diff --git a/app/helpers/import_helper.rb b/app/helpers/import_helper.rb
index 4664b1728c4..c65f1565425 100644
--- a/app/helpers/import_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/import_helper.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ module ImportHelper
     false
   end
 
+  def sanitize_project_name(name)
+    name.gsub(/[^\w\-]/, '-')
+  end
+
   def import_project_target(owner, name)
     namespace = current_user.can_create_group? ? owner : current_user.namespace_path
     "#{namespace}/#{name}"
diff --git a/app/views/import/_githubish_status.html.haml b/app/views/import/_githubish_status.html.haml
index f0d1e837317..f4a29ed18dc 100644
--- a/app/views/import/_githubish_status.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/import/_githubish_status.html.haml
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
                   = text_field_tag :path, current_user.namespace_path, class: "input-group-text input-large form-control", tabindex: 1, disabled: true
               %span.input-group-prepend
                 .input-group-text /
-              = text_field_tag :path, repo.name, class: "input-mini form-control", tabindex: 2, autofocus: true, required: true
+              = text_field_tag :path, sanitize_project_name(repo.name), class: "input-mini form-control", tabindex: 2, autofocus: true, required: true
           %td.import-actions.job-status
             = button_tag class: "btn btn-import js-add-to-import" do
               = has_ci_cd_only_params? ? _('Connect') : _('Import')
diff --git a/app/views/import/bitbucket/status.html.haml b/app/views/import/bitbucket/status.html.haml
index a75b7aa9dd2..3b1b5e55302 100644
--- a/app/views/import/bitbucket/status.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/import/bitbucket/status.html.haml
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
                   = text_field_tag :path, current_user.namespace_path, class: "input-group-text input-large form-control", tabindex: 1, disabled: true
               %span.input-group-prepend
                 .input-group-text /
-              = text_field_tag :path, repo.name, class: "input-mini form-control", tabindex: 2, autofocus: true, required: true
+              = text_field_tag :path, sanitize_project_name(repo.slug), class: "input-mini form-control", tabindex: 2, autofocus: true, required: true
           %td.import-actions.job-status
             = button_tag class: 'btn btn-import js-add-to-import' do
               = _('Import')
diff --git a/app/views/import/bitbucket_server/status.html.haml b/app/views/import/bitbucket_server/status.html.haml
index 3d05a5e696f..ae09e0dfa18 100644
--- a/app/views/import/bitbucket_server/status.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/import/bitbucket_server/status.html.haml
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
                   = text_field_tag :path, current_user.namespace_path, class: "input-group-text input-large form-control", tabindex: 1, disabled: true
               %span.input-group-prepend
                 .input-group-text /
-              = text_field_tag :path, repo.name, class: "input-mini form-control", tabindex: 2, autofocus: true, required: true
+              = text_field_tag :path, sanitize_project_name(repo.slug), class: "input-mini form-control", tabindex: 2, autofocus: true, required: true
           %td.import-actions.job-status
             = button_tag class: 'btn btn-import js-add-to-import' do
               Import
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/sh-sanitize-project-import-names.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/sh-sanitize-project-import-names.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6e0284bda08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/sh-sanitize-project-import-names.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Use slugs for default project path and sanitize names before import
+merge_request: 21367
+author:
+type: fixed
diff --git a/qa/qa/page/project/import/github.rb b/qa/qa/page/project/import/github.rb
index 36567927194..1a410a0f8a5 100644
--- a/qa/qa/page/project/import/github.rb
+++ b/qa/qa/page/project/import/github.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ module QA
             element :project_import_row, 'data: { qa: { repo_path: repo.full_name } }'
             element :project_namespace_select
             element :project_namespace_field, 'select_tag :namespace_id'
-            element :project_path_field, 'text_field_tag :path, repo.name'
+            element :project_path_field, 'text_field_tag :path, sanitize_project_name(repo.name)'
             element :import_button, "_('Import')"
           end
 
diff --git a/spec/helpers/import_helper_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/import_helper_spec.rb
index 033155617c6..cb0ea4e26ba 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/import_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/import_helper_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,16 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 describe ImportHelper do
+  describe '#sanitize_project_name' do
+    it 'removes whitespace' do
+      expect(helper.sanitize_project_name('my test repo')).to eq('my-test-repo')
+    end
+
+    it 'removes disallowed characters' do
+      expect(helper.sanitize_project_name('Test&me$over*h_ere')).to eq('Test-me-over-h_ere')
+    end
+  end
+
   describe '#import_project_target' do
     let(:user) { create(:user) }