diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py
index 10c4c5838f2..53e56b59ac7 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class res_partner(osv.osv):
     _name = "res.partner"
     _order = "name"
     _columns = {
-        'name': fields.char('Name', size=128, select=True),
+        'name': fields.char('Name', size=128, required=True, select=True),
         'date': fields.date('Date', select=1),
         'title': fields.many2one('res.partner.title','Title'),
         'parent_id': fields.many2one('res.partner','Parent Partner'),