diff --git a/include/utils/Thread.h b/include/utils/Thread.h
index 1532b7e..3792db7 100644
--- a/include/utils/Thread.h
+++ b/include/utils/Thread.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     virtual             ~Thread();
 
     // Start the thread in threadLoop() which needs to be implemented.
-    virtual status_t    run(    const char* name = 0,
+    virtual status_t    run(    const char* name,
                                 int32_t priority = PRIORITY_DEFAULT,
                                 size_t stack = 0);
     
diff --git a/libutils/Threads.cpp b/libutils/Threads.cpp
index 6dda6b5..def739f 100644
--- a/libutils/Threads.cpp
+++ b/libutils/Threads.cpp
@@ -668,6 +668,8 @@
 
 status_t Thread::run(const char* name, int32_t priority, size_t stack)
 {
+    LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL_IF(name == nullptr, "thread name not provided to Thread::run");
+
     Mutex::Autolock _l(mLock);
 
     if (mRunning) {
diff --git a/libutils/tests/Looper_test.cpp b/libutils/tests/Looper_test.cpp
index 00077e6..17319e0 100644
--- a/libutils/tests/Looper_test.cpp
+++ b/libutils/tests/Looper_test.cpp
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@
 
 TEST_F(LooperTest, PollOnce_WhenNonZeroTimeoutAndAwokenWhileWaiting_PromptlyReturns) {
     sp<DelayedWake> delayedWake = new DelayedWake(100, mLooper);
-    delayedWake->run();
+    delayedWake->run("LooperTest");
 
     StopWatch stopWatch("pollOnce");
     int result = mLooper->pollOnce(1000);
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@
     sp<DelayedWriteSignal> delayedWriteSignal = new DelayedWriteSignal(100, & pipe);
 
     handler.setCallback(mLooper, pipe.receiveFd, Looper::EVENT_INPUT);
-    delayedWriteSignal->run();
+    delayedWriteSignal->run("LooperTest");
 
     StopWatch stopWatch("pollOnce");
     int result = mLooper->pollOnce(1000);