diff --git a/lib/class-wp-rest-menu-items-controller.php b/lib/class-wp-rest-menu-items-controller.php
index ddaaf102990d0f..636376fcdee360 100644
--- a/lib/class-wp-rest-menu-items-controller.php
+++ b/lib/class-wp-rest-menu-items-controller.php
@@ -524,7 +524,19 @@ protected function prepare_item_for_database( $request ) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		// Check if nav menu is valid.
+		// If menu id is set, validate the value of menu item position.
+		if ( ! empty( $prepared_nav_item['menu-id'] ) ) {
+			// Check if nav menu is valid.
+			if ( ! is_nav_menu( $prepared_nav_item['menu-id'] ) ) {
+				return new WP_Error( 'invalid_menu_id', __( 'Invalid menu ID.', 'gutenberg' ), array( 'status' => 400 ) );
+			}
+
+			// Check if menu item position is non-zero and positive.
+			if ( (int) $prepared_nav_item['menu-item-position'] < 1 ) {
+				return new WP_Error( 'invalid_menu_order', __( 'Invalid menu order.', 'gutenberg' ), array( 'status' => 400 ) );
+			}
+		}
+
 		if ( ! empty( $prepared_nav_item['menu-id'] ) && ! is_nav_menu( $prepared_nav_item['menu-id'] ) ) {
 			return new WP_Error( 'invalid_menu_id', __( 'Invalid menu ID.', 'gutenberg' ), array( 'status' => 400 ) );
 		}
diff --git a/phpunit/class-rest-nav-menu-items-controller-test.php b/phpunit/class-rest-nav-menu-items-controller-test.php
index 172a354b23d2f3..b793a23ef72048 100644
--- a/phpunit/class-rest-nav-menu-items-controller-test.php
+++ b/phpunit/class-rest-nav-menu-items-controller-test.php
@@ -271,6 +271,66 @@ public function test_create_item_invalid_term() {
 		$this->assertErrorResponse( 'rest_term_invalid_id', $response, 400 );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 *
+	 */
+	public function test_create_item_change_position() {
+		wp_set_current_user( self::$admin_id );
+		$new_menu_id = wp_create_nav_menu( rand_str() );
+		$expected    = array();
+		$actual      = array();
+		for ( $i = 1; $i < 5; $i ++ ) {
+			$request = new WP_REST_Request( 'POST', '/__experimental/menu-items' );
+			$request->add_header( 'content-type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' );
+			$params = $this->set_menu_item_data(
+				array(
+					'menu_order' => $i,
+					'menus'      => $new_menu_id,
+				)
+			);
+			$request->set_body_params( $params );
+			$response = rest_get_server()->dispatch( $request );
+			$this->check_create_menu_item_response( $response );
+			$data = $response->get_data();
+
+			$expected[] = $i;
+			$actual[]   = $data['menu_order'];
+		}
+		$this->assertEquals( $actual, $expected );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 *
+	 */
+	public function test_menu_order_must_be_set() {
+		wp_set_current_user( self::$admin_id );
+		$new_menu_id = wp_create_nav_menu( rand_str() );
+
+		$request = new WP_REST_Request( 'POST', '/__experimental/menu-items' );
+		$request->add_header( 'content-type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' );
+		$params = $this->set_menu_item_data(
+			array(
+				'menu_order' => 0,
+				'menus'      => $new_menu_id,
+			)
+		);
+		$request->set_body_params( $params );
+		$response = rest_get_server()->dispatch( $request );
+		$this->assertErrorResponse( 'invalid_menu_order', $response, 400 );
+
+		$request = new WP_REST_Request( 'POST', '/__experimental/menu-items' );
+		$request->add_header( 'content-type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' );
+		$params = $this->set_menu_item_data(
+			array(
+				'menu_order' => 1,
+				'menus'      => $new_menu_id,
+			)
+		);
+		$request->set_body_params( $params );
+		$response = rest_get_server()->dispatch( $request );
+		$this->assertEquals( 201, $response->get_status() );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 *
 	 */
@@ -818,7 +878,7 @@ protected function set_menu_item_data( $args = array() ) {
 		$defaults = array(
 			'object_id'   => 0,
 			'parent'      => 0,
-			'menu_order'  => 0,
+			'menu_order'  => 1,
 			'menus'       => $this->menu_id,
 			'type'        => 'custom',
 			'title'       => 'Custom Link Title',