diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
index 14da57e95c..193d2e717f 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
@@ -1924,9 +1924,9 @@ Session::XMLRouteFactory_3X (const XMLNode& node, int version)
 		boost::shared_ptr<Track> track;
 
 		if (type == DataType::AUDIO) {
-			track.reset (new AudioTrack (*this, X_("toBeResetFroXML")));
+			track.reset (new AudioTrack (*this, string())); // name will be reset from XML in ::set_state() below
 		} else {
-			track.reset (new MidiTrack (*this, X_("toBeResetFroXML")));
+			track.reset (new MidiTrack (*this, string())); // name will be reset from XML in ::set_state() below
 		}
 
 		if (track->init()) {
@@ -1986,9 +1986,9 @@ Session::XMLRouteFactory_2X (const XMLNode& node, int version)
 		boost::shared_ptr<Track> track;
 
 		if (type == DataType::AUDIO) {
-			track.reset (new AudioTrack (*this, X_("toBeResetFroXML")));
+			track.reset (new AudioTrack (*this, string())); // name will be reset from XML in ::set_state() below
 		} else {
-			track.reset (new MidiTrack (*this, X_("toBeResetFroXML")));
+			track.reset (new MidiTrack (*this, string())); // name will be reset from XML in ::set_state() below
 		}
 
 		if (track->init()) {
diff --git a/libs/ardour/track.cc b/libs/ardour/track.cc
index 7e162ee513..058c9aef54 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/track.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/track.cc
@@ -110,9 +110,9 @@ Track::init ()
 
 	if (!name().empty()) {
 		/* an empty name means that we are being constructed via
-		   serialized state (XML). Don't create a playlist, because one
-		   will be created or discovered during ::set_state().
-		*/
+		 * serialized state (XML). Don't create a playlist, because one
+		 * will be created or discovered during ::set_state().
+		 */
 		use_new_playlist (data_type());
 	}
 
@@ -419,6 +419,18 @@ Track::set_name (const string& str)
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* When creating a track during session-load,
+	 * do not change playlist's name, nor try to save the session.
+	 *
+	 * Changing the playlist name from 'toBeResetFroXML' breaks loading
+	 * Ardour v2..5 sessions. Older versions of Arodur identified playlist
+	 * by name, and this causes duplicate names and name conflicts.
+	 * (new track name -> new playlist name  != old playlist)
+	 */
+	if (_session.loading ()) {
+		return Route::set_name (str);
+	}
+
 	for (uint32_t n = 0; n < DataType::num_types; ++n) {
 		if (_playlists[n]) {
 			_playlists[n]->set_name (str);