diff --git a/ui/src/app/shared/utils.ts b/ui/src/app/shared/utils.ts
index cf872f1587d5..123e0a47cef1 100644
--- a/ui/src/app/shared/utils.ts
+++ b/ui/src/app/shared/utils.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,14 @@ export const Utils = {
     },
 
     get managedNamespace() {
-        return localStorage.getItem(managedNamespaceKey);
+        return this.fixLocalStorageString(localStorage.getItem(managedNamespaceKey));
+    },
+
+    fixLocalStorageString(x: string): string {
+        // empty string is valid, so we cannot use `truthy`
+        if (x !== null && x !== 'null' && x !== 'undefined') {
+            return x;
+        }
     },
 
     onNamespaceChange(value: string) {
@@ -99,7 +106,7 @@ export const Utils = {
 
     get currentNamespace() {
         // we always prefer the managed namespace
-        return this.managedNamespace || localStorage.getItem(currentNamespaceKey);
+        return this.managedNamespace || this.fixLocalStorageString(localStorage.getItem(currentNamespaceKey));
     },
 
     // return a namespace, favoring managed namespace when set