diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/api.py b/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
index 3f968aa0b..e9305fb8a 100755
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
@@ -1731,7 +1731,7 @@ class ApiController(RedditController, OAuth2ResourceController):
                               rate_ip = True,
                               prefix = 'create_reddit_'),
                    sr = VByName('sr'),
-                   name = VSubredditName("name"),
+                   name = VAvailableSubredditName("name"),
                    title = VLength("title", max_length = 100),
                    header_title = VLength("header-title", max_length = 500),
                    domain = VCnameDomain("domain"),
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/validator/validator.py b/r2/r2/lib/validator/validator.py
index 359d1210f..f33ae50fa 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/validator/validator.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/validator/validator.py
@@ -618,7 +618,18 @@ class VSubredditName(VRequired):
         name = chksrname(name)
         if not name:
             return self.error()
-        else:
+        return name
+
+    def param_docs(self):
+        return {
+            self.param: "subreddit name",
+        }
+
+
+class VAvailableSubredditName(VSubredditName):
+    def run(self, name):
+        name = VSubredditName.run(self, name)
+        if name:
             try:
                 a = Subreddit._by_name(name)
                 return self.error(errors.SUBREDDIT_EXISTS)