diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java
index a30f1a1d..ff86861f 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java
@@ -1362,12 +1362,17 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
             ///////////////////////////////////
             // validate steps in the process //
             ///////////////////////////////////
+            Set<String> usedStepNames = new HashSet<>();
             if(assertCondition(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(process.getStepList()), "At least 1 step must be defined in process " + processName + "."))
             {
                int index = 0;
                for(QStepMetaData step : process.getStepList())
                {
-                  assertCondition(StringUtils.hasContent(step.getName()), "Missing name for a step at index " + index + " in process " + processName);
+                  if(assertCondition(StringUtils.hasContent(step.getName()), "Missing name for a step at index " + index + " in process " + processName))
+                  {
+                     assertCondition(!usedStepNames.contains(step.getName()), "Duplicate step name [" + step.getName() + "] in process " + processName);
+                     usedStepNames.add(step.getName());
+                  }
                   index++;
 
                   ////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidatorTest.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidatorTest.java
index 0ad55dde..a98773c9 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidatorTest.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidatorTest.java
@@ -269,6 +269,25 @@ public class QInstanceValidatorTest extends BaseTest
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Test rules for process step names (must be set; must not be duplicated)
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Test
+   public void test_validateProcessStepNames()
+   {
+      assertValidationFailureReasons((qInstance) -> qInstance.getProcess(TestUtils.PROCESS_NAME_GREET_PEOPLE_INTERACTIVE).getStepList().get(0).setName(null),
+         "Missing name for a step at index");
+
+      assertValidationFailureReasons((qInstance) -> qInstance.getProcess(TestUtils.PROCESS_NAME_GREET_PEOPLE_INTERACTIVE).getStepList().get(0).setName(""),
+         "Missing name for a step at index");
+
+      assertValidationFailureReasons((qInstance) -> qInstance.getProcess(TestUtils.PROCESS_NAME_GREET_PEOPLE_INTERACTIVE).getStepList().forEach(s -> s.setName("myStep")),
+         "Duplicate step name [myStep]", "Duplicate step name [myStep]");
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Test that a process with a step that is a private class fails
     **