diff --git a/api/bots/zephyr_mirror.py b/api/bots/zephyr_mirror.py
index c40fec1e4f..6bb454c18e 100755
--- a/api/bots/zephyr_mirror.py
+++ b/api/bots/zephyr_mirror.py
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ web interface.
             print
 
 def valid_stream_name(name):
-    return True
+    return name != ""
 
 def parse_zephyr_subs(verbose=False):
     zephyr_subscriptions = set()
diff --git a/zephyr/views.py b/zephyr/views.py
index 8572302701..a7f9cbdf27 100644
--- a/zephyr/views.py
+++ b/zephyr/views.py
@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ def json_remove_subscription(request):
     return json_success({"data": sub_name})
 
 def valid_stream_name(name):
-    return True
+    return name != ""
 
 @login_required_api_view
 def api_subscribe(request, user_profile):