diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/access_and_security/keypairs/forms.py b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/access_and_security/keypairs/forms.py
index 7f9945b5fe..add286d93f 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/access_and_security/keypairs/forms.py
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/access_and_security/keypairs/forms.py
@@ -29,10 +29,11 @@ from openstack_dashboard import api
 
 NEW_LINES = re.compile(r"\r|\n")
 
-KEYPAIR_NAME_REGEX = re.compile(r"^[\w\- ]+$", re.UNICODE)
+KEYPAIR_NAME_REGEX = re.compile(r"^\w+(?:[- ]\w+)*$", re.UNICODE)
 KEYPAIR_ERROR_MESSAGES = {
     'invalid': _('Key pair name may only contain letters, '
-                 'numbers, underscores, spaces and hyphens.')}
+                 'numbers, underscores, spaces, and hyphens '
+                 'and may not be white space.')}
 
 
 class CreateKeypair(forms.SelfHandlingForm):
diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/access_and_security/keypairs/tests.py b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/access_and_security/keypairs/tests.py
index 5668568063..75e10fcc0b 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/access_and_security/keypairs/tests.py
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/access_and_security/keypairs/tests.py
@@ -182,6 +182,19 @@ class KeyPairViewTests(test.TestCase):
         msg = six.text_type(KEYPAIR_ERROR_MESSAGES['invalid'])
         self.assertFormErrors(res, count=1, message=msg)
 
+    def test_import_keypair_space_key_name(self):
+        key_name = " "
+        public_key = "ABCDEF"
+
+        formData = {'method': 'ImportKeypair',
+                    'name': key_name,
+                    'public_key': public_key}
+        url = reverse('horizon:project:access_and_security:keypairs:import')
+        res = self.client.post(url, formData, follow=True)
+        self.assertEqual(res.redirect_chain, [])
+        msg = six.text_type(KEYPAIR_ERROR_MESSAGES['invalid'])
+        self.assertFormErrors(res, count=1, message=msg)
+
     @test.create_stubs({api.nova: ("keypair_create",)})
     def test_generate_keypair_exception(self):
         keypair = self.keypairs.first()