diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/simplewiki/models.py b/lms/djangoapps/simplewiki/models.py
index fa4323cf2c..200f161eba 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/simplewiki/models.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/simplewiki/models.py
@@ -17,8 +17,18 @@ class ShouldHaveExactlyOneRootSlug(Exception):
     pass
 
 class Namespace(models.Model):
-    name = models.CharField(max_length=30, verbose_name=_('namespace'))
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=30, db_index=True, unique=True, verbose_name=_('namespace'))
     # TODO: We may want to add permissions, etc later
+    
+    @classmethod
+    def ensure_namespace(cls, name):
+        try:
+            namespace = Namespace.objects.get(name__exact = name)
+        except Namespace.DoesNotExist:
+            new_namespace = Namespace(name=name)
+            new_namespace.save()
+            
+        
 
 class Article(models.Model):
     """Wiki article referring to Revision model for actual content.
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/simplewiki/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/simplewiki/views.py
index 0b78fcd264..93669cb543 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/simplewiki/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/simplewiki/views.py
@@ -88,7 +88,11 @@ def root_redirect(request, course_id):
     try:
         root = Article.get_root(course.wiki_namespace)
     except:
-        err = not_found(request, '/')
+        # If the root is not found, we probably are loading this class for the first time
+        # We should make sure the namespace exists so the root article can be created.
+        Namespace.ensure_namespace(course.wiki_namespace)
+        
+        err = not_found(request, course.wiki_namespace + '/', course)
         return err
 
     return HttpResponseRedirect(reverse('wiki_view', kwargs={'course_id' : course_id, 'article_path' : root.get_path()} ))