diff --git a/src/app/item/create.rs b/src/app/item/create.rs
index 4c56f57..6baeed7 100644
--- a/src/app/item/create.rs
+++ b/src/app/item/create.rs
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@ use askama_axum::{IntoResponse, Response};
 use axum::extract::State;
 use axum::{async_trait, debug_handler, Form};
 use serde::Deserialize;
+use tracing::info;
 use crate::app::routes::AppState;
 use crate::db::display_unit::DbDisplayUnit;
 use crate::db;
-use crate::util::extract::form_helpers::form_checkbox_is_checked;
 use crate::util::extract::htmx_form_data::{HtmxFormData, HtmxFormDataError};
 use crate::util::extract::validated_form::ValidatedForm;
+use crate::util::extract::form_helpers::deserialize_form_checkbox;
 
 #[derive(Template, Debug)]
 #[template(path = "item/item-create-form.html")]
@@ -45,9 +46,10 @@ pub struct CreateItemFormData {
     name: String,
     display_unit: String,
     reorder_point: f64,
-    allow_fractional_units: Option<String>,
     pims_id: Option<String>,
     vetcove_id: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "deserialize_form_checkbox")]
+    allow_fractional_units: bool,
 }
 
 #[async_trait]
@@ -58,8 +60,6 @@ impl HtmxFormData for CreateItemFormData {
         let mut base = Self::base_template(&state).await?;
         let display_units = &base.display_units;
 
-        let allow_fractional_units = form_checkbox_is_checked(&self.allow_fractional_units);
-
         let name_error = if self.name.is_empty() {
             "Please provide a name"
         } else {
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ impl HtmxFormData for CreateItemFormData {
             || self.reorder_point.is_sign_negative()
         {
             "Provide a positive number"
-        } else if !(allow_fractional_units || self.reorder_point.fract() == 0.0) {
+        } else if !(self.allow_fractional_units || self.reorder_point.fract() == 0.0) {
             "Fractional units not allowed"
         } else {
             ""
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ impl HtmxFormData for CreateItemFormData {
             base.pims_id_error = pims_id_error;
             base.vetcove_id_value = self.vetcove_id.as_deref().unwrap_or_default().to_string();
             base.vetcove_id_error = vetcove_id_error;
-            base.allow_fractional_units_value = allow_fractional_units;
+            base.allow_fractional_units_value = self.allow_fractional_units;
 
             return Err(HtmxFormDataError::ValidationError(base));
         }
@@ -163,10 +163,8 @@ pub async fn create_item_form_post(
     form_data: ValidatedForm<CreateItemFormData>,
 ) -> Result<Response, AppError> {
 
-    let allow_fractional_units = form_checkbox_is_checked(&form_data.allow_fractional_units);
-
     let _new_id = db::inventory_item::add_inventory_item(&state.db, &form_data.name, form_data.reorder_point,
-                                                         allow_fractional_units, &form_data.display_unit,
+                                                         form_data.allow_fractional_units, &form_data.display_unit,
                                                          &form_data.pims_id, &form_data.vetcove_id,
     ).await?;
 
diff --git a/src/util/extract/form_helpers.rs b/src/util/extract/form_helpers.rs
index e1a2f18..177ab51 100644
--- a/src/util/extract/form_helpers.rs
+++ b/src/util/extract/form_helpers.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
-pub fn form_checkbox_is_checked(val: &Option<String>) -> bool {
-    val.as_ref().map(|val| val == "on").unwrap_or(false)
+use serde::{Deserialize, Deserializer};
+
+pub fn deserialize_form_checkbox<'de, D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<bool, D::Error>
+where D: Deserializer<'de> {
+    let buf = String::deserialize(deserializer)?;
+
+    Ok(&buf == "on")
 }
\ No newline at end of file