diff --git a/augur/utils.py b/augur/utils.py
index 28f4360d6..0449da24e 100644
--- a/augur/utils.py
+++ b/augur/utils.py
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ def read_metadata(fname, query=None):
                     raise ValueError("Duplicate strain '{}'".format(val.strain))
                 meta_dict[val.strain] = val.to_dict()
             elif hasattr(val, "name"):
+                val = val.rename(val["name"])
                 if val.name in meta_dict:
                     raise ValueError("Duplicate name '{}'".format(val.name))
                 meta_dict[val.name] = val.to_dict()
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index 9ab72ce81..80871e6d8 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -101,6 +101,24 @@ def test_read_mask_file_drm_file(self, tmpdir):
             fh.write("\n".join(drm_lines))
         assert utils.read_mask_file(drm_file) == expected_sites
 
+    def test_read_metadata_no_filename(self):
+        expected_result = {}, []
+        assert utils.read_metadata('') == expected_result
+
+    def test_read_metadata_bad_filename(self, tmpdir):
+        bad_filename = "incorrect_path.tsv"
+        expected_result = {}, []
+        
+        meta_fn = str(tmpdir / "metadata.tsv")
+        meta_lines = ["strain\tlocation\tquality",
+                      "c_good\tcolorado\tgood",
+                      "n_bad\tnevada\tbad",]
+        with open(meta_fn, "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("\n".join(meta_lines))
+        
+        utils.read_metadata(bad_filename, query='quality=="good" & location=="colorado"')
+        assert utils.read_metadata('') == expected_result
+
     def test_read_metadata_with_good_query(self, tmpdir):
         meta_fn = str(tmpdir / "metadata.tsv")
         meta_lines = ["strain\tlocation\tquality",
@@ -121,4 +139,42 @@ def test_read_metadata_bad_query(self, tmpdir):
         with open(meta_fn, "w") as fh:
             fh.write("\n".join(meta_lines))
         with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
-            utils.read_metadata(meta_fn, query='badcol=="goodval"')
+            utils.read_metadata(meta_fn, query='badcol=="goodval"')    
+    def test_read_metadata_duplicate_strain(self, tmpdir):
+        meta_fn = str(tmpdir / "metadata.tsv")
+        meta_lines = ["strain\tlocation\tquality",
+                      "c_good\tcolorado\tgood",
+                      "c_bad\tcolorado\tbad",
+                      "c_bad\tcolorado\tbad",
+                      "n_good\tnevada\tgood"]
+        with open(meta_fn, "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("\n".join(meta_lines))
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError): 
+            utils.read_metadata(meta_fn, query='location=="colorado"')
+
+    def test_read_metadata_duplicate_name(self, tmpdir):
+        meta_fn = str(tmpdir / "metadata.tsv")
+        meta_lines = ["name\tlocation\tquality",
+                      "c_good\tcolorado\tgood",
+                      "c_bad\tcolorado\tbad",
+                      "c_bad\tcolorado\tbad",
+                      "n_good\tnevada\tgood"]
+        with open(meta_fn, "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("\n".join(meta_lines))
+        
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError): 
+            utils.read_metadata(meta_fn)
+        
+    def test_read_metadata_no_strain_or_name(self, tmpdir):
+        expected_result = {}, []
+        
+        meta_fn = str(tmpdir / "metadata.tsv")
+        meta_lines = ["location\tquality",
+                      "colorado\tgood",
+                      "colorado\tbad",
+                      "colorado\tbad",
+                      "nevada\tgood"]
+        with open(meta_fn, "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("\n".join(meta_lines))
+        
+        assert utils.read_metadata('') == expected_result