diff --git a/app/channel.go b/app/channel.go
index d4745bc1a9..edfb41f854 100644
--- a/app/channel.go
+++ b/app/channel.go
@@ -144,10 +144,6 @@ func (a *App) CreateChannelWithUser(channel *model.Channel, userId string) (*mod
 		return nil, model.NewAppError("CreateChannelWithUser", "api.channel.create_channel.direct_channel.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest)
 	}
 
-	if strings.Index(channel.Name, "__") > 0 {
-		return nil, model.NewAppError("CreateChannelWithUser", "api.channel.create_channel.invalid_character.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest)
-	}
-
 	if len(channel.TeamId) == 0 {
 		return nil, model.NewAppError("CreateChannelWithUser", "app.channel.create_channel.no_team_id.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest)
 	}
@@ -464,14 +460,6 @@ func (a *App) GetGroupChannel(userIds []string) (*model.Channel, *model.AppError
 
 // UpdateChannel updates a given channel by its Id. It also publishes the CHANNEL_UPDATED event.
 func (a *App) UpdateChannel(channel *model.Channel) (*model.Channel, *model.AppError) {
-	userIds := strings.Split(channel.Name, "__")
-	if channel.Type != model.CHANNEL_DIRECT &&
-		len(userIds) == 2 &&
-		model.IsValidId(userIds[0]) &&
-		model.IsValidId(userIds[1]) {
-		return nil, model.NewAppError("UpdateChannel", "api.channel.update_channel.invalid_character.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest)
-	}
-
 	_, err := a.Srv().Store.Channel().Update(channel)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/app/channel_test.go b/app/channel_test.go
index 23025ed6c0..ef7ded9c89 100644
--- a/app/channel_test.go
+++ b/app/channel_test.go
@@ -744,6 +744,14 @@ func TestRenameChannel(t *testing.T) {
 			"",
 			"",
 		},
+		{
+			"Success on rename open channel with consecutive underscores in name",
+			th.createChannel(th.BasicTeam, model.CHANNEL_OPEN),
+			false,
+			"foo__bar",
+			"foo__bar",
+			"New Display Name",
+		},
 		{
 			"Fail on rename direct message channel",
 			th.CreateDmChannel(th.BasicUser2),
diff --git a/i18n/en.json b/i18n/en.json
index d3e7372448..3f78acebc1 100644
--- a/i18n/en.json
+++ b/i18n/en.json
@@ -259,10 +259,6 @@
     "id": "api.channel.create_channel.direct_channel.app_error",
     "translation": "Must use createDirectChannel API service for direct message channel creation."
   },
-  {
-    "id": "api.channel.create_channel.invalid_character.app_error",
-    "translation": "Invalid character '__' in channel name for non-direct channel."
-  },
   {
     "id": "api.channel.create_channel.max_channel_limit.app_error",
     "translation": "Unable to create more than {{.MaxChannelsPerTeam}} channels for current team."
@@ -427,10 +423,6 @@
     "id": "api.channel.update_channel.deleted.app_error",
     "translation": "The channel has been archived or deleted."
   },
-  {
-    "id": "api.channel.update_channel.invalid_character.app_error",
-    "translation": "Invalid channel name. User ids are not permitted in channel name for non-direct message channels."
-  },
   {
     "id": "api.channel.update_channel.tried.app_error",
     "translation": "Tried to perform an invalid update of the default channel {{.Channel}}."
@@ -4510,6 +4502,10 @@
     "id": "model.channel.is_valid.id.app_error",
     "translation": "Invalid Id."
   },
+  {
+    "id": "model.channel.is_valid.name.app_error",
+    "translation": "Invalid channel name. User ids are not permitted in channel name for non-direct message channels."
+  },
   {
     "id": "model.channel.is_valid.purpose.app_error",
     "translation": "Invalid purpose."
diff --git a/model/channel.go b/model/channel.go
index c67e730ee8..ae95f2eb78 100644
--- a/model/channel.go
+++ b/model/channel.go
@@ -234,6 +234,11 @@ func (o *Channel) IsValid() *AppError {
 		return NewAppError("Channel.IsValid", "model.channel.is_valid.creator_id.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest)
 	}
 
+	userIds := strings.Split(o.Name, "__")
+	if o.Type != CHANNEL_DIRECT && len(userIds) == 2 && IsValidId(userIds[0]) && IsValidId(userIds[1]) {
+		return NewAppError("Channel.IsValid", "model.channel.is_valid.name.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest)
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }