diff --git a/src/pulsecore/namereg.c b/src/pulsecore/namereg.c
index 86bcef740..5ab3036ea 100644
--- a/src/pulsecore/namereg.c
+++ b/src/pulsecore/namereg.c
@@ -194,7 +194,11 @@ void* pa_namereg_get(pa_core *c, const char *name, pa_namereg_type_t type) {
 
     }
 
-    if (!name || *name == '@' || !pa_namereg_is_valid_name(name))
+    if (!name)
+        return NULL;
+
+    if ((type == PA_NAMEREG_SINK || type == PA_NAMEREG_SOURCE || type == PA_NAMEREG_CARD) &&
+        !pa_namereg_is_valid_name(name))
         return NULL;
 
     if ((e = pa_hashmap_get(c->namereg, name)))