diff --git a/eeschema/dialogs/dialog_sheet_properties.cpp b/eeschema/dialogs/dialog_sheet_properties.cpp
index 4b6cf65477..56e3a54a58 100644
--- a/eeschema/dialogs/dialog_sheet_properties.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/dialogs/dialog_sheet_properties.cpp
@@ -209,9 +209,8 @@ bool DIALOG_SHEET_PROPERTIES::Validate()
     for( size_t i = SHEET_MANDATORY_FIELDS;  i < m_fields->size(); ++i )
     {
         SCH_FIELD& field = m_fields->at( i );
-        wxString   fieldName = field.GetName( false );
 
-        if( fieldName.IsEmpty() )
+        if( field.GetName( false ).empty() && !field.GetText().empty() )
         {
             DisplayErrorMessage( this, _( "Fields must have a name." ) );
 
@@ -363,7 +362,7 @@ bool DIALOG_SHEET_PROPERTIES::TransferDataFromWindow()
         SCH_FIELD&      field = m_fields->at( ii );
         const wxString& fieldName = field.GetCanonicalName();
 
-        if( fieldName.IsEmpty() && field.GetText().IsEmpty() )
+        if( field.IsEmpty() )
             m_fields->erase( m_fields->begin() + ii );
         else if( fieldName.IsEmpty() )
             field.SetName( _( "untitled" ) );
diff --git a/eeschema/sch_field.h b/eeschema/sch_field.h
index 4511c98153..57d75e99d1 100644
--- a/eeschema/sch_field.h
+++ b/eeschema/sch_field.h
@@ -140,6 +140,18 @@ public:
 
     wxString GetShownText( bool aAllowExtraText, int aDepth = 0 ) const override;
 
+    /**
+     * Return true if both the name and value of the field are empty.  Whitespace
+     * does not count as non-empty
+    */
+    bool IsEmpty()
+    {
+        wxString name( m_name );
+        wxString value( GetText() );
+
+        return name.Trim().empty() && value.Trim().empty();
+    }
+
     COLOR4D GetFieldColor() const;
 
     void SetLastResolvedState( const SCH_ITEM* aItem ) override