diff --git a/app/services/constituent_service.rb b/app/services/constituent_service.rb
index 00deba1ee2..7f656a7f8d 100644
--- a/app/services/constituent_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/constituent_service.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ def initialize(parent_druid:)
   # subsequent calls will erase the previous changes.
   # @param [Array<String>] child_druids the identifiers of the child objects
   def add(child_druids:)
-    ResetContentMetadataService.new(druid: parent_druid).reset
+    ResetContentMetadataService.new(druid: parent_druid).reset if parent # ensures parent is combinable
 
     child_druids.each do |child_druid|
       add_constituent(child_druid: child_druid)
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def add(child_druids:)
   attr_reader :parent_druid
 
   def add_constituent(child_druid:)
-    child = ItemQueryService.find_modifiable_item(child_druid)
+    child = ItemQueryService.find_combinable_item(child_druid)
     child.contentMetadata.ng_xml.search('//resource').each do |resource|
       parent.contentMetadata.add_virtual_resource(child.id, resource)
     end
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ def add_constituent(child_druid:)
   end
 
   def parent
-    @parent ||= ItemQueryService.find_modifiable_item(parent_druid)
+    @parent ||= ItemQueryService.find_combinable_item(parent_druid)
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/services/item_query_service.rb b/app/services/item_query_service.rb
index e4b4f64dfb..45bfabfea8 100644
--- a/app/services/item_query_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/item_query_service.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,16 @@ def initialize(id:, item_relation: default_item_relation)
 
   delegate :allows_modification?, to: :item
 
+  # @raises [RuntimeError] if the item is not modifiable
+  def self.find_combinable_item(druid)
+    query_service = ItemQueryService.new(id: druid)
+    query_service.item do |item|
+      raise "Item #{item.pid} is not open for modification" unless query_service.allows_modification?
+      raise "Item #{item.pid} is dark" if item.rightsMetadata.dra_object.dark?
+      raise "Item #{item.pid} is citation_only" if item.rightsMetadata.dra_object.citation_only?
+    end
+  end
+
   # @raises [RuntimeError] if the item is not modifiable
   def self.find_modifiable_item(druid)
     query_service = ItemQueryService.new(id: druid)
diff --git a/spec/services/constituent_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/constituent_service_spec.rb
index 6940eec082..1cedc398fd 100644
--- a/spec/services/constituent_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/constituent_service_spec.rb
@@ -59,9 +59,10 @@
       # Used in ContentMetadataDS#add_virtual_resource
       allow(parent.contentMetadata).to receive(:pid).and_return('druid:parent1')
 
+      allow(ItemQueryService).to receive(:find_combinable_item).with('druid:parent1').and_return(parent)
       allow(ItemQueryService).to receive(:find_modifiable_item).with('druid:parent1').and_return(parent)
-      allow(ItemQueryService).to receive(:find_modifiable_item).with('druid:child1').and_return(child1)
-      allow(ItemQueryService).to receive(:find_modifiable_item).with('druid:child2').and_return(child2)
+      allow(ItemQueryService).to receive(:find_combinable_item).with('druid:child1').and_return(child1)
+      allow(ItemQueryService).to receive(:find_combinable_item).with('druid:child2').and_return(child2)
 
       allow(Dor::Services::Client).to receive(:object).and_return(client)
     end
@@ -88,9 +89,9 @@
       end
     end
 
-    context 'when the parent is closed for modification' do
+    context 'when the parent is not combinable' do
       before do
-        allow(ItemQueryService).to receive(:find_modifiable_item).with(parent.id).and_raise('nope')
+        allow(ItemQueryService).to receive(:find_combinable_item).with(parent.id).and_raise('nope')
       end
 
       it 'merges nothing' do
@@ -100,9 +101,9 @@
       end
     end
 
-    context 'when the child is closed for modification' do
+    context 'when a child is not combinable' do
       before do
-        allow(ItemQueryService).to receive(:find_modifiable_item).with(child2.id).and_raise('not modifiable')
+        allow(ItemQueryService).to receive(:find_combinable_item).with(child2.id).and_raise('not modifiable')
       end
 
       it 'merges all the chidren before an error is encountered' do
diff --git a/spec/services/item_query_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/item_query_service_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c54b7cf335
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/services/item_query_service_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+RSpec.describe ItemQueryService do
+  subject(:service) { described_class }
+
+  let(:druid) { 'ab123cd4567' }
+  let(:item) { instantiate_fixture('druid:ab123cd4567', Dor::Item) }
+
+  before do
+    allow(Dor::Item).to receive(:find).and_return(item)
+  end
+
+  describe '.find_combinable_item' do
+    it 'raises error if object does not allow modification' do
+      allow(item).to receive(:allows_modification?).and_return(false)
+      expect { service.find_combinable_item('ab123cd4567') }.to raise_error(RuntimeError, 'Item druid:ab123cd4567 is not open for modification')
+    end
+    it 'raises error if object is dark' do
+      dra = instance_double(Dor::RightsAuth, dark?: true, citation_only?: false)
+      rights_ds = instance_double(Dor::RightsMetadataDS, dra_object: dra)
+      allow(item).to receive(:rightsMetadata).and_return(rights_ds)
+      allow(item).to receive(:allows_modification?).and_return(true)
+      expect { service.find_combinable_item('ab123cd4567') }.to raise_error(RuntimeError, 'Item druid:ab123cd4567 is dark')
+    end
+    it 'raises error if object is citation_only' do
+      dra = instance_double(Dor::RightsAuth, dark?: false, citation_only?: true)
+      rights_ds = instance_double(Dor::RightsMetadataDS, dra_object: dra)
+      allow(item).to receive(:rightsMetadata).and_return(rights_ds)
+      allow(item).to receive(:allows_modification?).and_return(true)
+      expect { service.find_combinable_item('ab123cd4567') }.to raise_error(RuntimeError, 'Item druid:ab123cd4567 is citation_only')
+    end
+    it 'returns item otherwise' do
+      dra = instance_double(Dor::RightsAuth, dark?: false, citation_only?: false)
+      rights_ds = instance_double(Dor::RightsMetadataDS, dra_object: dra)
+      allow(item).to receive(:rightsMetadata).and_return(rights_ds)
+      allow(item).to receive(:allows_modification?).and_return(true)
+      service.find_combinable_item('ab123cd4567')
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '.find_modifiable_item' do
+    it 'raises error if object does not allow modification' do
+      allow(item).to receive(:allows_modification?).and_return(false)
+      expect { service.find_modifiable_item('ab123cd4567') }.to raise_error(RuntimeError, 'Item druid:ab123cd4567 is not open for modification')
+    end
+    it 'returns item if it is modifiable' do
+      allow(item).to receive(:allows_modification?).and_return(true)
+      service.find_modifiable_item('ab123cd4567')
+    end
+  end
+end