diff --git a/controllers/sensor/validate.go b/controllers/sensor/validate.go
index c2deeab4a5..d57f466c0d 100644
--- a/controllers/sensor/validate.go
+++ b/controllers/sensor/validate.go
@@ -75,7 +75,13 @@ func validateTriggers(triggers []v1alpha1.Trigger) error {
 		return errors.Errorf("no triggers found")
 	}
 
+	trigNames := make(map[string]bool)
+
 	for _, trigger := range triggers {
+		if _, ok := trigNames[trigger.Template.Name]; ok {
+			return fmt.Errorf("duplicate trigger name: %s", trigger.Template.Name)
+		}
+		trigNames[trigger.Template.Name] = true
 		if err := validateTriggerTemplate(trigger.Template); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -152,10 +158,10 @@ func validateTriggerTemplate(template *v1alpha1.TriggerTemplate) error {
 // validateK8STrigger validates a kubernetes trigger
 func validateK8STrigger(trigger *v1alpha1.StandardK8STrigger) error {
 	if trigger == nil {
-		return errors.New("k8s trigger for can't be nil")
+		return errors.New("k8s trigger can't be nil")
 	}
 	if trigger.Source == nil {
-		return errors.New("k8s trigger for does not contain an absolute action")
+		return errors.New("k8s trigger does not contain an absolute action")
 	}
 	if trigger.GroupVersionResource.Size() == 0 {
 		return errors.New("must provide group, version and resource for the resource")
@@ -179,10 +185,10 @@ func validateK8STrigger(trigger *v1alpha1.StandardK8STrigger) error {
 // validateArgoWorkflowTrigger validates an Argo workflow trigger
 func validateArgoWorkflowTrigger(trigger *v1alpha1.ArgoWorkflowTrigger) error {
 	if trigger == nil {
-		return errors.New("k8s trigger for can't be nil")
+		return errors.New("argoWorkflow trigger can't be nil")
 	}
 	if trigger.Source == nil {
-		return errors.New("k8s trigger for does not contain an absolute action")
+		return errors.New("argoWorkflow trigger does not contain an absolute action")
 	}
 	if trigger.GroupVersionResource.Size() == 0 {
 		return errors.New("must provide group, version and resource for the resource")
@@ -205,7 +211,7 @@ func validateArgoWorkflowTrigger(trigger *v1alpha1.ArgoWorkflowTrigger) error {
 // validateHTTPTrigger validates the HTTP trigger
 func validateHTTPTrigger(trigger *v1alpha1.HTTPTrigger) error {
 	if trigger == nil {
-		return errors.New("openfaas trigger for can't be nil")
+		return errors.New("HTTP trigger for can't be nil")
 	}
 	if trigger.URL == "" {
 		return errors.New("server URL is not specified")
diff --git a/controllers/sensor/validate_test.go b/controllers/sensor/validate_test.go
index c5a44cca4b..d31a02a9e7 100644
--- a/controllers/sensor/validate_test.go
+++ b/controllers/sensor/validate_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo-events/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1"
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 )
 
 func TestValidateSensor(t *testing.T) {
@@ -88,3 +89,41 @@ func TestValidDepencies(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, true, strings.Contains(err.Error(), "must define a name"))
 	})
 }
+
+func TestValidTriggers(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("duplicate trigger names", func(t *testing.T) {
+		triggers := []v1alpha1.Trigger{
+			{
+				Template: &v1alpha1.TriggerTemplate{
+					Name: "fake-trigger",
+					K8s: &v1alpha1.StandardK8STrigger{
+						GroupVersionResource: metav1.GroupVersionResource{
+							Group:    "k8s.io",
+							Version:  "",
+							Resource: "pods",
+						},
+						Operation: "create",
+						Source:    &v1alpha1.ArtifactLocation{},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			{
+				Template: &v1alpha1.TriggerTemplate{
+					Name: "fake-trigger",
+					K8s: &v1alpha1.StandardK8STrigger{
+						GroupVersionResource: metav1.GroupVersionResource{
+							Group:    "k8s.io",
+							Version:  "",
+							Resource: "pods",
+						},
+						Operation: "create",
+						Source:    &v1alpha1.ArtifactLocation{},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+		err := validateTriggers(triggers)
+		assert.NotNil(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, true, strings.Contains(err.Error(), "duplicate trigger name:"))
+	})
+}