diff --git a/client/src/components/DataFiles/DataFilesModals/DataFilesAddProjectModal.jsx b/client/src/components/DataFiles/DataFilesModals/DataFilesAddProjectModal.jsx
index 1d0633b76..c6811fc62 100644
--- a/client/src/components/DataFiles/DataFilesModals/DataFilesAddProjectModal.jsx
+++ b/client/src/components/DataFiles/DataFilesModals/DataFilesAddProjectModal.jsx
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ const DataFilesAddProjectModal = () => {
       payload: {
         title,
         description,
-        keywords,
+        keywords: keywords.trim(),
         members: members.map((member) => ({
           username: member.user.username,
           access: member.access,
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ const DataFilesAddProjectModal = () => {
         otherwise: (schema) => schema.notRequired(),
       }),
     keywords: Yup.string().matches(
-      /^\w+(\s*,\s*\w+)*$/,
+      /^\s*[\w-]+(\s*,\s*[\w-]+)*\s*$/,
       'Please separate keywords with commas.'
     ),
   });
diff --git a/client/src/components/DataFiles/DataFilesModals/DataFilesProjectEditDescriptionModal.jsx b/client/src/components/DataFiles/DataFilesModals/DataFilesProjectEditDescriptionModal.jsx
index 508bfbfab..6216e543b 100644
--- a/client/src/components/DataFiles/DataFilesModals/DataFilesProjectEditDescriptionModal.jsx
+++ b/client/src/components/DataFiles/DataFilesModals/DataFilesProjectEditDescriptionModal.jsx
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ const DataFilesProjectEditDescriptionModal = () => {
           data: {
             title: values.title,
             description: values.description || '',
-            keywords: values.keywords || '',
+            keywords: values.keywords.trim() || '',
           },
         },
       });
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ const DataFilesProjectEditDescriptionModal = () => {
         otherwise: (schema) => schema.notRequired(),
       }),
     keywords: Yup.string().matches(
-      /^\w+(\s*,\s*\w+)*$/,
+      /^\s*[\w-]+(\s*,\s*[\w-]+)*\s*$/,
       'Please separate keywords with commas.'
     ),
   });