diff --git a/db/database.cpp b/db/database.cpp
index 7b47cd4e516..5b617bba141 100644
--- a/db/database.cpp
+++ b/db/database.cpp
@@ -284,13 +284,6 @@ namespace mongo {
         return true;
     }
 
-    bool Database::validDBName( const string& ns ) {
-        if ( ns.size() == 0 || ns.size() > 64 )
-            return false;
-        size_t good = strcspn( ns.c_str() , "/\\. \"" );
-        return good == ns.size();
-    }
-
     void Database::flushFiles( bool sync ) const {
         dbMutex.assertAtLeastReadLocked();
         for ( unsigned i=0; i<files.size(); i++ ) {
diff --git a/db/database.h b/db/database.h
index 3522f52d935..26005c99e2b 100644
--- a/db/database.h
+++ b/db/database.h
@@ -103,7 +103,10 @@ namespace mongo {
             return ns[name.size()] == '.';
         }
 
-        static bool validDBName( const string& ns );
+        // TODO: remove this method entirely
+        static bool validDBName( const string& ns ) {
+            return NamespaceString::validDBName( ns );
+        }
         
         /**
          * @throws DatabaseDifferCaseCode if the name is a duplicate based on
diff --git a/db/namespace_common.h b/db/namespace_common.h
index 59d06af63aa..b237a0b9280 100644
--- a/db/namespace_common.h
+++ b/db/namespace_common.h
@@ -60,6 +60,28 @@ namespace mongo {
         static bool special(const char *ns) { 
             return !normal(ns) || strstr(ns, ".system.");
         }
+        
+        /**
+         * samples:
+         *   good:  
+         *      foo  
+         *      bar
+         *      foo-bar
+         *   bad:
+         *      foo bar
+         *      foo.bar
+         *      foo"bar
+         *        
+         * @param db - a possible database name
+         * @return if db is an allowed database name
+         */
+        static bool validDBName( const string& db ) {
+            if ( db.size() == 0 || db.size() > 64 )
+                return false;
+            size_t good = strcspn( db.c_str() , "/\\. \"" );
+            return good == db.size();
+        }
+
     private:
         void init(const char *ns) {
             const char *p = strchr(ns, '.');