diff --git a/openerp/osv/orm.py b/openerp/osv/orm.py
index 7570cb3d690..c5490a6a99c 100644
--- a/openerp/osv/orm.py
+++ b/openerp/osv/orm.py
@@ -1056,7 +1056,7 @@ class BaseModel(object):
 
         # Validate rec_name
         if self._rec_name:
-            assert self._rec_name in self._columns
+            assert self._rec_name in self._columns.keys() + ['id'], "Invalid rec_name %s for model %s" % (self.rec_name, self._name)
         else:
             self._rec_name = 'name'