diff --git a/jsx/src/components/AddUser/AddUser.jsx b/jsx/src/components/AddUser/AddUser.jsx
index 894b59aa..3826ad2c 100644
--- a/jsx/src/components/AddUser/AddUser.jsx
+++ b/jsx/src/components/AddUser/AddUser.jsx
@@ -60,7 +60,10 @@ const AddUser = (props) => {
                       placeholder="usernames separated by line"
                       data-testid="user-textarea"
                       onBlur={(e) => {
-                        let split_users = e.target.value.split("\n");
+                        let split_users = e.target.value
+                          .split("\n")
+                          .map((u) => u.trim())
+                          .filter((u) => u.length > 0);
                         setUsers(split_users);
                       }}
                     ></textarea>
diff --git a/jsx/src/components/AddUser/AddUser.test.js b/jsx/src/components/AddUser/AddUser.test.js
index 0bc776f5..e3965f15 100644
--- a/jsx/src/components/AddUser/AddUser.test.js
+++ b/jsx/src/components/AddUser/AddUser.test.js
@@ -70,12 +70,12 @@ test("Removes users when they fail Regex", async () => {
   let textarea = screen.getByTestId("user-textarea");
   let submit = screen.getByTestId("submit");
 
-  fireEvent.blur(textarea, { target: { value: "foo\nbar\n!!*&*" } });
+  fireEvent.blur(textarea, { target: { value: "foo \n bar\na@b.co\n  \n\n" } });
   await act(async () => {
     fireEvent.click(submit);
   });
 
-  expect(callbackSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(["foo", "bar"], false);
+  expect(callbackSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(["foo", "bar", "a@b.co"], false);
 });
 
 test("Correctly submits admin", async () => {
diff --git a/jsx/src/components/CreateGroup/CreateGroup.jsx b/jsx/src/components/CreateGroup/CreateGroup.jsx
index b3302f25..66b8b9d8 100644
--- a/jsx/src/components/CreateGroup/CreateGroup.jsx
+++ b/jsx/src/components/CreateGroup/CreateGroup.jsx
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ const CreateGroup = (props) => {
                     value={groupName}
                     placeholder="group name..."
                     onChange={(e) => {
-                      setGroupName(e.target.value);
+                      setGroupName(e.target.value.trim());
                     }}
                   ></input>
                 </div>