diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/util.ts b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/util.ts
index 38718f7af..f2055a48e 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/util.ts
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/util.ts
@@ -6,3 +6,35 @@ export const pick = <T, K extends keyof T>(obj: T, keys: K[]): Pick<T, K> =>
     },
     {} as Pick<T, K>,
   );
+
+export const removeEmptyStrings = <T>(obj: T): T => {
+  if (obj === null || obj === undefined) {
+    return obj;
+  }
+
+  if (typeof obj === "string") {
+    return obj;
+  }
+
+  if (Array.isArray(obj)) {
+    return obj.map((item) => removeEmptyStrings(item)) as T;
+  }
+
+  if (typeof obj === "object") {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+    const result: any = {};
+    for (const key in obj) {
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-prototype-builtins
+      if (obj.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
+        const value = obj[key];
+        if (value !== "") {
+          result[key] = removeEmptyStrings(value);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  return obj;
+};
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/workflows/AddMachine/AddMachine.tsx b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/workflows/AddMachine/AddMachine.tsx
index 1676cbcab..585514903 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/workflows/AddMachine/AddMachine.tsx
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/workflows/AddMachine/AddMachine.tsx
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export interface AddMachineProps {
 export interface AddMachineStoreType {
   general: GeneralForm;
   deploy: {
-    targetHost: string;
+    targetHost?: string;
   };
   tags: {
     tags: string[];
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/workflows/AddMachine/StepTags.tsx b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/workflows/AddMachine/StepTags.tsx
index 4cc0fb840..1cdbb3f5b 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/workflows/AddMachine/StepTags.tsx
+++ b/pkgs/clan-app/ui/src/workflows/AddMachine/StepTags.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { MachineTags } from "@/src/components/Form/MachineTags";
 import { Button } from "@/src/components/Button/Button";
 import { useApiClient } from "@/src/hooks/ApiClient";
 import { useClanURI } from "@/src/hooks/clan";
+import { removeEmptyStrings } from "@/src/util";
 
 const TagsSchema = v.object({
   tags: v.array(v.string()),
@@ -41,16 +42,20 @@ export const StepTags = (props: { onDone: () => void }) => {
       ...values,
     }));
 
+    const machine = removeEmptyStrings({
+      ...store.general,
+      ...store.tags,
+      deploy: store.deploy,
+    });
+
+    console.log("machine", machine);
+
     const call = apiClient.fetch("create_machine", {
       opts: {
         clan_dir: {
           identifier: clanURI,
         },
-        machine: {
-          ...store.general,
-          ...store.tags,
-          deploy: store.deploy,
-        },
+        machine,
       },
     });