diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_text_symbolizer.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_text_symbolizer.cpp
index 020112c3d..c3ec8afa0 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_text_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_text_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -25,10 +25,14 @@
 
 #include <mapnik/text_symbolizer.hpp>
 #include "mapnik_enumeration.hpp"
+#include <mapnik/expression_string.hpp>
 
 using namespace mapnik;
 using mapnik::color;
 using mapnik::text_symbolizer;
+using mapnik::expr_node;
+using mapnik::expression_ptr;
+using mapnik::to_expression_string;
 
 namespace {
   using namespace boost::python;
@@ -248,9 +252,9 @@ class_<text_symbolizer>("TextSymbolizer",init<expression_ptr,std::string const&,
     .add_property("minimum_distance",
                   &text_symbolizer::get_minimum_distance,
                   &text_symbolizer::set_minimum_distance)
-    //.add_property("name",
-    //             make_function(&text_symbolizer::get_name,return_value_policy<copy_const_reference>()),
-    //             &text_symbolizer::set_name)
+    .add_property("name",make_function
+                 (&text_symbolizer::get_name,return_value_policy<copy_const_reference>()),
+                 &text_symbolizer::set_name)
     .add_property("opacity",
                   &text_symbolizer::get_opacity,
                   &text_symbolizer::set_opacity,
diff --git a/include/mapnik/text_symbolizer.hpp b/include/mapnik/text_symbolizer.hpp
index 9e3863dad..47ea441f0 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/text_symbolizer.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/text_symbolizer.hpp
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ namespace mapnik
          text_symbolizer& operator=(text_symbolizer const& rhs);
          
          //
-	 expression_ptr get_name() const;
-	 void set_name(expression_ptr expr);
+	 expression_ptr const& get_name() const;
+	 void set_name(const expression_ptr& expr);
 	 //
 	 
          unsigned get_text_ratio() const; // target ratio for text bounding box in pixels
diff --git a/src/text_symbolizer.cpp b/src/text_symbolizer.cpp
index 6815305d7..ce1fe2a6e 100644
--- a/src/text_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/text_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -205,12 +205,12 @@ text_symbolizer& text_symbolizer::operator=(text_symbolizer const& other)
     return *this;
 }
 
-expression_ptr text_symbolizer::get_name() const
+expression_ptr const& text_symbolizer::get_name() const
 {
     return name_;
 }
 
-void text_symbolizer::set_name(expression_ptr name)
+void text_symbolizer::set_name(const expression_ptr& name)
 {
     name_ = name;
 }
diff --git a/tests/python_tests/object_test.py b/tests/python_tests/object_test.py
index 78510736f..ebacc35d5 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/object_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/object_test.py
@@ -178,18 +178,18 @@ def test_shapefile_properties():
 
 # TextSymbolizer initialization
 def test_textsymbolizer_init():
-    ts = mapnik.TextSymbolizer(mapnik.Expression('[Field Name]'), 'Font Name', 8, mapnik.Color('black'))
+    ts = mapnik.TextSymbolizer(mapnik.Expression('[Field_Name]'), 'Font Name', 8, mapnik.Color('black'))
 
-    eq_(ts.name, 'Field Name')
+    eq_(str(ts.name), str(mapnik.Expression('Field_Name')))
     eq_(ts.face_name, 'Font Name')
     eq_(ts.text_size, 8)
     eq_(ts.fill, mapnik.Color('black'))
 
 # TextSymbolizer pickling
 def test_textsymbolizer_pickle():
-    ts = mapnik.TextSymbolizer(mapnik.Expression('[Field Name]'), 'Font Name', 8, mapnik.Color('black'))
+    ts = mapnik.TextSymbolizer(mapnik.Expression('[Field_Name]'), 'Font Name', 8, mapnik.Color('black'))
 
-    eq_(ts.name, 'Field Name')
+    eq_(str(ts.name), str(mapnik.Expression('Field_Name')))
     eq_(ts.face_name, 'Font Name')
     eq_(ts.text_size, 8)
     eq_(ts.fill, mapnik.Color('black'))