diff --git a/swift/common/storage_policy.py b/swift/common/storage_policy.py
index 90c8164197..19b9f26e77 100755
--- a/swift/common/storage_policy.py
+++ b/swift/common/storage_policy.py
@@ -170,16 +170,13 @@ class BaseStoragePolicy(object):
         if self.idx < 0:
             raise PolicyError('Invalid index', idx)
         self.alias_list = []
-        if not name or not self._validate_policy_name(name):
-            raise PolicyError('Invalid name %r' % name, idx)
-        self.alias_list.append(name)
+        self.add_name(name)
         if aliases:
             names_list = list_from_csv(aliases)
             for alias in names_list:
                 if alias == name:
                     continue
-                self._validate_policy_name(alias)
-                self.alias_list.append(alias)
+                self.add_name(alias)
         self.is_deprecated = config_true_value(is_deprecated)
         self.is_default = config_true_value(is_default)
         if self.policy_type not in BaseStoragePolicy.policy_type_to_policy_cls:
@@ -288,14 +285,16 @@ class BaseStoragePolicy(object):
         to check policy names before setting them.
 
         :param name: a name string for a single policy name.
-        :returns: true if the name is valid.
         :raises: PolicyError if the policy name is invalid.
         """
+        if not name:
+            raise PolicyError('Invalid name %r' % name, self.idx)
         # this is defensively restrictive, but could be expanded in the future
         if not all(c in VALID_CHARS for c in name):
-            raise PolicyError('Names are used as HTTP headers, and can not '
-                              'reliably contain any characters not in %r. '
-                              'Invalid name %r' % (VALID_CHARS, name))
+            msg = 'Names are used as HTTP headers, and can not ' \
+                  'reliably contain any characters not in %r. ' \
+                  'Invalid name %r' % (VALID_CHARS, name)
+            raise PolicyError(msg, self.idx)
         if name.upper() == LEGACY_POLICY_NAME.upper() and self.idx != 0:
             msg = 'The name %s is reserved for policy index 0. ' \
                   'Invalid name %r' % (LEGACY_POLICY_NAME, name)
@@ -305,8 +304,6 @@ class BaseStoragePolicy(object):
             msg = 'The name %s is already assigned to this policy.' % name
             raise PolicyError(msg, self.idx)
 
-        return True
-
     def add_name(self, name):
         """
         Adds an alias name to the storage policy. Shouldn't be called
@@ -316,8 +313,8 @@ class BaseStoragePolicy(object):
 
         :param name: a new alias for the storage policy
         """
-        if self._validate_policy_name(name):
-            self.alias_list.append(name)
+        self._validate_policy_name(name)
+        self.alias_list.append(name)
 
     def remove_name(self, name):
         """
diff --git a/test/unit/common/test_storage_policy.py b/test/unit/common/test_storage_policy.py
index e1ced03717..12a743f9ba 100755
--- a/test/unit/common/test_storage_policy.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/test_storage_policy.py
@@ -374,6 +374,15 @@ class TestStoragePolicies(unittest.TestCase):
         # but only because automated testing requires it.
         policies = parse_storage_policies(name_repeat_conf)
 
+        extra_commas_conf = self._conf("""
+        [storage-policy:0]
+        name = one
+        aliases = ,,one, ,
+        default = yes
+        """)
+        # Extra blank entries should be silently dropped
+        policies = parse_storage_policies(extra_commas_conf)
+
         bad_conf = self._conf("""
         [storage-policy:0]
         name = one
@@ -499,6 +508,9 @@ class TestStoragePolicies(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertRaisesWithMessage(PolicyError, 'Invalid name',
                                      policies.add_policy_alias, 2, 'double\n')
 
+        self.assertRaisesWithMessage(PolicyError, 'Invalid name',
+                                     policies.add_policy_alias, 2, '')
+
         # try to add existing name
         self.assertRaisesWithMessage(PolicyError, 'Duplicate name',
                                      policies.add_policy_alias, 2, 'two')