diff --git a/drivers/dahdi/dahdi-base.c b/drivers/dahdi/dahdi-base.c
index 2680b71..bded1c0 100644
--- a/drivers/dahdi/dahdi-base.c
+++ b/drivers/dahdi/dahdi-base.c
@@ -4904,6 +4904,11 @@ static int dahdi_ioctl_attach_echocan(unsigned long data)
 		new = find_echocan(ae.echocan);
 		if (!new)
 			return -EINVAL;
+
+		if (!new->get_name(chan)) {
+			release_echocan(new);
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
 	}
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&chan->lock, flags);
diff --git a/drivers/dahdi/wct4xxp/base.c b/drivers/dahdi/wct4xxp/base.c
index f49fa43..2dbb00f 100644
--- a/drivers/dahdi/wct4xxp/base.c
+++ b/drivers/dahdi/wct4xxp/base.c
@@ -246,7 +246,6 @@ static int altab[] = {
 static const char *vpm400_name = "VPM400M";
 static const char *vpmoct064_name = "VPMOCT064";
 static const char *vpmoct128_name = "VPMOCT128";
-static const char *noec_name = "NONE";
 
 #define PORTS_PER_FRAMER 4
 
@@ -1296,7 +1295,7 @@ static const char *t4_echocan_name(const struct dahdi_chan *chan)
 			else if (wc->numspans == 4)
 				return vpmoct128_name;
 	}
-	return noec_name;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 static int t4_echocan_create(struct dahdi_chan *chan,
diff --git a/drivers/dahdi/wctdm24xxp/base.c b/drivers/dahdi/wctdm24xxp/base.c
index 8f0d88f..cd0ae98 100644
--- a/drivers/dahdi/wctdm24xxp/base.c
+++ b/drivers/dahdi/wctdm24xxp/base.c
@@ -162,7 +162,6 @@ static alpha  indirect_regs[] =
 
 /* names of HWEC modules */
 static const char *vpmadt032_name = "VPMADT032";
-static const char *noec_name = "NONE";
 
 /* Undefine to enable Power alarm / Transistor debug -- note: do not
    enable for normal operation! */
@@ -1872,7 +1871,7 @@ static const char *wctdm_echocan_name(const struct dahdi_chan *chan)
 	struct wctdm *wc = chan->pvt;
 	if (wc->vpmadt032)
 		return vpmadt032_name;
-	return noec_name;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 static int wctdm_echocan_create(struct dahdi_chan *chan,
diff --git a/drivers/dahdi/wcte12xp/base.c b/drivers/dahdi/wcte12xp/base.c
index 1563855..8864aba 100644
--- a/drivers/dahdi/wcte12xp/base.c
+++ b/drivers/dahdi/wcte12xp/base.c
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ static const struct t1_desc te121 = {"Wildcard TE121"};
 
 /* names of HWEC modules */
 static const char *vpmadt032_name = "VPMADT032";
-static const char *noec_name = "NONE";
 
 #if LINUX_VERSION_CODE < KERNEL_VERSION(2, 6, 20)
 static kmem_cache_t *cmd_cache;
@@ -1291,7 +1290,7 @@ static const char *t1xxp_echocan_name(const struct dahdi_chan *chan)
 	struct t1 *wc = chan->pvt;
 	if (wc->vpmadt032)
 		return vpmadt032_name;
-	return noec_name;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 static int t1xxp_echocan_create(struct dahdi_chan *chan,