diff --git a/direct/src/distributed/DistributedNode.py b/direct/src/distributed/DistributedNode.py
index 14c440bcc4..436be49a70 100644
--- a/direct/src/distributed/DistributedNode.py
+++ b/direct/src/distributed/DistributedNode.py
@@ -45,19 +45,18 @@ class DistributedNode(DistributedObject.DistributedObject, NodePath.NodePath):
 
     ### setParent ###
 
-    def b_setParent(self, parentString):
-        self.setParent(parentString)
-        self.d_setParent(parentString)
+    def b_setParent(self, parentToken):
+        self.setParent(parentToken)
+        self.d_setParent(parentToken)
         return None
 
-    def d_setParent(self, parentString):
-        self.sendUpdate("setParent", [parentString])
+    def d_setParent(self, parentToken):
+        self.sendUpdate("setParent", [parentToken])
         return None
 
-    def setParent(self, parentString):
-        # print "setting parent of %s to %s" % (self.getName(), parentString)
-        assert(self.cr.name2nodePath.has_key(parentString))
-        parent = self.cr.name2nodePath[parentString]
+    def setParent(self, parentToken):
+        assert(self.cr.token2nodePath.has_key(parentToken))
+        parent = self.cr.token2nodePath[parentToken]
         self.wrtReparentTo(parent)
         return None
 
diff --git a/direct/src/interval/FunctionInterval.py b/direct/src/interval/FunctionInterval.py
index 93be721e83..31f36f3564 100644
--- a/direct/src/interval/FunctionInterval.py
+++ b/direct/src/interval/FunctionInterval.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from PandaModules import *
 from Interval import *
 from MessengerGlobal import *
+import types
 
 #############################################################
 ###                                                       ###
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ class FunctionInterval(Interval):
         if (name == None):
             name = 'FunctionInterval-%d' % FunctionInterval.functionIntervalNum
             FunctionInterval.functionIntervalNum += 1
+        assert(isinstance(name, types.StringType))
         # Record any arguments
         self.extraArgs = extraArgs
         # Initialize superclass