diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py
index 307b32516a3..c50044d3ff9 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py
@@ -228,12 +228,7 @@ class ir_model(osv.osv):
             _module = False
             _custom = True
 
-        obj = CustomModel._build_model(self.pool, cr)
-        obj._rec_name = CustomModel._rec_name = (
-            'x_name' if 'x_name' in obj._columns else
-            list(obj._columns)[0] if obj._columns else
-            'id'
-        )
+        CustomModel._build_model(self.pool, cr)
 
 class ir_model_fields(osv.osv):
     _name = 'ir.model.fields'
diff --git a/openerp/models.py b/openerp/models.py
index df46fce4d5d..10ccb8955b9 100644
--- a/openerp/models.py
+++ b/openerp/models.py
@@ -2991,6 +2991,8 @@ class BaseModel(object):
                 "Invalid rec_name %s for model %s" % (cls._rec_name, cls._name)
         elif 'name' in cls._fields:
             cls._rec_name = 'name'
+        elif 'x_name' in cls._fields:
+            cls._rec_name = 'x_name'
 
     def fields_get(self, cr, user, allfields=None, context=None, write_access=True):
         """ fields_get([fields])