diff --git a/nova/api/openstack/compute/servers.py b/nova/api/openstack/compute/servers.py
index e6a8fdc..077e919 100644
--- a/nova/api/openstack/compute/servers.py
+++ b/nova/api/openstack/compute/servers.py
@@ -505,6 +505,10 @@ class Controller(wsgi.Controller):
             msg = _("Server name is an empty string")
             raise exc.HTTPBadRequest(explanation=msg)
 
+        if not len(value) < 256:
+            msg = _("Server name must be less than 255 characters.")
+            raise exc.HTTPBadRequest(explanation=msg)
+
     def _get_injected_files(self, personality):
         """
         Create a list of injected files from the personality attribute
diff --git a/nova/tests/api/openstack/compute/test_servers.py b/nova/tests/api/openstack/compute/test_servers.py
index 59d7c8a..238afa3 100644
--- a/nova/tests/api/openstack/compute/test_servers.py
+++ b/nova/tests/api/openstack/compute/test_servers.py
@@ -891,6 +891,17 @@ class ServersControllerTest(test.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(res_dict['server']['id'], FAKE_UUID)
         self.assertEqual(res_dict['server']['name'], 'server_test')
 
+    def test_update_server_name_too_long(self):
+        self.stubs.Set(nova.db, 'instance_get',
+                fakes.fake_instance_get(name='server_test'))
+        req = fakes.HTTPRequest.blank('/v2/fake/servers/%s' % FAKE_UUID)
+        req.method = 'PUT'
+        req.content_type = 'application/json'
+        body = {'server': {'name': 'x' * 256}}
+        req.body = json.dumps(body)
+        self.assertRaises(webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest, self.controller.update,
+                            req, FAKE_UUID, body)
+
     def test_update_server_access_ipv4(self):
         self.stubs.Set(nova.db, 'instance_get',
                 fakes.fake_instance_get(access_ipv4='0.0.0.0'))
@@ -1643,6 +1654,37 @@ class ServersControllerCreateTest(test.TestCase):
         self.assertRaises(webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest, self.controller.create,
                             req, body)
 
+    def test_create_instance_name_too_long(self):
+        # proper local hrefs must start with 'http://localhost/v2/'
+        image_uuid = '76fa36fc-c930-4bf3-8c8a-ea2a2420deb6'
+        image_href = 'http://localhost/v2/images/%s' % image_uuid
+        flavor_ref = 'http://localhost/123/flavors/3'
+        body = {
+            'server': {
+                'name': 'X' * 256,
+                'imageRef': image_href,
+                'flavorRef': flavor_ref,
+                'metadata': {
+                    'hello': 'world',
+                    'open': 'stack',
+                },
+                'personality': [
+                    {
+                        "path": "/etc/banner.txt",
+                        "contents": "MQ==",
+                    },
+
+                ],
+            },
+        }
+
+        req = fakes.HTTPRequest.blank('/v2/fake/servers')
+        req.method = 'POST'
+        req.body = json.dumps(body)
+        req.headers["content-type"] = "application/json"
+        self.assertRaises(webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest, self.controller.create,
+                            req, body)
+
     def test_create_instance(self):
         # proper local hrefs must start with 'http://localhost/v2/'
         image_uuid = '76fa36fc-c930-4bf3-8c8a-ea2a2420deb6'