diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/views/projects/_form.html.erb b/apps/dashboard/app/views/projects/_form.html.erb
index b48b13568d..dd6f7f7a4c 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/views/projects/_form.html.erb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/views/projects/_form.html.erb
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+<%
+  edit_project_action = action_name != "new" && action_name != "create"
+%>
 <div class='card'>
 <h5 class='card-header'>Project Details</h5>
   <div class='card-group'>
@@ -5,15 +8,16 @@
       <div class='card-body'>
         <div class="col">
           <div class="field">
-            <%= form.text_field :name, placeholder: "Project name",
+            <%= form.text_field :name, placeholder: I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_project_name_placeholder'),
                     help: I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_project_name_validation') %>
           </div>
+
           <div class="field">
-            <%= form.text_field :directory, readonly: action_name != "new" && action_name != "create",
-                    help: I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_project_directory_help') %>
+            <%= form.text_field :directory, placeholder: I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_project_directory_placeholder'),
+                                readonly: edit_project_action, help: edit_project_action ? '' : I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_project_directory_help_html', root_directory: Project.dataroot.to_s).html_safe %>
           </div>
           <div class="field">
-            <%= form.text_area :description, placeholder: "Project description" %>
+            <%= form.text_area :description, placeholder: I18n.t('dashboard.jobs_project_description_placeholder') %>
           </div>
 
           <%- unless @templates.to_a.empty? -%>
@@ -55,6 +59,6 @@
   title: 'Clear form fields' %>
   <%= link_to 'Back', projects_path, class: 'btn btn-default', 
   title: 'Return to projects page' %>
-<p>
+</p>
 </div>
 
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/config/locales/en.yml b/apps/dashboard/config/locales/en.yml
index 34a64ef8a4..8aab718ebd 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/apps/dashboard/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -230,8 +230,11 @@ en:
     jobs_project_delete_project_confirmation: "Delete all contents of project directory?"
     jobs_project_not_found: "Cannot find project %{project_id}"
     jobs_project_manifest_updated: "Project manifest updated!"
+    jobs_project_name_placeholder: "Project name"
     jobs_project_name_validation: "Project name may only contain letters, digits, dashes, underscores, and spaces"
-    jobs_project_directory_help: "Override the default location for this project"
+    jobs_project_directory_placeholder: "Project directory absolute path"
+    jobs_project_directory_help_html: "Leave empty and a new directory will be created. <br />Default location: %{root_directory}"
+    jobs_project_description_placeholder: "Project description"
     jobs_create_blank_project: "Create a new project"
     jobs_create_template_project: "Create a new project from a template"