diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailredirects/models.py b/wagtail/wagtailredirects/models.py
index 88d40c23e..48a43346a 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailredirects/models.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailredirects/models.py
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ class Redirect(models.Model):
 
     @staticmethod
     def normalise_path(url):
+        # Strip whitespace
+        url = url.strip()
+
         # Parse url
         url_parsed = urlparse(url)
 
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailredirects/tests.py b/wagtail/wagtailredirects/tests.py
index 884ceb681..402100dec 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailredirects/tests.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailredirects/tests.py
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ class TestRedirects(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(path, normalise_path('Hello/world.html/?foo=Bar&Baz=quux2')) # Trailing slashes are ignored
         self.assertEqual(path, normalise_path('/Hello/world.html?foo=Bar&Baz=quux2#cool')) # Fragments are ignored
         self.assertEqual(path, normalise_path('/Hello/world.html?Baz=quux2&foo=Bar')) # Order of query string parameters are ignored
+        self.assertEqual(path, normalise_path('  /Hello/world.html?foo=Bar&Baz=quux2')) # Leading whitespace
+        self.assertEqual(path, normalise_path('/Hello/world.html?foo=Bar&Baz=quux2  ')) # Trailing whitespace
 
         # Test against different paths
         self.assertNotEqual(path, normalise_path('/hello/world.html?foo=Bar&Baz=quux2')) # 'hello' is lowercase
@@ -119,6 +121,7 @@ class TestRedirectsAddView(TestCase, WagtailTestUtils):
         redirects = models.Redirect.objects.filter(old_path='/test')
         self.assertEqual(redirects.count(), 1)
         self.assertEqual(redirects.first().redirect_link, 'http://www.test.com/')
+        self.assertEqual(redirects.first().site, None)
 
     def test_add_validation_error(self):
         response = self.post({
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailredirects/views.py b/wagtail/wagtailredirects/views.py
index 1f34197fb..c07a7a28a 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailredirects/views.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailredirects/views.py
@@ -108,9 +108,7 @@ def add(request):
     if request.POST:
         form = form_class(request.POST, request.FILES)
         if form.is_valid():
-            theredirect = form.save(commit=False)
-            theredirect.site = request.site
-            theredirect.save()
+            theredirect = form.save()
 
             messages.success(request, _("Redirect '{0}' added.").format(theredirect.title), buttons=[
                 messages.button(reverse('wagtailredirects:edit', args=(theredirect.id,)), _('Edit'))