diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 43276ea..d8ad6f2 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ this is the base site
 
 <script>
     document.getElementById("btn_register").onclick = function (e) {
-        let username = document.getElementById("username").value;
+        let username = document.getElementById("username");
 
-        window.location.replace(`register/${encodeURIComponent(username)}`)
+        window.location.replace(`register/${encodeURIComponent(username.value || username.placeholder)}`)
     };
 </script>
 </body>
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index a9662af..fcc9573 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ async def handler(request):
     return aiohttp.web.FileResponse('index.html')
 
 
-@routes.get('/register/{username}')
+@routes.get('/register/{username:.+}')
 async def handler(request):
     model = request.app['model']
     username = request.match_info.get('username', 'Joe')