diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor-meta.c b/clutter/clutter-actor-meta.c
index e8c79b031..f01df3713 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor-meta.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor-meta.c
@@ -197,6 +197,15 @@ clutter_actor_meta_set_name (ClutterActorMeta *meta,
 {
   g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR_META (meta));
 
+  if (meta->priv->name != NULL)
+    {
+      g_warning ("The ClutterActorMeta of type '%s' has already "
+                 "been named '%s'",
+                 G_OBJECT_TYPE_NAME (meta),
+                 meta->priv->name);
+      return;
+    }
+
   if (g_strcmp0 (meta->priv->name, name) == 0)
     return;