diff --git a/src/pages/Facility/settings/activityDefinition/ActivityDefinitionForm.tsx b/src/pages/Facility/settings/activityDefinition/ActivityDefinitionForm.tsx
index 53f0781ce97..c8b0611402c 100644
--- a/src/pages/Facility/settings/activityDefinition/ActivityDefinitionForm.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Facility/settings/activityDefinition/ActivityDefinitionForm.tsx
@@ -129,13 +129,14 @@ function ActivityDefinitionFormContent({
   const { t } = useTranslation();
 
   const formSchema = z.object({
-    title: z.string().min(1, t("field_required")),
+    title: z.string().trim().min(1, t("field_required")),
     slug_value: z
       .string()
+      .trim()
       .min(5, t("character_count_validation", { min: 5, max: 25 }))
       .max(25, t("character_count_validation", { min: 5, max: 25 })),
-    description: z.string().min(1, t("field_required")),
-    usage: z.string().min(1, t("field_required")),
+    description: z.string().trim().min(1, t("field_required")),
+    usage: z.string().trim().min(1, t("field_required")),
     derived_from_uri: z.string().nullable(),
     status: z.nativeEnum(Status),
     classification: z.nativeEnum(Classification),
diff --git a/src/pages/Facility/settings/observationDefinition/ObservationDefinitionForm.tsx b/src/pages/Facility/settings/observationDefinition/ObservationDefinitionForm.tsx
index 4298316299e..2c37e49f34b 100644
--- a/src/pages/Facility/settings/observationDefinition/ObservationDefinitionForm.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Facility/settings/observationDefinition/ObservationDefinitionForm.tsx
@@ -140,12 +140,13 @@ function ObservationDefinitionFormContent({
 
   const formSchema = z
     .object({
-      title: z.string().min(1, t("field_required")),
+      title: z.string().trim().min(1, t("field_required")),
       slug_value: z
         .string()
+        .trim()
         .min(5, t("character_count_validation", { min: 5, max: 25 }))
         .max(25, t("character_count_validation", { min: 5, max: 25 })),
-      description: z.string().min(1, t("field_required")),
+      description: z.string().trim().min(1, t("field_required")),
       status: z.nativeEnum(ObservationDefinitionStatus),
       category: z.enum(
         OBSERVATION_DEFINITION_CATEGORY as [string, ...string[]],
diff --git a/src/pages/Facility/settings/specimen-definitions/SpecimenDefinitionForm.tsx b/src/pages/Facility/settings/specimen-definitions/SpecimenDefinitionForm.tsx
index 95bf1131687..2d4afe15810 100644
--- a/src/pages/Facility/settings/specimen-definitions/SpecimenDefinitionForm.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Facility/settings/specimen-definitions/SpecimenDefinitionForm.tsx
@@ -179,13 +179,14 @@ function SpecimenDefinitionFormContent({
   const isEditMode = Boolean(specimenSlug);
 
   const formSchema = z.object({
-    title: z.string().min(1, t("field_required")),
+    title: z.string().trim().min(1, t("field_required")),
     slug_value: z
       .string()
+      .trim()
       .min(5, t("character_count_validation", { min: 5, max: 25 }))
       .max(25, t("character_count_validation", { min: 5, max: 25 })),
     status: z.nativeEnum(SpecimenDefinitionStatus),
-    description: z.string().min(1, t("field_required")),
+    description: z.string().trim().min(1, t("field_required")),
     derived_from_uri: z
       .string()
       .url({ message: t("field_required") })
diff --git a/tests/facility/settings/activityDefinition/activityDefinitionCreate.spec.ts b/tests/facility/settings/activityDefinition/activityDefinitionCreate.spec.ts
index 3fc0a13b660..ea278376ecf 100644
--- a/tests/facility/settings/activityDefinition/activityDefinitionCreate.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/facility/settings/activityDefinition/activityDefinitionCreate.spec.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ import {
   createActivityDefinition,
   RESOURCE_CATEGORY_SLUG,
 } from "tests/facility/settings/activityDefinition/activityDefinition";
-import { getFieldErrorMessage } from "tests/helper/error";
+import {
+  expectWhitespaceRejected,
+  getFieldErrorMessage,
+} from "tests/helper/error";
 import { getCardByTitle } from "tests/helper/ui";
 import { getFacilityId } from "tests/support/facilityId";
 
@@ -60,6 +63,24 @@ test.describe("activity definition form", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  test("should reject whitespace-only required text fields", async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    await page.goto(
+      `/facility/${facilityId}/settings/activity_definitions/categories/f-${facilityId}-${RESOURCE_CATEGORY_SLUG}/new`,
+    );
+
+    // title, description and usage are all trimmed before the required check.
+    await expectWhitespaceRejected(
+      [
+        page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Title *" }),
+        page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Description *" }),
+        page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Usage *" }),
+      ],
+      () => page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create" }).click(),
+    );
+  });
+
   test("should create activity definition with required fields", async ({
     page,
   }) => {
diff --git a/tests/facility/settings/observationDefinition/observationDefinition.spec.ts b/tests/facility/settings/observationDefinition/observationDefinition.spec.ts
index d22d3c9cb3a..846ee03adca 100644
--- a/tests/facility/settings/observationDefinition/observationDefinition.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/facility/settings/observationDefinition/observationDefinition.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { faker } from "@faker-js/faker";
 
 import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
+import { expectWhitespaceRejected } from "tests/helper/error";
 import { getFacilityId } from "tests/support/facilityId";
 
 const UNITS = [
@@ -201,6 +202,19 @@ test.describe("Observation Definition Form with Interpretation", () => {
     await page.goto(targetUrl);
   });
 
+  test("should reject whitespace-only required text fields", async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    // title and description are both trimmed before the required check.
+    await expectWhitespaceRejected(
+      [
+        page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Title" }),
+        page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Description" }),
+      ],
+      () => page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create" }).click(),
+    );
+  });
+
   test("should create observation definition with root-level interpretation", async ({
     page,
   }) => {
diff --git a/tests/facility/settings/specimenDefinitions/specimenDefinitionCreate.spec.ts b/tests/facility/settings/specimenDefinitions/specimenDefinitionCreate.spec.ts
index 898fa6032b6..05346e785d2 100644
--- a/tests/facility/settings/specimenDefinitions/specimenDefinitionCreate.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/facility/settings/specimenDefinitions/specimenDefinitionCreate.spec.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ import {
   STATUS_OPTIONS,
   typeCollectedOptions,
 } from "tests/facility/settings/specimenDefinitions/specimenDefinitionConstants";
-import { getFieldErrorMessage } from "tests/helper/error";
+import {
+  expectWhitespaceRejected,
+  getFieldErrorMessage,
+} from "tests/helper/error";
 import { getFacilityId } from "tests/support/facilityId";
 
 // Use the authenticated state
@@ -43,6 +46,23 @@ test.describe("Specimen Definitions Create", () => {
     await page.goto(targetUrl);
   });
 
+  test("should reject whitespace-only required text fields", async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Add Definition" }).click();
+
+    // title and description are both trimmed before the required check.
+    await expectWhitespaceRejected(
+      [
+        // "Title *" / "Description *" target the required fields specifically;
+        // the form also has a nested optional "Description" (container) field.
+        page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Title *" }),
+        page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Description *" }),
+      ],
+      () => page.getByRole("button", { name: /save/i }).click(),
+    );
+  });
+
   test("should create specimen definition with all fields", async ({
     page,
   }) => {
diff --git a/tests/helper/error.ts b/tests/helper/error.ts
index d3aa01d2aad..beee403ce5f 100644
--- a/tests/helper/error.ts
+++ b/tests/helper/error.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { Locator } from "@playwright/test";
+import { expect, type Locator } from "@playwright/test";
 
 /**
  * Gets the error message element for a form field.
@@ -16,3 +16,35 @@ import type { Locator } from "@playwright/test";
 export function getFieldErrorMessage(fieldLocator: Locator): Locator {
   return fieldLocator.locator("..").locator('[data-slot="form-message"]');
 }
+
+/**
+ * Fills the given required text fields with whitespace-only input, submits the
+ * form, and asserts each field shows its required-field error message — i.e.
+ * that the schema trims the value before the `.min(1)` check.
+ *
+ * @param fields - Required free-text field locators (textboxes/textareas)
+ * @param submit - Action that submits the form (e.g. clicking Create/Save)
+ * @param expectedError - Text/regex the field error must contain
+ *   (default: `/required/i`, matching "This field is required")
+ *
+ * @example
+ * await expectWhitespaceRejected(
+ *   [page.getByRole("textbox", { name: /^Title\b/ })],
+ *   () => page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create" }).click(),
+ * );
+ */
+export async function expectWhitespaceRejected(
+  fields: Locator[],
+  submit: () => Promise<void>,
+  expectedError: string | RegExp = /required/i,
+): Promise<void> {
+  for (const field of fields) {
+    await field.fill("   ");
+  }
+  await submit();
+  for (const field of fields) {
+    const error = getFieldErrorMessage(field);
+    await expect(error).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(error).toContainText(expectedError);
+  }
+}