+     *            account's opening balance that is already posted and can never be part of this request.
+     */
+    private void validateBusinessRulesForJournalEntries(final JournalEntryCommand command, final boolean requireBalanced) {
         // check if date of Journal entry is valid
         final LocalDate transactionDate = command.getTransactionDate();
         // shouldn't be in the future
@@ -706,6 +716,26 @@ public class JournalEntryWritePlatformServiceJpaRepositoryImpl implements Journa
         final SingleDebitOrCreditEntryCommand[] credits = command.getCredits();
         final SingleDebitOrCreditEntryCommand[] debits = command.getDebits();
 
+        if (!requireBalanced) {
+            final List<SingleDebitOrCreditEntryCommand> entries = new ArrayList<>();
+            if (credits != null) {
+                entries.addAll(Arrays.asList(credits));
+            }
+            if (debits != null) {
+                entries.addAll(Arrays.asList(debits));
+            }
+            if (entries.isEmpty()) {
+                throw new JournalEntryInvalidException(GlJournalEntryInvalidReason.NO_DEBITS_OR_CREDITS, null, null, null);
+            }
+            for (final SingleDebitOrCreditEntryCommand entry : entries) {
+                if (entry.getAmount() == null || entry.getGlAccountId() == null) {
+                    throw new JournalEntryInvalidException(GlJournalEntryInvalidReason.DEBIT_CREDIT_ACCOUNT_OR_AMOUNT_EMPTY, null, null,
+                            null);
+                }
+            }
+            return;
+        }
+
         // atleast one debit or credit must be present
         if (credits == null || credits.length == 0 || debits == null || debits.length == 0) {
             throw new JournalEntryInvalidException(GlJournalEntryInvalidReason.NO_DEBITS_OR_CREDITS, null, null, null);
@@ -783,7 +813,7 @@ public class JournalEntryWritePlatformServiceJpaRepositoryImpl implements Journa
             final Office office = this.officeRepositoryWrapper.findOneWithNotFoundDetection(officeId);
             final String currencyCode = command.stringValueOfParameterNamed(JournalEntryJsonInputParams.CURRENCY_CODE.getValue());
 
-            validateBusinessRulesForJournalEntries(journalEntryCommand);
+            validateBusinessRulesForJournalEntries(journalEntryCommand, false);
             validateNoDenominationManagedCashAccounts(journalEntryCommand);
 
             /**