diff --git a/src/projects/detail/ProjectDetail.jsx b/src/projects/detail/ProjectDetail.jsx
index c04dc9162..87b59ed93 100644
--- a/src/projects/detail/ProjectDetail.jsx
+++ b/src/projects/detail/ProjectDetail.jsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { loadProjectDashboard } from '../actions/projectDashboard'
 import { clearLoadedProject } from '../actions/project'
 import { acceptOrRefuseInvite } from '../actions/projectMember'
 import { loadProjects } from '../actions/loadProjects'
+import { getEmptyProjectObject } from '../reducers/project'
 
 import {
   LOAD_PROJECT_FAILURE, PROJECT_ROLE_CUSTOMER, PROJECT_ROLE_OWNER,
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ class ProjectDetail extends Component {
   componentWillReceiveProps(nextProps) {
     const {isProcessing, isLoading, error, project, match, showUserInvited} = nextProps
     // handle just deleted projects
-    if (! (error || isLoading || isProcessing) && _.isEmpty(project))
+    if (! (error || isLoading || isProcessing) && _.isEqual(getEmptyProjectObject(), project))
       this.props.history.push('/projects/')
     if (project && project.name) {
       document.title = `${project.name} - Topcoder`
diff --git a/src/projects/reducers/project.js b/src/projects/reducers/project.js
index e6c094151..7b57e87b0 100644
--- a/src/projects/reducers/project.js
+++ b/src/projects/reducers/project.js
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ import _ from 'lodash'
 import update from 'react-addons-update'
 import { clean } from '../../helpers/utils'
 
+export function getEmptyProjectObject() {
+  return { invites: [], members: [] }
+}
+
 const initialState = {
   isLoading: true,
   processing: false,
@@ -41,12 +45,11 @@ const initialState = {
   attachmentTags: null,
   error: false,
   inviteError: false,
-  project: {
-    members: [],
-    invites: [] // invites are pushed directly into it hence need to declare first
-  },
+  // invites are pushed directly into it hence need to declare first
+  // using the getEmptyProjectObject method
+  project: getEmptyProjectObject(),
   assetsMembers: {},
-  projectNonDirty: {},
+  projectNonDirty: getEmptyProjectObject(),
   updateExisting: false,
   phases: null,
   phasesNonDirty: null,
@@ -188,8 +191,8 @@ export const projectState = function (state=initialState, action) {
   case LOAD_PROJECT_PENDING:
     return Object.assign({}, state, {
       isLoading: true,
-      project: null,
-      projectNonDirty: null
+      project: getEmptyProjectObject(),
+      projectNonDirty: getEmptyProjectObject(),
     })
 
   case LOAD_PROJECT_SUCCESS:
@@ -352,8 +355,8 @@ export const projectState = function (state=initialState, action) {
   case GET_PROJECTS_SUCCESS:
     return Object.assign({}, state, {
       isLoading: true, // this is excpected to be default value when there is not project loaded
-      project: {},
-      projectNonDirty: {},
+      project: getEmptyProjectObject(),
+      projectNonDirty: getEmptyProjectObject(),
       phases: null,
       phasesNonDirty: null,
     })
@@ -523,8 +526,8 @@ export const projectState = function (state=initialState, action) {
     return Object.assign({}, state, {
       processing: false,
       error: false,
-      project: {},
-      projectNonDirty: {}
+      project: getEmptyProjectObject(),
+      projectNonDirty: getEmptyProjectObject(),
     })
 
   // Project attachments