diff --git a/pygit2/remote.py b/pygit2/remote.py
index 6a2a7b9..11bc86c 100644
--- a/pygit2/remote.py
+++ b/pygit2/remote.py
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ class Remote(object):
 
     @name.setter
     def name(self, value):
+        if not value:
+            raise ValueError("New remote name must be a non-empty string")
+
         err = C.git_remote_rename(self._remote, to_str(value), ffi.NULL, ffi.NULL)
         check_error(err)
 
diff --git a/test/test_remote.py b/test/test_remote.py
index 54ba27c..9c95f80 100644
--- a/test/test_remote.py
+++ b/test/test_remote.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ class RepositoryTest(utils.RepoTestCase):
         self.assertEqual('new', remote.name)
 
         self.assertRaisesAssign(ValueError, remote, 'name', '')
+        self.assertRaisesAssign(ValueError, remote, 'name', None)
 
 
     def test_remote_set_url(self):