diff --git a/app.rb b/app.rb
index 5c5bd875..06e3a727 100644
--- a/app.rb
+++ b/app.rb
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ end
 
 get '/new' do
   dashboard_if_signed_in
-  @site = Site.new username: params[:username]
+  @site = Site.new
+  @site.username = params[:username] unless params[:username].nil?
   slim :'new'
 end
 
diff --git a/public/sites/.gitignore b/public/sites/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 72e8ffc0..00000000
--- a/public/sites/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-*