diff --git a/plugin/syntastic.vim b/plugin/syntastic.vim
index e2ba7290..d54fb8d7 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic.vim
@@ -111,9 +111,7 @@ function! s:CompleteCheckerName(argLead, cmdLine, cursorPos)
     let checker_names = []
     for ft in s:CurrentFiletypes()
         for checker in s:registry.availableCheckersFor(ft)
-            if index(checker_names, checker.name()) == -1
-                call add(checker_names, checker.name())
-            endif
+            call add(checker_names, checker.name())
         endfor
     endfor
     return join(checker_names, "\n")
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/registry.vim b/plugin/syntastic/registry.vim
index 7709120c..9e61d229 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/registry.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/registry.vim
@@ -31,13 +31,15 @@ function! g:SyntasticRegistry.CreateAndRegisterChecker(args)
     call registry.registerChecker(checker)
 endfunction
 
-function! g:SyntasticRegistry.registerChecker(checker)
+function! g:SyntasticRegistry.registerChecker(checker) abort
     let ft = a:checker.filetype()
 
     if !has_key(self._checkerMap, ft)
         let self._checkerMap[ft] = []
     endif
 
+    call self._validateUniqueName(a:checker)
+
     call add(self._checkerMap[ft], a:checker)
 endfunction
 
@@ -133,4 +135,12 @@ function! g:SyntasticRegistry._userHasFiletypeSettings(filetype)
     return exists("g:syntastic_" . a:filetype . "_checkers")
 endfunction
 
+function! g:SyntasticRegistry._validateUniqueName(checker) abort
+    for checker in self._allCheckersFor(a:checker.filetype())
+        if checker.name() == a:checker.name()
+            throw "Syntastic: Duplicate syntax checker name for: " . a:checker.name()
+        endif
+    endfor
+endfunction
+
 " vim: set sw=4 sts=4 et fdm=marker: