diff --git a/dataset/persistence/table.py b/dataset/persistence/table.py
index 0e2b84c..57d43a1 100644
--- a/dataset/persistence/table.py
+++ b/dataset/persistence/table.py
@@ -219,6 +219,11 @@ class Table(object):
         """
         self._check_dropped()
         self.database._acquire()
+
+        # check that column name is OK:
+        if '.' in name:
+            raise ValueError("Invalid column name: %r" % name)
+
         try:
             if name not in self.table.columns.keys():
                 self.database.op.add_column(
diff --git a/test/test_persistence.py b/test/test_persistence.py
index efc3b87..ef570dd 100644
--- a/test/test_persistence.py
+++ b/test/test_persistence.py
@@ -192,6 +192,15 @@ class TableTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             row['foo'] = 'bar'
             self.tbl.update(row, ['place', 'date'])
 
+    def test_weird_column_names(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            self.tbl.insert({
+                'date': datetime(2011, 1, 2),
+                'temperature': -10,
+                'foo.bar': 'Berlin',
+                'qux.bar': 'Huhu'
+            })
+
     def test_delete(self):
         self.tbl.insert({
             'date': datetime(2011, 1, 2),