diff --git a/server/methods/createChannel.coffee b/server/methods/createChannel.coffee
index bf730378044..e3838f42470 100644
--- a/server/methods/createChannel.coffee
+++ b/server/methods/createChannel.coffee
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ Meteor.methods
 
 		members.push user.username
 
+		# avoid duplicate names
+		if ChatRoom.findOne({name:name})
+			throw new Meteor.Error 'duplicate-name', "A Channel with the same name exists"
+
 		# name = s.slugify name
 
 		room =
diff --git a/server/methods/createPrivateGroup.coffee b/server/methods/createPrivateGroup.coffee
index a6e5c5b5e62..ef8d8ba4315 100644
--- a/server/methods/createPrivateGroup.coffee
+++ b/server/methods/createPrivateGroup.coffee
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ Meteor.methods
 
 		name = s.slugify name
 
+		# avoid duplicate names
+		if ChatRoom.findOne({name:name})
+			throw new Meteor.Error 'duplicate-name', "A private group with the same name exists"
+
 		# create new room
 		rid = ChatRoom.insert
 			usernames: members