diff --git a/app/models/profile.rb b/app/models/profile.rb
index 661d42920..579dd2208 100644
--- a/app/models/profile.rb
+++ b/app/models/profile.rb
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class Profile < ActiveRecord::Base
   # Constructs a full name by joining #first_name and #last_name
   # @return [String] A full name
   def construct_full_name
-    self.full_name = [self.first_name, self.last_name].join(' ').downcase
+    self.full_name = [self.first_name, self.last_name].join(' ').downcase.strip
     self.full_name
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/models/profile_spec.rb b/spec/models/profile_spec.rb
index 00996fef5..81a816674 100644
--- a/spec/models/profile_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/profile_spec.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,26 @@ describe Profile do
     end
 
     describe '#contruct_full_name' do
+      it 'generates a full name given only first name' do
+        profile = Factory(:person).profile
+        profile.first_name = "casimiro"
+        profile.last_name = nil
+
+        profile.full_name.should_not == "casimiro"
+        profile.save
+        profile.full_name.should == "casimiro"
+      end
+
+      it 'generates a full name given only last name' do
+        profile = Factory(:person).profile
+        profile.first_name = nil
+        profile.last_name = "grippi"
+
+        profile.full_name.should_not == "grippi"
+        profile.save
+        profile.full_name.should == "grippi"
+      end
+
       it 'generates a full name given first and last names' do
         profile = Factory(:person).profile
         profile.first_name = "casimiro"