diff --git a/src/projManagement/Validation.py b/src/projManagement/Validation.py
index 5f239163e..d139079fd 100644
--- a/src/projManagement/Validation.py
+++ b/src/projManagement/Validation.py
@@ -68,11 +68,12 @@ def validateNewproj(self, projDir):
         print("Function: Validating New Project Information")
 
         # Checking existence of project with same name
+        projName = os.path.basename(projDir)
         if os.path.exists(projDir):
             return "CHECKEXIST"  # Project with name already exist
         else:
             # Check Proper name for project. It should not have space
-            if re.search(r"\s", projDir):
+            if re.search(r"\s", projName):
                 return "CHECKNAME"
             else:
                 return "VALID"
diff --git a/src/projManagement/newProject.py b/src/projManagement/newProject.py
index 10fb0cb5a..71cfec11e 100644
--- a/src/projManagement/newProject.py
+++ b/src/projManagement/newProject.py
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ def createProject(self, projName):
         self.workspace = self.obj_appconfig.default_workspace['workspace']
         # self.projName = self.projEdit.text()
         # Remove leading and trailing space
-        self.projName = str(self.projName).rstrip().lstrip()
+        # self.projName = str(self.projName).rstrip().lstrip()
+        # Remove leading and trailing spaces AND replace internal spaces with underscores
+        self.projName = str(self.projName).strip().replace(" ", "_")
 
         self.projDir = os.path.join(self.workspace, str(self.projName))