diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Setup/Controllers/SetupController.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Setup/Controllers/SetupController.cs
index f8812fdf7..a4061dc14 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Setup/Controllers/SetupController.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Setup/Controllers/SetupController.cs
@@ -81,6 +81,13 @@ namespace Orchard.Setup.Controllers {
                 ModelState.AddModelError("ConfirmPassword", T("Password confirmation must match").ToString());
             }
 
+            if(!String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(model.DatabaseTablePrefix)) {
+                model.DatabaseTablePrefix = model.DatabaseTablePrefix.Trim();
+                if(!Char.IsLetter(model.DatabaseTablePrefix[0])) {
+                    ModelState.AddModelError("DatabaseTablePrefix", T("The table prefix must begin with a letter").Text);
+                }
+            }
+
             ValidateMachineKey();
 
             if (!ModelState.IsValid) {