diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/db.py b/ckanext/datastore/db.py
index efb67a3c97b..568ac7be7a1 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/db.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/db.py
@@ -71,11 +71,13 @@ def _pluck(field, arr):
 def _is_valid_field_name(name):
     '''
     Check that field name is valid:
+    * can't start or end with whitespace characters
     * can't start with underscore
     * can't contain double quote (")
     * can't be empty
     '''
-    return name.strip() and not name.startswith('_') and not '"' in name
+    return (name and name == name.strip() and not name.startswith('_')
+            and not '"' in name)
 
 
 def _is_valid_table_name(name):
diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_create.py b/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_create.py
index 39dd2e91273..4a9d585cce6 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_create.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_create.py
@@ -305,39 +305,21 @@ def test_create_invalid_field_type(self):
 
     def test_create_invalid_field_name(self):
         resource = model.Package.get('annakarenina').resources[0]
-        data = {
-            'resource_id': resource.id,
-            'fields': [{'id': 'book', 'type': 'text'},
-                       {'id': '_author', 'type': 'text'}]
-        }
-        postparams = '%s=1' % json.dumps(data)
         auth = {'Authorization': str(self.sysadmin_user.apikey)}
-        res = self.app.post('/api/action/datastore_create', params=postparams,
-                            extra_environ=auth, status=409)
-        res_dict = json.loads(res.body)
-        assert res_dict['success'] is False
-
-        data = {
-            'resource_id': resource.id,
-            'fields': [{'id': 'book', 'type': 'text'},
-                       {'id': '"author', 'type': 'text'}]
-        }
-        postparams = '%s=1' % json.dumps(data)
-        res = self.app.post('/api/action/datastore_create', params=postparams,
-                            extra_environ=auth, status=409)
-        res_dict = json.loads(res.body)
-        assert res_dict['success'] is False
-
-        data = {
-            'resource_id': resource.id,
-            'fields': [{'id': 'book', 'type': 'text'},
-                       {'id': '', 'type': 'text'}]
-        }
-        postparams = '%s=1' % json.dumps(data)
-        res = self.app.post('/api/action/datastore_create', params=postparams,
-                            extra_environ=auth, status=409)
-        res_dict = json.loads(res.body)
-        assert res_dict['success'] is False
+        invalid_names = ['_author', '"author', '', ' author', 'author ',
+                         '\tauthor', 'author\n']
+
+        for field_name in invalid_names:
+            data = {
+                'resource_id': resource.id,
+                'fields': [{'id': 'book', 'type': 'text'},
+                           {'id': field_name, 'type': 'text'}]
+            }
+            postparams = '%s=1' % json.dumps(data)
+            res = self.app.post('/api/action/datastore_create', params=postparams,
+                                extra_environ=auth, status=409)
+            res_dict = json.loads(res.body)
+            assert res_dict['success'] is False
 
     def test_create_invalid_record_field(self):
         resource = model.Package.get('annakarenina').resources[0]