diff --git a/handlers/PublicHandlers.py b/handlers/PublicHandlers.py
index 9d58abee..f0f50527 100644
--- a/handlers/PublicHandlers.py
+++ b/handlers/PublicHandlers.py
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ def create_user(self):
 
     def get_team(self):
         """Create a team object, or pull the existing one"""
-        code = self.get_argument("team-code", "")
+        code = self.get_argument("team-code", "").strip()
         if len(code) > 0:
             team = Team.by_code(code)
             if not team:
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ def post(self, *args, **kwargs):
             if self.application.settings["suspend_registration"]:
                 self.render("public/jointeam.html", errors=None, suspend=True)
             else:
-                code = self.get_argument("team-code", "")
+                code = self.get_argument("team-code", "").strip()
                 code = self.validate_teamcode(code)
                 login_hint = self.get_argument("login-hint", None)
                 if len(login_hint) == 0:
diff --git a/static/js/pages/public/registration.js b/static/js/pages/public/registration.js
index ea5e5087..45cc8539 100644
--- a/static/js/pages/public/registration.js
+++ b/static/js/pages/public/registration.js
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
     $("#regtoken").popover({placement:'right', trigger:'focus'});
     changeTeamMode($("input[name='teammode']:checked").val());
 
+    $('input[type="radio"].teammode[value="create"]').change(function() {
+        if ($(this).is(':checked')) {
+            $('#team-code').val('');
+        }
+    });
+
     /* Avatar */
     $(".useravatarimg").click(function() {
         var filename = $(this).attr('value');