diff --git a/pkg/models/task_collection_filter.go b/pkg/models/task_collection_filter.go
index 7cabbeff9..7bea373de 100644
--- a/pkg/models/task_collection_filter.go
+++ b/pkg/models/task_collection_filter.go
@@ -362,7 +362,14 @@ func getNativeValueForTaskField(fieldName string, comparator taskFilterComparato
 
 	if realFieldName == "Assignees" || realFieldName == "Creator" {
 		vals := strings.Split(value, ",")
-		valueSlice := append([]string{}, vals...)
+		valueSlice := make([]string, 0, len(vals))
+		for _, val := range vals {
+			val = strings.TrimSpace(val)
+			if val == "" {
+				continue
+			}
+			valueSlice = append(valueSlice, val)
+		}
 		return nil, valueSlice, nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/models/task_collection_filter_test.go b/pkg/models/task_collection_filter_test.go
index b34f47bb0..d5544a743 100644
--- a/pkg/models/task_collection_filter_test.go
+++ b/pkg/models/task_collection_filter_test.go
@@ -238,6 +238,24 @@ func TestParseFilter(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, taskFilterComparatorIn, result[0].comparator)
 		assert.Equal(t, []string{"user1", "user6"}, result[0].value)
 	})
+	t.Run("creator usernames are trimmed of surrounding whitespace", func(t *testing.T) {
+		result, err := getTaskFiltersFromFilterString("creator in 'user1, user6'", "UTC")
+
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Len(t, result, 1)
+		assert.Equal(t, "creator", result[0].field)
+		assert.Equal(t, taskFilterComparatorIn, result[0].comparator)
+		assert.Equal(t, []string{"user1", "user6"}, result[0].value)
+	})
+	t.Run("creator usernames drop empty entries from stray commas", func(t *testing.T) {
+		result, err := getTaskFiltersFromFilterString("creator in 'user1, , user6,'", "UTC")
+
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Len(t, result, 1)
+		assert.Equal(t, "creator", result[0].field)
+		assert.Equal(t, taskFilterComparatorIn, result[0].comparator)
+		assert.Equal(t, []string{"user1", "user6"}, result[0].value)
+	})
 	t.Run("less than or equal comparator", func(t *testing.T) {
 		result, err := getTaskFiltersFromFilterString("percent_done <= 50", "UTC")