diff --git a/src/engraving/libmscore/instrument.cpp b/src/engraving/libmscore/instrument.cpp
index e8cacf7f57ef1..540802c764ec7 100644
--- a/src/engraving/libmscore/instrument.cpp
+++ b/src/engraving/libmscore/instrument.cpp
@@ -166,6 +166,18 @@ StaffName::StaffName(const String& xmlText, int pos)
     TextBase::validateText(_name); // enforce HTML encoding
 }
 
+void StaffName::xmlReplaceAccidentals()
+{
+    // instrument names in some musicXML use 'b' instead of '♭' for flat, so we need to convert them.
+    // i don't know if there is a valid reason for # to be in a staff name, but we convert it too just in case.
+
+    _name.replace(std::regex(R"(((?:^|\s)([A-Ga-g]|[Uu][Tt]|[Dd][Oo]|[Rr][EeÉé]|[MmSsTt][Ii]|[FfLl][Aa]|[Ss][Oo][Ll]))b(?=\s|$))"),
+                  String::fromStdString(R"($1♭)"));
+
+    _name.replace(std::regex(R"(((?:^|\s)([A-Ga-g]|[Uu][Tt]|[Dd][Oo]|[Rr][EeÉé]|[MmSsTt][Ii]|[FfLl][Aa]|[Ss][Oo][Ll]))#(?=\s|$))"),
+                  String::fromStdString(R"($1♯)"));
+}
+
 String Instrument::recognizeMusicXmlId() const
 {
     static const String defaultMusicXmlId(u"keyboard.piano");
@@ -1219,6 +1231,17 @@ void Instrument::updateInstrumentId()
     }
 }
 
+void Instrument::updateNamesForAccidentals()
+{
+    // change staff names from simple text (eg 'Eb') to text using accidental symbols (eg 'E♭')
+    for (StaffName& sn : _longNames) {
+        sn.xmlReplaceAccidentals();
+    }
+    for (StaffName& sn : _shortNames) {
+        sn.xmlReplaceAccidentals();
+    }
+}
+
 //---------------------------------------------------------
 //   Instrument::playbackChannel
 //---------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/engraving/libmscore/instrument.h b/src/engraving/libmscore/instrument.h
index 6c9e63774a8c9..0f2fcee33fe75 100644
--- a/src/engraving/libmscore/instrument.h
+++ b/src/engraving/libmscore/instrument.h
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ class StaffName
     void setPos(int p) { _pos = p; }
     String name() const { return _name; }
     void setName(const String& n) { _name = n; }
+
+    void xmlReplaceAccidentals();
 };
 
 //---------------------------------------------------------
@@ -425,6 +427,7 @@ class Instrument
     void setIsPrimary(bool isPrimary);
 
     void updateInstrumentId();
+    void updateNamesForAccidentals();
 
     bool singleNoteDynamics() const { return _singleNoteDynamics; }
     void setSingleNoteDynamics(bool val) { _singleNoteDynamics = val; }
diff --git a/src/importexport/musicxml/internal/musicxml/importmxml.cpp b/src/importexport/musicxml/internal/musicxml/importmxml.cpp
index 1cb5ef4695014..91e82d7b65309 100644
--- a/src/importexport/musicxml/internal/musicxml/importmxml.cpp
+++ b/src/importexport/musicxml/internal/musicxml/importmxml.cpp
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ Err importMusicXMLfromBuffer(Score* score, const QString& /*name*/, QIODevice* d
     for (const Part* part : score->parts()) {
         for (const auto& pair : part->instruments()) {
             pair.second->updateInstrumentId();
+            pair.second->updateNamesForAccidentals();
         }
     }