diff --git a/common/locales/en/challenge.json b/common/locales/en/challenge.json
index 7504e2ad9c2..0fb8982246a 100644
--- a/common/locales/en/challenge.json
+++ b/common/locales/en/challenge.json
@@ -78,5 +78,6 @@
     "userTasksNoChallengeId": "When \"tasksOwner\" is \"user\" \"challengeId\" can't be passed.",
     "onlyChalLeaderEditTasks": "Tasks belonging to a challenge can only be edited by the leader.",
     "userAlreadyInChallenge": "User is already participating in this challenge.",
-    "cantOnlyUnlinkChalTask": "Only broken challenges tasks can be unlinked."
+    "cantOnlyUnlinkChalTask": "Only broken challenges tasks can be unlinked.",
+    "shortNameTooShort": "Short Name must have at least 3 characters."
 }
diff --git a/test/api/v3/integration/challenges/POST-challenges.test.js b/test/api/v3/integration/challenges/POST-challenges.test.js
index 283db9333ec..a97578eef5a 100644
--- a/test/api/v3/integration/challenges/POST-challenges.test.js
+++ b/test/api/v3/integration/challenges/POST-challenges.test.js
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
       let chal = await groupMember.post('/challenges', {
         group: group._id,
         name: 'Test Challenge',
-        shortName: 'TC',
+        shortName: 'TC Label',
       });
 
       expect(chal.leader).to.eql({
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
       await groupLeader.post('/challenges', {
         group: group._id,
         name: 'Test Challenge',
-        shortName: 'TC',
+        shortName: 'TC Label',
         prize: 0,
       });
 
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
       await expect(groupLeader.post('/challenges', {
         group: group._id,
         name: 'Test Challenge',
-        shortName: 'TC',
+        shortName: 'TC Label',
         prize: 20,
       })).to.eventually.be.rejected.and.eql({
         code: 401,
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
       await groupLeader.post('/challenges', {
         group: group._id,
         name: 'Test Challenge',
-        shortName: 'TC',
+        shortName: 'TC Label',
         prize,
       });
 
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
       await groupLeader.post('/challenges', {
         group: group._id,
         name: 'Test Challenge',
-        shortName: 'TC',
+        shortName: 'TC Label',
         prize,
       });
 
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
       await groupLeader.post('/challenges', {
         group: group._id,
         name: 'Test Challenge',
-        shortName: 'TC',
+        shortName: 'TC Label',
         prize,
       });
 
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
       await groupLeader.post('/challenges', {
         group: group._id,
         name: 'Test Challenge',
-        shortName: 'TC',
+        shortName: 'TC Label',
       });
 
       await expect(group.sync()).to.eventually.have.property('challengeCount', oldChallengeCount + 1);
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
       let challenge = await groupLeader.post('/challenges', {
         group: group._id,
         name: 'Test Challenge',
-        shortName: 'TC',
+        shortName: 'TC Label',
         official: true,
       });
 
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
       let challenge = await groupLeader.post('/challenges', {
         group: group._id,
         name: 'Test Challenge',
-        shortName: 'TC',
+        shortName: 'TC Label',
         official: true,
       });
 
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
 
     it('sets all properites of the challenge as passed', async () => {
       let name = 'Test Challenge';
-      let shortName = 'TC';
+      let shortName = 'TC Label';
       let description = 'Test Description';
       let prize = 4;
 
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ describe('POST /challenges', () => {
       let challenge = await groupLeader.post('/challenges', {
         group: group._id,
         name: 'Test Challenge',
-        shortName: 'TC',
+        shortName: 'TC Label',
       });
 
       await expect(groupLeader.sync()).to.eventually.have.property('challenges').to.include(challenge._id);
diff --git a/test/spec/controllers/challengesCtrlSpec.js b/test/spec/controllers/challengesCtrlSpec.js
index 641df26a253..ec63ee20c4f 100644
--- a/test/spec/controllers/challengesCtrlSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/controllers/challengesCtrlSpec.js
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ describe('Challenges Controller', function() {
       it("opens an alert box if challenge.group is not specified", function() {
         var challenge = specHelper.newChallenge({
           name: 'Challenge without a group',
+          shortName: 'chal without group',
           group: null
         });
 
@@ -356,6 +357,7 @@ describe('Challenges Controller', function() {
       it("opens an alert box if isNew and user does not have enough gems", function() {
         var challenge = specHelper.newChallenge({
           name: 'Challenge without enough gems',
+          shortName: 'chal without gem',
           prize: 5
         });
 
@@ -372,6 +374,7 @@ describe('Challenges Controller', function() {
         var challenge = specHelper.newChallenge({
           _id: 'challenge-has-id-so-its-not-new',
           name: 'Challenge without enough gems',
+          shortName: 'chal without gem',
           prize: 5,
         });
 
@@ -385,6 +388,7 @@ describe('Challenges Controller', function() {
       it("saves the challenge if user has enough gems and challenge is new", function() {
         var challenge = specHelper.newChallenge({
           name: 'Challenge without enough gems',
+          shortName: 'chal without gem',
           prize: 5,
         });
 
@@ -400,6 +404,7 @@ describe('Challenges Controller', function() {
 
         var challenge = specHelper.newChallenge({
           name: 'Challenge',
+          shortName: 'chal',
         });
 
         setTimeout(function() {
@@ -419,6 +424,7 @@ describe('Challenges Controller', function() {
 
       it('saves new challenge and syncs User', function(done) {
         var challenge = specHelper.newChallenge();
+        challenge.shortName = 'chal';
 
         setTimeout(function() {
           expect(User.sync).to.be.calledOnce;
@@ -432,6 +438,7 @@ describe('Challenges Controller', function() {
         sinon.stub(notification, 'text');
 
         var challenge = specHelper.newChallenge();
+        challenge.shortName = 'chal';
 
         setTimeout(function() {
           expect(notification.text).to.be.calledOnce;
diff --git a/website/client/js/controllers/challengesCtrl.js b/website/client/js/controllers/challengesCtrl.js
index aa36cb32a89..bcc62eca726 100644
--- a/website/client/js/controllers/challengesCtrl.js
+++ b/website/client/js/controllers/challengesCtrl.js
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ habitrpg.controller("ChallengesCtrl", ['$rootScope','$scope', 'Shared', 'User',
     $scope.save = function(challenge) {
       if (!challenge.group) return alert(window.env.t('selectGroup'));
 
+      if (!challenge.shortName || challenge.shortName.length < 3) return alert(window.env.t('shortNameTooShort'));
+
       var isNew = !challenge._id;
 
       if(isNew && challenge.prize > $scope.maxPrize) {
diff --git a/website/server/models/challenge.js b/website/server/models/challenge.js
index b12cea1dd88..9901af0e793 100644
--- a/website/server/models/challenge.js
+++ b/website/server/models/challenge.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ let Schema = mongoose.Schema;
 
 let schema = new Schema({
   name: {type: String, required: true},
-  shortName: {type: String, required: true},
+  shortName: {type: String, required: true, minlength: 3},
   description: String,
   official: {type: Boolean, default: false},
   tasksOrder: {
diff --git a/website/views/options/social/challenges.jade b/website/views/options/social/challenges.jade
index ac5c71fd4c2..ab84189f6f6 100644
--- a/website/views/options/social/challenges.jade
+++ b/website/views/options/social/challenges.jade
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ script(type='text/ng-template', id='partials/options.social.challenges.html')
 
               .row
                 .form-group.col-md-6.col-sm-12
-                  input.form-control(type='text', minlength="3",
+                  input.form-control(type='text',
                     ng-model='newChallenge.shortName', placeholder=env.t('challengeTag'), required
                     ng-disabled='insufficientGemsForTavernChallenge()')
                   |&nbsp;