diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_file.cc b/src/rgw/rgw_file.cc
index 9e1ce6808c9..60364be2b69 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_file.cc
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_file.cc
@@ -704,46 +704,6 @@ int rgw_statfs(struct rgw_fs *rgw_fs,
   return 0;
 }
 
-/* XXX can't call these virtual methods from non-REST handler */
-static int valid_s3_bucket_name(const string& name, bool relaxed=false)
-{
-  // This function enforces Amazon's spec for bucket names.
-  // (The requirements, not the recommendations.)
-  int len = name.size();
-  if (len < 3) {
-    // Name too short
-    return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
-  } else if (len > 255) {
-    // Name too long
-    return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
-  }
-
-  // bucket names must start with a number, letter, or underscore
-  if (!(isalpha(name[0]) || isdigit(name[0]))) {
-    if (!relaxed)
-      return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
-    else if (!(name[0] == '_' || name[0] == '.' || name[0] == '-'))
-      return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
-  }
-
-  for (const char *s = name.c_str(); *s; ++s) {
-    char c = *s;
-    if (isdigit(c) || (c == '.'))
-      continue;
-    if (isalpha(c))
-      continue;
-    if ((c == '-') || (c == '_'))
-      continue;
-    // Invalid character
-    return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
-  }
-
-  if (looks_like_ip_address(name.c_str()))
-    return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
 /*
   generic create -- create an empty regular file
 */
diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_file.h b/src/rgw/rgw_file.h
index fe70fa71790..1cafcfb04dd 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_file.h
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_file.h
@@ -1219,18 +1219,6 @@ public:
 
 }; /* RGWDeleteBucketRequest */
 
-static inline bool valid_s3_object_name(const string& name) {
-  if (name.size() > 1024) {
-    // Name too long
-    return false;
-  }
-  if (check_utf8(name.c_str(), name.size())) {
-    // Object names must be valid UTF-8.
-    return false;
-  }
-  return true;
-}
-
 /*
   put object
 */
diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.cc b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.cc
index 7c798f36019..9cbbd860aac 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.cc
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.cc
@@ -2508,7 +2508,7 @@ int RGWHandler_REST_S3::postauth_init()
   ret = validate_tenant_name(s->bucket_tenant);
   if (ret)
     return ret;
-  ret = validate_bucket_name(s->bucket_name, relaxed_names);
+  ret = valid_s3_bucket_name(s->bucket_name, relaxed_names);
   if (ret)
     return ret;
   ret = validate_object_name(s->object.name);
@@ -2521,55 +2521,30 @@ int RGWHandler_REST_S3::postauth_init()
     ret = validate_tenant_name(s->src_tenant_name);
     if (ret)
       return ret;
-    ret = validate_bucket_name(s->src_bucket_name, relaxed_names);
+    ret = valid_s3_bucket_name(s->src_bucket_name, relaxed_names);
     if (ret)
       return ret;
   }
   return 0;
 }
 
-int RGWHandler_REST_S3::validate_bucket_name(const string& bucket,
-					    bool relaxed_names)
-{
-  int ret = RGWHandler_REST::validate_bucket_name(bucket);
-  if (ret < 0)
-    return ret;
-
-  if (bucket.size() == 0)
-    return 0;
-
-  // bucket names must start with a number, letter, or underscore
-  if (!(isalpha(bucket[0]) || isdigit(bucket[0]))) {
-    if (!relaxed_names)
-      return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
-    else if (!(bucket[0] == '_' || bucket[0] == '.' || bucket[0] == '-'))
-      return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
-  }
-
-  for (const char *s = bucket.c_str(); *s; ++s) {
-    char c = *s;
-    if (isdigit(c) || (c == '.'))
-      continue;
-    if (isalpha(c))
-      continue;
-    if ((c == '-') || (c == '_'))
-      continue;
-    // Invalid character
-    return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
-  }
-
-  if (looks_like_ip_address(bucket.c_str()))
-    return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
 int RGWHandler_REST_S3::init(RGWRados *store, struct req_state *s,
-				 RGWClientIO *cio)
+			    RGWClientIO *cio)
 {
   int ret;
 
   s->dialect = "s3";
+  
+  ret = validate_tenant_name(s->bucket_tenant);
+  if (ret)
+    return ret;
+  bool relaxed_names = s->cct->_conf->rgw_relaxed_s3_bucket_names;
+  ret = valid_s3_bucket_name(s->bucket_name, relaxed_names);
+  if (ret)
+    return ret;
+  ret = validate_object_name(s->object.name);
+  if (ret)
+    return ret;
 
   const char *cacl = s->info.env->get("HTTP_X_AMZ_ACL");
   if (cacl)
diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.h b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.h
index e7b23d08b17..129934a9fdb 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.h
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.h
@@ -416,11 +416,9 @@ public:
   RGWHandler_REST_S3() : RGWHandler_REST() {}
   virtual ~RGWHandler_REST_S3() {}
 
-  int validate_bucket_name(const string& bucket, bool relaxed_names);
-  int get_errordoc(const string& errordoc_key, string* error_content);
+  int validate_bucket_name(const string& bucket, bool relaxed_names) = delete;
+  int get_errordoc(const string& errordoc_key, string* error_content);  
 
-  using RGWHandler_REST::validate_bucket_name;
-  
   virtual int init(RGWRados *store, struct req_state *s, RGWClientIO *cio);
   virtual int authorize() {
     return RGW_Auth_S3::authorize(store, s);
@@ -530,4 +528,53 @@ static inline bool looks_like_ip_address(const char *bucket)
   return (num_periods == 3);
 }
 
+static inline bool valid_s3_object_name(const string& name) {
+  if (name.size() > 1024) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (check_utf8(name.c_str(), name.size())) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+static inline int valid_s3_bucket_name(const string& name, bool relaxed=false)
+{
+  // This function enforces Amazon's spec for bucket names.
+  // (The requirements, not the recommendations.)
+  int len = name.size();
+  if (len < 3) {
+    // Name too short
+    return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
+  } else if (len > 255) {
+    // Name too long
+    return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
+  }
+
+  // bucket names must start with a number, letter, or underscore
+  if (!(isalpha(name[0]) || isdigit(name[0]))) {
+    if (!relaxed)
+      return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
+    else if (!(name[0] == '_' || name[0] == '.' || name[0] == '-'))
+      return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
+  }
+
+  for (const char *s = name.c_str(); *s; ++s) {
+    char c = *s;
+    if (isdigit(c) || (c == '.'))
+      continue;
+    if (isalpha(c))
+      continue;
+    if ((c == '-') || (c == '_'))
+      continue;
+    // Invalid character
+    return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
+  }
+
+  if (looks_like_ip_address(name.c_str()))
+    return -ERR_INVALID_BUCKET_NAME;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
 #endif /* CEPH_RGW_REST_S3_H */