diff --git a/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/model/JpaTarget.java b/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/model/JpaTarget.java
index eb8fa8cad..bb4976d73 100644
--- a/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/model/JpaTarget.java
+++ b/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/model/JpaTarget.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import javax.persistence.PrimaryKeyJoinColumn;
 import javax.persistence.Table;
 import javax.persistence.Transient;
 import javax.persistence.UniqueConstraint;
+import javax.validation.constraints.Pattern;
 import javax.validation.constraints.Size;
 
 import org.eclipse.hawkbit.im.authentication.SpPermission;
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ public class JpaTarget extends AbstractJpaNamedEntity implements Persistable<Lon
     @Column(name = "controller_id", length = 64)
     @Size(min = 1, max = 64)
     @NotEmpty
+    @Pattern(regexp = "[.\\S]*", message = "has whitespaces which are not allowed")
     private String controllerId;
 
     @Transient
diff --git a/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa/src/test/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/TargetManagementTest.java b/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa/src/test/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/TargetManagementTest.java
index a7e244f7e..53660021f 100644
--- a/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa/src/test/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/TargetManagementTest.java
+++ b/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa/src/test/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/TargetManagementTest.java
@@ -125,6 +125,54 @@ public class TargetManagementTest extends AbstractJpaIntegrationTest {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    @Description("Verify that a target with whitespaces in controller id cannot be created")
+    @ExpectEvents({ @Expect(type = TargetCreatedEvent.class, count = 0) })
+    public void createTargetWithWhitespaces() {
+        try {
+            targetManagement.createTarget(entityFactory.target().create().controllerId(" "));
+            fail("target with whitespaces in controller id should not be created");
+        } catch (final ConstraintViolationException e) {
+            // ok
+        }
+
+        try {
+            targetManagement.createTarget(entityFactory.target().create().controllerId(" a"));
+            fail("target with whitespaces in controller id should not be created");
+        } catch (final ConstraintViolationException e) {
+            // ok
+        }
+
+        try {
+            targetManagement.createTarget(entityFactory.target().create().controllerId("a "));
+            fail("target with whitespaces in controller id should not be created");
+        } catch (final ConstraintViolationException e) {
+            // ok
+        }
+
+        try {
+            targetManagement.createTarget(entityFactory.target().create().controllerId("a b"));
+            fail("target with whitespaces in controller id should not be created");
+        } catch (final ConstraintViolationException e) {
+            // ok
+        }
+
+        try {
+            targetManagement.createTarget(entityFactory.target().create().controllerId("     "));
+            fail("target with whitespaces in controller id should not be created");
+        } catch (final ConstraintViolationException e) {
+            // ok
+        }
+
+        try {
+            targetManagement.createTarget(entityFactory.target().create().controllerId("aaa   bbb"));
+            fail("target with whitespaces in controller id should not be created");
+        } catch (final ConstraintViolationException e) {
+            // ok
+        }
+
+    }
+
     @Test
     @Description("Ensures that targets can assigned and unassigned to a target tag. Not exists target will be ignored for the assignment.")
     @ExpectEvents({ @Expect(type = TargetCreatedEvent.class, count = 4),
diff --git a/hawkbit-ui/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/ui/management/targettable/TargetAddUpdateWindowLayout.java b/hawkbit-ui/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/ui/management/targettable/TargetAddUpdateWindowLayout.java
index 478b7e17f..1495c1201 100644
--- a/hawkbit-ui/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/ui/management/targettable/TargetAddUpdateWindowLayout.java
+++ b/hawkbit-ui/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/ui/management/targettable/TargetAddUpdateWindowLayout.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import org.eclipse.hawkbit.ui.utils.UINotification;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.vaadin.spring.events.EventBus;
 
+import com.vaadin.data.validator.RegexpValidator;
 import com.vaadin.spring.annotation.SpringComponent;
 import com.vaadin.spring.annotation.ViewScope;
 import com.vaadin.ui.CustomComponent;
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ public class TargetAddUpdateWindowLayout extends CustomComponent {
 
     private void createRequiredComponents() {
         controllerIDTextField = createTextField("prompt.target.id", UIComponentIdProvider.TARGET_ADD_CONTROLLER_ID);
+        controllerIDTextField.addValidator(new RegexpValidator("[.\\S]*", i18n.get("message.target.whitespace.check")));
         nameTextField = createTextField("textfield.name", UIComponentIdProvider.TARGET_ADD_NAME);
         nameTextField.setRequired(false);
 
diff --git a/hawkbit-ui/src/main/resources/messages.properties b/hawkbit-ui/src/main/resources/messages.properties
index cf5b6aa05..c36a6e2bf 100644
--- a/hawkbit-ui/src/main/resources/messages.properties
+++ b/hawkbit-ui/src/main/resources/messages.properties
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ message.no.available = --No messages available--
 message.no.actionupdateds.available = No other updates available for this action
 message.mandatory.check = Mandatory details are missing
 message.target.duplicate.check = Target [ {0} ] must be unique, entered value already exists.
+message.target.whitespace.check = Please enter a valid controller ID with no whitespaces
 message.permission.insufficient = Insufficient permissions to perform this action.
 message.error.temp = The operation cannot be fulfilled due to {0}. Please contact administrator
 message.dist.alreadyassigned = {0} : {1} is already assigned/installed, cannot be updated