diff --git a/src/encord_active/lib/coco/importer.py b/src/encord_active/lib/coco/importer.py
index 445f6f28e..26772cd21 100644
--- a/src/encord_active/lib/coco/importer.py
+++ b/src/encord_active/lib/coco/importer.py
@@ -161,8 +161,9 @@ def __init__(
         self.category_shapes = _infer_category_shapes(self.annotations)
         self.id_mappings: Dict[Tuple[int, Shape], int] = {}
 
-        title = self.info.description.replace(" ", "-")
-        self.title = f"[EA] {title}"
+        title = self.info.description or "new project"
+        self.title = f"[EA] {title}".replace(" ", "-")
+
         self.project_dir = destination_dir / self.title
 
         self.user_client = LocalUserClient(self.project_dir)