diff --git a/libnetwork/controller.go b/libnetwork/controller.go
index 51c5a16a01..f4b5dd781d 100644
--- a/libnetwork/controller.go
+++ b/libnetwork/controller.go
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ func (c *controller) RegisterDriver(networkType string, driver driverapi.Driver)
 // NewNetwork creates a new network of the specified network type. The options
 // are network specific and modeled in a generic way.
 func (c *controller) NewNetwork(networkType, name string, options ...NetworkOption) (Network, error) {
+	if name == "" {
+		return nil, ErrInvalidNetworkName
+	}
 	// Check if a driver for the specified network type is available
 	c.Lock()
 	d, ok := c.drivers[networkType]
diff --git a/libnetwork/error.go b/libnetwork/error.go
index 601f0afefe..491c1bff39 100644
--- a/libnetwork/error.go
+++ b/libnetwork/error.go
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ var (
 	// ErrNoContainer is returned when the endpoint has no container
 	// attached to it.
 	ErrNoContainer = errors.New("no container attached to the endpoint")
+	// ErrInvalidEndpointName is returned if an invalid endpoint name
+	// is passed when creating an endpoint
+	ErrInvalidEndpointName = errors.New("invalid endpoint name")
+	// ErrInvalidNetworkName is returned if an invalid network name
+	// is passed when creating a network
+	ErrInvalidNetworkName = errors.New("invalid network name")
 )
 
 // NetworkTypeError type is returned when the network type string is not
diff --git a/libnetwork/libnetwork_test.go b/libnetwork/libnetwork_test.go
index 2df1444c1d..f5edbd8bb6 100644
--- a/libnetwork/libnetwork_test.go
+++ b/libnetwork/libnetwork_test.go
@@ -276,8 +276,16 @@ func TestDuplicateNetwork(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestNetworkName(t *testing.T) {
 	defer netutils.SetupTestNetNS(t)()
-	networkName := "testnetwork"
 
+	_, err := createTestNetwork(bridgeNetType, "", options.Generic{}, options.Generic{})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected to fail. But instead succeeded")
+	}
+	if err != libnetwork.ErrInvalidNetworkName {
+		t.Fatal("Expected to fail with ErrInvalidNetworkName error")
+	}
+
+	networkName := "testnetwork"
 	n, err := createTestNetwork(bridgeNetType, networkName, options.Generic{}, options.Generic{})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -392,6 +400,14 @@ func TestUnknownEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	_, err = network.CreateEndpoint("")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected to fail. But instead succeeded")
+	}
+	if err != libnetwork.ErrInvalidEndpointName {
+		t.Fatal("Expected to fail with ErrInvalidEndpointName error")
+	}
+
 	ep, err := network.CreateEndpoint("testep")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
diff --git a/libnetwork/network.go b/libnetwork/network.go
index f1830e90d5..df89b8a3ae 100644
--- a/libnetwork/network.go
+++ b/libnetwork/network.go
@@ -132,6 +132,9 @@ func (n *network) Delete() error {
 }
 
 func (n *network) CreateEndpoint(name string, options ...EndpointOption) (Endpoint, error) {
+	if name == "" {
+		return nil, ErrInvalidEndpointName
+	}
 	ep := &endpoint{name: name, generic: make(map[string]interface{})}
 	ep.id = types.UUID(stringid.GenerateRandomID())
 	ep.network = n