diff --git a/cmd-set-option.c b/cmd-set-option.c
index 631a4d0e..56ca91e0 100644
--- a/cmd-set-option.c
+++ b/cmd-set-option.c
@@ -180,7 +180,9 @@ cmd_set_option_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	if (strcmp(oe->name, "automatic-rename") == 0) {
 		RB_FOREACH(w, windows, &windows) {
 			if (options_get_number(&w->options, "automatic-rename"))
-				w->active->flags |= PANE_CHANGED;
+				queue_window_name(w);
+			else if (event_initialized(&w->name_timer))
+				evtimer_del(&w->name_timer);
 		}
 	}
 	if (strcmp(oe->name, "status") == 0 ||
diff --git a/names.c b/names.c
index 00bc88a2..aa0673ea 100644
--- a/names.c
+++ b/names.c
@@ -25,16 +25,37 @@
 
 #include "tmux.h"
 
+void	 window_name_callback(unused int, unused short, void *);
+
 void
-check_window_name(struct window *w)
+queue_window_name(struct window *w)
 {
-	char	*name;
+	struct timeval	tv;
+
+	tv.tv_sec = 0;
+	tv.tv_usec = NAME_INTERVAL * 1000L;
+
+	if (event_initialized(&w->name_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&w->name_timer);
+	evtimer_set(&w->name_timer, window_name_callback, w);
+	evtimer_add(&w->name_timer, &tv);
+}
+
+void
+window_name_callback(unused int fd, unused short events, void *data)
+{
+	struct window	*w = data;
+	char		*name;
 
 	if (w->active == NULL)
 		return;
 
-	if (!options_get_number(&w->options, "automatic-rename"))
+	if (!options_get_number(&w->options, "automatic-rename")) {
+		if (event_initialized(&w->name_timer))
+			event_del(&w->name_timer);
 		return;
+	}
+	queue_window_name(w);
 
 	if (~w->active->flags & PANE_CHANGED)
 		return;
@@ -42,12 +63,9 @@ check_window_name(struct window *w)
 
 	name = format_window_name(w);
 	if (strcmp(name, w->name) != 0) {
-		log_debug("@%u new name %s (was %s)", w->id, name, w->name);
 		window_set_name(w, name);
 		server_status_window(w);
-	} else
-		log_debug("@%u name not changed (still %s)", w->id, w->name);
-
+	}
 	free(name);
 }
 
diff --git a/server-window.c b/server-window.c
index be1dde2a..c96c2602 100644
--- a/server-window.c
+++ b/server-window.c
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ server_window_loop(void)
 					server_status_session(s);
 			}
 		}
-		check_window_name(w);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 395d3292..6ac0b578 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -870,6 +870,7 @@ RB_HEAD(window_pane_tree, window_pane);
 struct window {
 	u_int		 id;
 	char		*name;
+	struct event	 name_timer;
 	struct timeval	 silence_timer;
 	struct timeval	 activity_time;
 
@@ -2208,7 +2209,7 @@ void	window_choose_collapse_all(struct window_pane *);
 void	window_choose_set_current(struct window_pane *, u_int);
 
 /* names.c */
-void	 check_window_name(struct window *);
+void	 queue_window_name(struct window *);
 char	*default_window_name(struct window *);
 char	*format_window_name(struct window *);
 char	*parse_window_name(const char *);
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index bfd13b1c..77c7a633 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -299,6 +299,8 @@ window_create1(u_int sx, u_int sy)
 		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 
 	options_init(&w->options, &global_w_options);
+	if (options_get_number(&w->options, "automatic-rename"))
+		queue_window_name(w);
 
 	w->references = 0;
 
@@ -347,6 +349,9 @@ window_destroy(struct window *w)
 		layout_free_cell(w->saved_layout_root);
 	free(w->old_layout);
 
+	if (event_initialized(&w->name_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&w->name_timer);
+
 	options_free(&w->options);
 
 	window_destroy_panes(w);