diff --git a/packages/code-link-cli/src/utils/project.test.ts b/packages/code-link-cli/src/utils/project.test.ts
index 6e4a98696..fa7b3a3bf 100644
--- a/packages/code-link-cli/src/utils/project.test.ts
+++ b/packages/code-link-cli/src/utils/project.test.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ describe("toDirectoryName", () => {
         expect(toDirectoryName(" -Project")).toBe("Project")
         expect(toDirectoryName("Project- ")).toBe("Project")
     })
+
+    it("handles emoji prefixed names", () => {
+        expect(toDirectoryName("🧠 Logic")).toBe("Logic")
+        expect(toDirectoryName("🎨 Design System")).toBe("Design System")
+    })
 })
 
 describe("findOrCreateProjectDirectory", () => {
diff --git a/packages/code-link-cli/src/utils/project.ts b/packages/code-link-cli/src/utils/project.ts
index 497ef0096..f88d19d24 100644
--- a/packages/code-link-cli/src/utils/project.ts
+++ b/packages/code-link-cli/src/utils/project.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export function toDirectoryName(name: string): string {
         .replace(/[^a-zA-Z0-9 -]/g, "-")
         .trim()
         .replace(/^-+|-+$/g, "")
+        .trim()
         .replace(/-+/g, "-")
 }