diff --git a/pagure/api/project.py b/pagure/api/project.py
index 7c622a5..3ff92dc 100644
--- a/pagure/api/project.py
+++ b/pagure/api/project.py
@@ -241,9 +241,9 @@ def api_new_project():
     if form.validate_on_submit():
         name = form.name.data
         description = form.description.data
-        namespace = form.namespace.data.strip() or None
-        if namespace == 'None':
-            namespace = None
+        namespace = form.namespace.data
+        if namespace:
+            namespace = namespace.strip()
         url = form.url.data
         avatar_email = form.avatar_email.data
         create_readme = form.create_readme.data
diff --git a/pagure/forms.py b/pagure/forms.py
index 4b57f3b..9b12c28 100644
--- a/pagure/forms.py
+++ b/pagure/forms.py
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ class ProjectForm(ProjectFormSimplified):
         'Project Namespace',
         [wtforms.validators.optional()],
         choices=[],
+        coerce=lambda val: unicode(val) if val else None
     )
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/pagure/ui/app.py b/pagure/ui/app.py
index dafa0ac..6f2f8f7 100644
--- a/pagure/ui/app.py
+++ b/pagure/ui/app.py
@@ -386,9 +386,9 @@ def new_project():
         url = form.url.data
         avatar_email = form.avatar_email.data
         create_readme = form.create_readme.data
-        namespace = form.namespace.data.strip() or None
-        if namespace == 'None':
-            namespace = None
+        namespace = form.namespace.data
+        if namespace:
+            namespace = namespace.strip()
 
         try:
             pagure.lib.new_project(