diff --git a/app/src/app/workspaces/create-workspace.tsx b/app/src/app/workspaces/create-workspace.tsx
index 60a21e5..e9aabe2 100644
--- a/app/src/app/workspaces/create-workspace.tsx
+++ b/app/src/app/workspaces/create-workspace.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export function CreateWorkspace() {
   const [
     createWorkspaceQueryState,
     createWorkspaceMutation,
-  ] = useMutation((name: string) => createWorkspace({ name }));
+  ] = useMutation((name: string) => createWorkspace({ name, samples: [] }));
 
   const [needsNotify, setNeedsNotify] = useState(true);
 
diff --git a/web/src/SAP/src/repositories/workspaces.py b/web/src/SAP/src/repositories/workspaces.py
index 5f8e342..4ef5e21 100644
--- a/web/src/SAP/src/repositories/workspaces.py
+++ b/web/src/SAP/src/repositories/workspaces.py
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ def create_workspace(user: str, workspace: CreateWorkspace):
     conn = get_connection()
     db = conn[DB_NAME]
     workspaces = db[WORKSPACES_COL_NAME]
+
+    if workspace.samples is None:
+        workspace.samples = []
+        
     record = {**workspace.to_dict(), "created_by": user}
     return workspaces.update_one({'created_by': user, 'name': workspace.name}, {"$set": record}, upsert=True)