diff --git a/src/libipc/platform/posix/shm_posix.cpp b/src/libipc/platform/posix/shm_posix.cpp
index 7ce90428..c111aa54 100644
--- a/src/libipc/platform/posix/shm_posix.cpp
+++ b/src/libipc/platform/posix/shm_posix.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ namespace ipc {
 namespace shm {
 
 id_t acquire(char const * name, std::size_t size, unsigned mode) {
-    if (name == nullptr || name[0] == '\0') {
+    if (!is_valid_string(name)) {
         ipc::error("fail acquire: name is empty\n");
         return nullptr;
     }
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ void remove(id_t id) {
 }
 
 void remove(char const * name) {
-    if (name == nullptr || name[0] == '\0') {
+    if (!is_valid_string(name)) {
         ipc::error("fail remove: name is empty\n");
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/libipc/platform/win/shm_win.cpp b/src/libipc/platform/win/shm_win.cpp
index 4979e001..75c2a95c 100755
--- a/src/libipc/platform/win/shm_win.cpp
+++ b/src/libipc/platform/win/shm_win.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ namespace ipc {
 namespace shm {
 
 id_t acquire(char const * name, std::size_t size, unsigned mode) {
-    if (name == nullptr || name[0] == '\0') {
+    if (!is_valid_string(name)) {
         ipc::error("fail acquire: name is empty\n");
         return nullptr;
     }
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ void remove(id_t id) {
 }
 
 void remove(char const * name) {
-    if (name == nullptr || name[0] == '\0') {
+    if (!is_valid_string(name)) {
         ipc::error("fail remove: name is empty\n");
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/libipc/queue.h b/src/libipc/queue.h
index f66860b8..bb925ce3 100755
--- a/src/libipc/queue.h
+++ b/src/libipc/queue.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "libipc/utility/log.h"
 #include "libipc/platform/detail.h"
 #include "libipc/circ/elem_def.h"
+#include "libipc/memory/resource.h"
 
 namespace ipc {
 namespace detail {
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ class queue_conn {
 
     template <typename Elems>
     Elems* open(char const * name) {
-        if (name == nullptr || name[0] == '\0') {
+        if (!is_valid_string(name)) {
             ipc::error("fail open waiter: name is empty!\n");
             return nullptr;
         }
diff --git a/src/libipc/shm.cpp b/src/libipc/shm.cpp
index c8763a84..08454741 100755
--- a/src/libipc/shm.cpp
+++ b/src/libipc/shm.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ void handle::sub_ref() noexcept {
 }
 
 bool handle::acquire(char const * name, std::size_t size, unsigned mode) {
-    if (name == nullptr || name[0] == '\0') {
+    if (!is_valid_string(name)) {
         ipc::error("fail acquire: name is empty\n");
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/src/libipc/sync/condition.cpp b/src/libipc/sync/condition.cpp
index b97d09be..36896a7e 100644
--- a/src/libipc/sync/condition.cpp
+++ b/src/libipc/sync/condition.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ bool condition::valid() const noexcept {
 }
 
 bool condition::open(char const *name) noexcept {
-    if (name == nullptr || name[0] == '\0') {
+    if (!is_valid_string(name)) {
         ipc::error("fail condition open: name is empty\n");
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/src/libipc/sync/mutex.cpp b/src/libipc/sync/mutex.cpp
index 40aad651..91bd0bbc 100644
--- a/src/libipc/sync/mutex.cpp
+++ b/src/libipc/sync/mutex.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ bool mutex::valid() const noexcept {
 }
 
 bool mutex::open(char const *name) noexcept {
-    if (name == nullptr || name[0] == '\0') {
+    if (!is_valid_string(name)) {
         ipc::error("fail mutex open: name is empty\n");
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/src/libipc/sync/semaphore.cpp b/src/libipc/sync/semaphore.cpp
index 33539f10..e58e8ec4 100644
--- a/src/libipc/sync/semaphore.cpp
+++ b/src/libipc/sync/semaphore.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ bool semaphore::valid() const noexcept {
 }
 
 bool semaphore::open(char const *name, std::uint32_t count) noexcept {
-    if (name == nullptr || name[0] == '\0') {
+    if (!is_valid_string(name)) {
         ipc::error("fail semaphore open: name is empty\n");
         return false;
     }