diff --git a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-instance.ts b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-instance.ts
index 0a60316170..c7df9ee588 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-instance.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-instance.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export default class extends Endpoint<typeof meta, typeof paramDef> { // eslint-
 			const instance = await this.federatedInstanceService.fetchOrRegister(ps.host);
 
 			// Collapse empty strings to null
-			const newCW = ps.cw || null;
+			const newCW = ps.cw?.trim() || null;
 			const oldCW = instance.mandatoryCW;
 
 			// Skip if there's nothing to do
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-note.ts b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-note.ts
index e036c2e530..01f6ffb019 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-note.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-note.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ export default class extends Endpoint<typeof meta, typeof paramDef> { // eslint-
 			}) as MiNote & { user: MiUser };
 
 			// Collapse empty strings to null
-			const newCW = ps.cw || null;
+			const newCW = ps.cw?.trim() || null;
 			const oldCW = note.mandatoryCW;
 
 			// Skip if there's nothing to do
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-user.ts b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-user.ts
index a42a83f4c6..7dcec85ef9 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-user.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/admin/cw-user.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export default class extends Endpoint<typeof meta, typeof paramDef> { // eslint-
 			const user = await this.cacheService.findUserById(ps.userId);
 
 			// Collapse empty strings to null
-			const newCW = ps.cw || null;
+			const newCW = ps.cw?.trim() || null;
 			const oldCW = user.mandatoryCW;
 
 			// Skip if there's nothing to do