diff --git a/lib/src/rdsvc.c b/lib/src/rdsvc.c
index 54c6d24..ee898c3 100644
--- a/lib/src/rdsvc.c
+++ b/lib/src/rdsvc.c
@@ -28,14 +28,6 @@
 #include "service.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
-static int svc_name(service_t *svc, char *arg,
-		    const char *filename, size_t lineno)
-{
-	(void)filename; (void)lineno;
-	svc->name = arg;
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int svc_desc(service_t *svc, char *arg,
 		    const char *filename, size_t lineno)
 {
@@ -166,7 +158,6 @@ static const struct {
 	int (*handle)(service_t *svc, char *arg,
 		      const char *filename, size_t lineno);
 } svc_params[] = {
-	{ "name", svc_name },
 	{ "description", svc_desc },
 	{ "exec", svc_exec },
 	{ "type", svc_type },
@@ -207,6 +198,19 @@ service_t *rdsvc(int dirfd, const char *filename)
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	if (arg != NULL) {
+		svc->name = strndup(filename, arg - filename);
+	} else {
+		svc->name = strdup(filename);
+	}
+
+	if (svc->name == NULL) {
+		free(svc);
+		fputs("out of memory\n", stderr);
+		close(fd);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	for (lineno = 1; ; ++lineno) {
 		errno = 0;
 		line = rdline(fd);
diff --git a/services/agetty.in b/services/agetty.in
index b4aeebd..c0ae21b 100644
--- a/services/agetty.in
+++ b/services/agetty.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "agetty"
 description = "agetty on %0"
 exec = "@SBINPATH@/agetty %0 linux"
 type = respawn
diff --git a/services/hostname.in b/services/hostname.in
index 4ff5acd..be0020d 100644
--- a/services/hostname.in
+++ b/services/hostname.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "hostname"
 description = "reload hostname"
 exec = "@BINPATH@/hostname --file /etc/hostname"
 type = wait
diff --git a/services/hwclock.in b/services/hwclock.in
index b558493..e8a2513 100644
--- a/services/hwclock.in
+++ b/services/hwclock.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "hwclock"
 description = "restore time from RTC"
 exec = "@SBINPATH@/hwclock --hctosys --utc"
 type = wait
diff --git a/services/loopback.in b/services/loopback.in
index 2720e3c..741ed1c 100644
--- a/services/loopback.in
+++ b/services/loopback.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "loopback"
 description = "configure network loopback device"
 type = wait
 target = boot
diff --git a/services/reboot.in b/services/reboot.in
index f913013..94d1b78 100644
--- a/services/reboot.in
+++ b/services/reboot.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "reboot"
 description = "system reboot"
 exec = "@SBINPATH@/shutdown -nrf"
 type = wait
diff --git a/services/shutdown.in b/services/shutdown.in
index c97cde9..560dd47 100644
--- a/services/shutdown.in
+++ b/services/shutdown.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "shutdown"
 description = "system shutdown"
 exec = "@SBINPATH@/shutdown -npf"
 type = wait
diff --git a/services/sigkill.in b/services/sigkill.in
index 24677e4..10e96b4 100644
--- a/services/sigkill.in
+++ b/services/sigkill.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "sigkill"
 description = "send SIGKILL to remaining processes"
 exec = "@SCRIPTDIR@/killall5 9"
 type = wait
diff --git a/services/sigterm.in b/services/sigterm.in
index c98e037..126d144 100644
--- a/services/sigterm.in
+++ b/services/sigterm.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "sigterm"
 description = "send SIGTERM to all processes"
 exec = "@SCRIPTDIR@/killall5 15"
 exec = "@BINPATH@/sleep 5"
diff --git a/services/sync.in b/services/sync.in
index 7371b56..69571cf 100644
--- a/services/sync.in
+++ b/services/sync.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "sync"
 description = "sync"
 exec = "@BINPATH@/sync"
 type = wait
diff --git a/services/sysctl.in b/services/sysctl.in
index 5f76328..cd7b217 100755
--- a/services/sysctl.in
+++ b/services/sysctl.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "sysctl"
 description = "configure kernel paramters"
 exec = "@SBINPATH@/sysctl --system"
 type = wait
diff --git a/services/sysinit b/services/sysinit
index 37645a5..12e5c55 100644
--- a/services/sysinit
+++ b/services/sysinit
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-name = "sysinit"
 description = "basic system initialization"
 type = once
 target = boot