diff --git a/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/plugins.go b/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/plugins.go
index af62439cc55..45b7b74b0c4 100644
--- a/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/plugins.go
+++ b/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/plugins.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package factory
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
 	"sync"
 
 	algorithm "github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/scheduler"
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ type AlgorithmProviderConfig struct {
 func RegisterFitPredicate(key string, predicate algorithm.FitPredicate) string {
 	schedulerFactoryMutex.Lock()
 	defer schedulerFactoryMutex.Unlock()
+	validateAlgorithmNameOrDie(key)
 	fitPredicateMap[key] = predicate
 	return key
 }
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ func IsFitPredicateRegistered(key string) bool {
 func RegisterPriorityFunction(key string, function algorithm.PriorityFunction, weight int) string {
 	schedulerFactoryMutex.Lock()
 	defer schedulerFactoryMutex.Unlock()
+	validateAlgorithmNameOrDie(key)
 	priorityFunctionMap[key] = algorithm.PriorityConfig{Function: function, Weight: weight}
 	return key
 }
@@ -95,6 +98,7 @@ func SetPriorityFunctionWeight(key string, weight int) {
 func RegisterAlgorithmProvider(name string, predicateKeys, priorityKeys util.StringSet) string {
 	schedulerFactoryMutex.Lock()
 	defer schedulerFactoryMutex.Unlock()
+	validateAlgorithmNameOrDie(name)
 	algorithmProviderMap[name] = AlgorithmProviderConfig{
 		FitPredicateKeys:     predicateKeys,
 		PriorityFunctionKeys: priorityKeys,
@@ -145,3 +149,11 @@ func getPriorityFunctionConfigs(keys util.StringSet) ([]algorithm.PriorityConfig
 	}
 	return configs, nil
 }
+
+var validName = regexp.MustCompile("^[a-zA-Z0-9]([-a-zA-Z0-9]*[a-zA-Z0-9])$")
+
+func validateAlgorithmNameOrDie(name string) {
+	if !validName.MatchString(name) {
+		glog.Fatalf("algorithm name %v does not match the name validation regexp \"%v\".", name, validName)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/plugins_test.go b/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/plugins_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3df2c6d28d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugin/pkg/scheduler/factory/plugins_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2015 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package factory
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestAlgorithmNameValidation(t *testing.T) {
+	algorithmNamesShouldValidate := []string{
+		"1SomeAlgo1rithm",
+		"someAlgor-ithm1",
+	}
+	algorithmNamesShouldNotValidate := []string{
+		"-SomeAlgorithm",
+		"SomeAlgorithm-",
+		"Some,Alg:orithm",
+	}
+	for _, name := range algorithmNamesShouldValidate {
+		if !validName.MatchString(name) {
+			t.Errorf("%v should be a valid algorithm name but is not valid.", name)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, name := range algorithmNamesShouldNotValidate {
+		if validName.MatchString(name) {
+			t.Errorf("%v should be an invalid algorithm name but is valid.", name)
+		}
+	}
+}