diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/AbstractConfigurationService.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/AbstractConfigurationService.java
index 6aa893e5c5..e3ad35188c 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/AbstractConfigurationService.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/AbstractConfigurationService.java
@@ -8,23 +8,28 @@
 
 public abstract class AbstractConfigurationService implements ConfigurationService {
 
-  protected final Map<String, ControllerConfiguration> configurations = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+  private final Map<String, ControllerConfiguration> configurations = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
 
   protected <R extends CustomResource> void register(ControllerConfiguration<R> config) {
     final var name = config.getName();
     final var existing = configurations.get(name);
     if (existing != null) {
-      throw new IllegalArgumentException(
-          "Controller name '"
-              + name
-              + "' is used by both "
-              + existing.getAssociatedControllerClassName()
-              + " and "
-              + config.getAssociatedControllerClassName());
+      throwExceptionOnNameCollision(config.getAssociatedControllerClassName(), existing);
     }
     configurations.put(name, config);
   }
 
+  protected void throwExceptionOnNameCollision(
+      String newControllerClassName, ControllerConfiguration existing) {
+    throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+        "Controller name '"
+            + existing.getName()
+            + "' is used by both "
+            + existing.getAssociatedControllerClassName()
+            + " and "
+            + newControllerClassName);
+  }
+
   @Override
   public <R extends CustomResource> ControllerConfiguration<R> getConfigurationFor(
       ResourceController<R> controller) {
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/config/runtime/DefaultConfigurationService.java b/operator-framework/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/config/runtime/DefaultConfigurationService.java
index 852928e642..cadc69b701 100644
--- a/operator-framework/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/config/runtime/DefaultConfigurationService.java
+++ b/operator-framework/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/config/runtime/DefaultConfigurationService.java
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ public <R extends CustomResource> ControllerConfiguration<R> getConfigurationFor
       // create the the configuration on demand and register it
       config = new AnnotationConfiguration(controller);
       register(config);
+    } else {
+      // check that we don't have a controller name collision
+      final var newControllerClassName = controller.getClass().getCanonicalName();
+      if (!config.getAssociatedControllerClassName().equals(newControllerClassName)) {
+        throwExceptionOnNameCollision(newControllerClassName, config);
+      }
     }
     return config;
   }
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/config/runtime/DefaultConfigurationServiceTest.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/config/runtime/DefaultConfigurationServiceTest.java
index 1844cb6c3d..6a3986a5df 100644
--- a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/config/runtime/DefaultConfigurationServiceTest.java
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/config/runtime/DefaultConfigurationServiceTest.java
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ public UpdateControl<TestCustomFinalizerController.InnerCustomResource> createOr
 
   @Controller(
       generationAwareEventProcessing = false,
-      crdName = TestCustomResourceController.CRD_NAME)
+      crdName = TestCustomResourceController.CRD_NAME,
+      name = "test")
   static class TestCustomResourceController implements ResourceController<TestCustomResource> {
 
     public static final String CRD_NAME = "customservices.sample.javaoperatorsdk";