diff --git a/app/models/repository.rb b/app/models/repository.rb
index a439e98..5fc3bed 100644
--- a/app/models/repository.rb
+++ b/app/models/repository.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class Repository < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   serialize :extra_info
 
+  before_validation :normalize_identifier
   before_save :check_default
 
   # Raw SQL to delete changesets and changes in the database
@@ -455,6 +456,10 @@ class Repository < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   protected
 
+  def normalize_identifier
+    self.identifier = identifier.to_s.strip
+  end
+
   def check_default
     if !is_default? && set_as_default?
       self.is_default = true
diff --git a/test/functional/repositories_git_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/repositories_git_controller_test.rb
index 5e36ef6..099e0d6 100644
--- a/test/functional/repositories_git_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/repositories_git_controller_test.rb
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ class RepositoriesGitControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
 
     def test_diff
       assert_equal true, @repository.is_default
-      assert_nil @repository.identifier
+      assert @repository.identifier.blank?
       assert_equal 0, @repository.changesets.count
       @repository.fetch_changesets
       @project.reload
diff --git a/test/unit/repository_git_test.rb b/test/unit/repository_git_test.rb
index a7388d0..f4e785a 100644
--- a/test/unit/repository_git_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/repository_git_test.rb
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ class RepositoryGitTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   end
 
   def test_nondefault_repo_with_blank_identifier_destruction
+    Repository.delete_all
+
     repo1 = Repository::Git.new(
                           :project    => @project,
                           :url        => REPOSITORY_PATH,
diff --git a/test/unit/repository_test.rb b/test/unit/repository_test.rb
index 3ba36fd..6a530d4 100644
--- a/test/unit/repository_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/repository_test.rb
@@ -94,6 +94,18 @@ class RepositoryTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     assert !r.save
   end
 
+  def test_2_repositories_with_blank_identifier_and_one_as_default_should_not_be_valid
+    Repository::Subversion.create!(:project_id => 3, :identifier => '', :url => 'file:///foo', :is_default => true)
+    r = Repository::Subversion.new(:project_id => 3, :identifier => '', :url => 'file:///bar')
+    assert !r.save
+  end
+
+  def test_2_repositories_with_blank_and_nil_identifier_should_not_be_valid
+    Repository::Subversion.create!(:project_id => 3, :identifier => nil, :url => 'file:///foo')
+    r = Repository::Subversion.new(:project_id => 3, :identifier => '', :url => 'file:///bar')
+    assert !r.save
+  end
+
   def test_first_repository_should_be_set_as_default
     repository1 = Repository::Subversion.new(
                       :project => Project.find(3),