diff --git a/app/Controller/Project.php b/app/Controller/Project.php
index 3015ecc07..f0847ef20 100644
--- a/app/Controller/Project.php
+++ b/app/Controller/Project.php
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class Project extends Base
         $project = $this->getProject();
         $values = $this->request->getValues();
 
-        if ($project['is_private'] == 1) {
+        if ($project['is_private'] == 1 && $this->userSession->isAdmin() && ! isset($values['is_private'])) {
             $values += array('is_private' => 0);
         }
 
diff --git a/app/Template/project/edit.php b/app/Template/project/edit.php
index ffd9be00a..8b94e3785 100644
--- a/app/Template/project/edit.php
+++ b/app/Template/project/edit.php
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
     <?= $this->formText('identifier', $values, $errors, array('maxlength="50"')) ?>
     <p class="form-help"><?= t('The project identifier is an optional alphanumeric code used to identify your project.') ?></p>
 
+    <?php if ($this->userSession->isAdmin()): ?>
+        <?= $this->formCheckbox('is_private', t('Private project'), 1, $project['is_private'] == 1) ?>
+    <?php endif ?>
+
     <?= $this->formLabel(t('Description'), 'description') ?>
 
     <div class="form-tabs">
@@ -34,10 +38,6 @@
     </div>
     <div class="form-help"><a href="http://kanboard.net/documentation/syntax-guide" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><?= t('Write your text in Markdown') ?></a></div>
 
-    <?php if ($project['is_private'] == 1 && $this->userSession->isAdmin()): ?>
-        <?= $this->formCheckbox('is_private', t('Private project'), 1, $project['is_private'] == 1) ?>
-    <?php endif ?>
-
     <div class="form-actions">
         <input type="submit" value="<?= t('Save') ?>" class="btn btn-blue"/>
     </div>