diff --git a/master/buildbot/config.py b/master/buildbot/config.py
index 1960044baef..0bb9df92c66 100644
--- a/master/buildbot/config.py
+++ b/master/buildbot/config.py
@@ -538,13 +538,20 @@ def load_slaves(self, filename, config_dict):
                 error(msg)
                 return
 
-            if sl.slavename in ("debug", "change", "status"):
-                msg = "slave name '%s' is reserved" % sl.slavename
-                error(msg)
-            
-            if not util.identifiers.isIdentifier(50, sl.slavename):
-                msg = "Buildslave name %r is not a 50-character identifier" % (sl.slavename,)
-                error(msg)
+            def validate(slavename):
+                if sl.slavename in ("debug", "change", "status"):
+                    yield "slave name %r - is reserved" % slavename
+                if not isinstance(slavename, unicode):
+                    yield "slave name %r - is not a unicode string" % slavename
+                if not util.identifiers.ident_re.match(slavename):
+                    yield "slave name %r - is not an identifier" % slavename
+                if len(slavename) < 1:
+                    yield "slave name %r - identifiers cannot be an empty string" % slavename
+                if len(slavename) > 50:
+                    yield "slave name %r - is longer than %d characters" % (slavename, 50)
+
+                for msg in validate(sl.slavename):
+                    error(msg)
 
         self.slaves = config_dict['slaves']