diff --git a/routers/api/v1/admin/repo.go b/routers/api/v1/admin/repo.go
index 712ced89c99..097b48f318c 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/admin/repo.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/admin/repo.go
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ func CreateRepo(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	// responses:
 	//   "201":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/Repository"
+	//   "400":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/error"
 	//   "403":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/forbidden"
 	//   "404":
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go
index de8a4d18648..5aa9111eb7a 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go
@@ -231,6 +231,22 @@ func CreateUserRepo(ctx *context.APIContext, owner *user_model.User, opt api.Cre
 	if opt.AutoInit && opt.Readme == "" {
 		opt.Readme = "Default"
 	}
+
+	contains := func(slice []string, s string) bool {
+		for _, v := range slice {
+			if v == s {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// If the readme template does not exist, a 400 will be returned.
+	if opt.AutoInit && len(opt.Readme) > 0 && !contains(repo_module.Readmes, opt.Readme) {
+		ctx.Error(http.StatusBadRequest, "", fmt.Errorf("readme template does not exist, available templates: %v", repo_module.Readmes))
+		return
+	}
+
 	repo, err := repo_service.CreateRepository(ctx.Doer, owner, repo_module.CreateRepoOptions{
 		Name:          opt.Name,
 		Description:   opt.Description,
@@ -283,6 +299,8 @@ func Create(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	// responses:
 	//   "201":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/Repository"
+	//   "400":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/error"
 	//   "409":
 	//     description: The repository with the same name already exists.
 	//   "422":
@@ -464,6 +482,8 @@ func CreateOrgRepo(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	// responses:
 	//   "201":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/Repository"
+	//   "400":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/error"
 	//   "404":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
 	//   "403":
diff --git a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
index 5df9f2bd2b1..5763fb9fd4e 100644
--- a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
+++ b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
@@ -586,6 +586,9 @@
           "201": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/Repository"
           },
+          "400": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/error"
+          },
           "403": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/forbidden"
           },
@@ -1772,6 +1775,9 @@
           "201": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/Repository"
           },
+          "400": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/error"
+          },
           "403": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/forbidden"
           },
@@ -12502,6 +12508,9 @@
           "201": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/Repository"
           },
+          "400": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/error"
+          },
           "409": {
             "description": "The repository with the same name already exists."
           },