diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.ContentTypes/Controllers/AdminController.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.ContentTypes/Controllers/AdminController.cs
index 8956266f8..4617215a7 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.ContentTypes/Controllers/AdminController.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.ContentTypes/Controllers/AdminController.cs
@@ -326,8 +326,8 @@ namespace Orchard.ContentTypes.Controllers {
             if (partViewModel == null) {
                 //id passed in might be that of a type w/ no implicit field
                 if (typeViewModel != null) {
-                    partViewModel = new EditPartViewModel { Name = typeViewModel.Name };
-                    _contentDefinitionService.AddPart(new CreatePartViewModel { Name = partViewModel.Name });
+                    partViewModel = new EditPartViewModel {Name = typeViewModel.Name};
+                    _contentDefinitionService.AddPart(new CreatePartViewModel {Name = partViewModel.Name});
                     _contentDefinitionService.AddPartToType(partViewModel.Name, typeViewModel.Name);
                 }
                 else {
@@ -341,7 +341,14 @@ namespace Orchard.ContentTypes.Controllers {
                 return AddFieldTo(id);
             }
 
-            _contentDefinitionService.AddFieldToPart(viewModel.DisplayName, viewModel.FieldTypeName, partViewModel.Name);
+            try {
+                _contentDefinitionService.AddFieldToPart(viewModel.DisplayName, viewModel.FieldTypeName, partViewModel.Name);
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex) {
+                Services.Notifier.Information(T("The \"{0}\" field was not added. {1}", viewModel.DisplayName, ex.Message));
+                Services.TransactionManager.Cancel();
+                return AddFieldTo(id);
+            }
 
             if (!ModelState.IsValid) {
                 Services.TransactionManager.Cancel();
diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.ContentTypes/Services/ContentDefinitionService.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.ContentTypes/Services/ContentDefinitionService.cs
index 39fe4567a..d00d99d7b 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.ContentTypes/Services/ContentDefinitionService.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.ContentTypes/Services/ContentDefinitionService.cs
@@ -210,9 +210,11 @@ namespace Orchard.ContentTypes.Services {
 
         public void AddFieldToPart(string fieldName, string fieldTypeName, string partName) {
             fieldName = SafeName(fieldName);
-            _contentDefinitionManager.AlterPartDefinition(partName, partBuilder => 
-                partBuilder.WithField(fieldName, fieldBuilder => fieldBuilder.OfType(fieldTypeName))
-            );
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(fieldName)) {
+                throw new OrchardException(T("Fields must have a name containing no spaces or symbols."));
+            }
+            _contentDefinitionManager.AlterPartDefinition(partName,
+                partBuilder => partBuilder.WithField(fieldName, fieldBuilder => fieldBuilder.OfType(fieldTypeName)));
         }
 
         public void RemoveFieldFromPart(string fieldName, string partName) {