diff --git a/src/emu/softlist_dev.cpp b/src/emu/softlist_dev.cpp
index 5a843b32e6c..013dd7898e4 100644
--- a/src/emu/softlist_dev.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/softlist_dev.cpp
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ void software_list_device::device_validity_check(validity_checker &valid) const
 
 void software_list_device::internal_validity_check(validity_checker &valid)
 {
-	enum { NAME_LEN_PARENT = 8, NAME_LEN_CLONE = 16 };
+	enum { NAME_LEN_PARENT = 16, NAME_LEN_CLONE = 16 };
 
 	softlist_map names;
 	softlist_map descriptions;
diff --git a/src/emu/validity.cpp b/src/emu/validity.cpp
index cfbad976d66..fd2cc457f1b 100644
--- a/src/emu/validity.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/validity.cpp
@@ -1373,8 +1373,8 @@ void validity_checker::validate_driver()
 		osd_printf_error("Driver is a clone of a clone\n");
 
 	// make sure the driver name is not too long
-	if (!is_clone && strlen(m_current_driver->name) > 8)
-		osd_printf_error("Parent driver name must be 8 characters or less\n");
+	if (!is_clone && strlen(m_current_driver->name) > 16)
+		osd_printf_error("Parent driver name must be 16 characters or less\n");
 	if (is_clone && strlen(m_current_driver->name) > 16)
 		osd_printf_error("Clone driver name must be 16 characters or less\n");