diff --git a/src/libanopa/deps-lib/anopa b/src/libanopa/deps-lib/anopa
index 7ca4d1c..95eb75b 100644
--- a/src/libanopa/deps-lib/anopa
+++ b/src/libanopa/deps-lib/anopa
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ output.o
 progress.o
 sa_sources.o
 service.o
+service_name.o
 service_start.o
 service_stop.o
 services.o
diff --git a/src/libanopa/enable_service.c b/src/libanopa/enable_service.c
index 12e50f7..daa82e1 100644
--- a/src/libanopa/enable_service.c
+++ b/src/libanopa/enable_service.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include <anopa/copy_file.h>
 #include <anopa/scan_dir.h>
 #include <anopa/err.h>
+#include "service_internal.h"
 
 static int
 copy_from_source (const char        *name,
@@ -56,18 +57,6 @@ copy_dir (const char        *src,
           const char        *instance);
 
 
-static int
-is_valid_service_name (const char *name, int len)
-{
-    if (len <= 0)
-        return 0;
-    if (name[0] == '@' || name[len - 1] == '@')
-        return 0;
-    if (byte_chr (name, len, '/') < len)
-        return 0;
-    return 1;
-}
-
 static int
 copy_log (const char *name, const char *cfg, mode_t mode, aa_warn_fn warn_fn)
 {
@@ -580,7 +569,7 @@ aa_enable_service (const char       *_name,
         l_name -= r;
     }
 
-    if (!is_valid_service_name (name, l_name))
+    if (!_is_valid_service_name (name, l_name))
         return -ERR_INVALID_NAME;
 
     if (*_name == '/')
diff --git a/src/libanopa/service.c b/src/libanopa/service.c
index 0a82095..83a053c 100644
--- a/src/libanopa/service.c
+++ b/src/libanopa/service.c
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ get_new_service (const char *name)
     };
     struct stat st;
 
+    if (!_is_valid_service_name (name, strlen (name)))
+        return -ERR_INVALID_NAME;
+
     if (stat (name, &st) < 0)
     {
         if (errno == ENOENT)
diff --git a/src/libanopa/service_internal.h b/src/libanopa/service_internal.h
index 14bda36..e173bb3 100644
--- a/src/libanopa/service_internal.h
+++ b/src/libanopa/service_internal.h
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ struct it_data
     aa_load_fail_cb lf_cb;
 };
 
+extern int _is_valid_service_name (const char *name, int len);
+
 extern int _it_start_needs  (direntry *d, void *data);
 extern int _it_start_wants  (direntry *d, void *data);
 extern int _it_start_after  (direntry *d, void *data);
diff --git a/src/libanopa/service_name.c b/src/libanopa/service_name.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..32bad28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libanopa/service_name.c
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/*
+ * anopa - Copyright (C) 2015 Olivier Brunel
+ *
+ * service_name.c
+ * Copyright (C) 2015 Olivier Brunel <jjk@jjacky.com>
+ *
+ * This file is part of anopa.
+ *
+ * anopa is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+ * version.
+ *
+ * anopa is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ * WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+ * See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+ * anopa. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
+ */
+
+#include <skalibs/bytestr.h>
+
+int
+_is_valid_service_name (const char *name, int len)
+{
+    if (len <= 0)
+        return 0;
+    if (name[0] == '.')
+        return 0;
+    if (name[0] == '@' || name[len - 1] == '@')
+        return 0;
+    if (byte_chr (name, len, '/') < len)
+        return 0;
+    return 1;
+}