diff --git a/cmake/avendish.examples.cmake b/cmake/avendish.examples.cmake
index ccb83e5c..d4286f08 100644
--- a/cmake/avendish.examples.cmake
+++ b/cmake/avendish.examples.cmake
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ avnd_make_all(
   TARGET SampleAccurateControls
   MAIN_FILE examples/Raw/SampleAccurateControls.hpp
   MAIN_CLASS examples::SampleAccurateControls
-  C_NAME avnd_sample_accurate_controls
+  C_NAME avnd_sampleaccurate  # must match SampleAccurateControls::c_name()
 )
 
 avnd_make_all(
diff --git a/include/avnd/binding/golden/prototype.cpp.in b/include/avnd/binding/golden/prototype.cpp.in
index 051786a1..e84c7421 100644
--- a/include/avnd/binding/golden/prototype.cpp.in
+++ b/include/avnd/binding/golden/prototype.cpp.in
@@ -17,6 +17,18 @@ struct config
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
   using type = decltype(avnd::configure<golden::config, @AVND_MAIN_CLASS@>())::type;
+
+  // Every object is built for the golden harness (SDK-free, always on), so this
+  // single check enforces the name invariant for all back-ends at once: when an
+  // object declares an explicit halp_meta(c_name, ...), the avnd_addon_object /
+  // avnd_make_* C_NAME must equal it -- they name the same external (the file and
+  // class Pd/Max load by), and a mismatch ships something that can't be
+  // instantiated. Objects with no c_name leave the C_NAME authoritative.
+  static_assert(
+      avnd::c_name_matches<type>("@AVND_C_NAME@"),
+      "avendish: the CMake C_NAME does not match this object's halp_meta(c_name, ...). "
+      "Make the avnd_addon_object / avnd_make_* C_NAME equal the object's c_name.");
+
   return golden::run<type>(argc > 1 ? argv[1] : std::string_view{"golden.json"});
 }
 // clang-format on
diff --git a/include/avnd/binding/pd/audio_processor.hpp b/include/avnd/binding/pd/audio_processor.hpp
index 6d52b56c..49f164d8 100644
--- a/include/avnd/binding/pd/audio_processor.hpp
+++ b/include/avnd/binding/pd/audio_processor.hpp
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ struct audio_processor_metaclass
   static inline t_class* g_class{};
   static inline audio_processor_metaclass* instance{};
 
-  audio_processor_metaclass();
+  // class_name is the Pd class symbol; the setup function passes @AVND_C_NAME@ so
+  // the registered class matches the external's filename (nullptr -> fall back to
+  // the introspected name, for callers that construct the metaclass directly).
+  audio_processor_metaclass(t_symbol* class_name = nullptr);
 };
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -205,7 +208,7 @@ struct audio_processor
 };
 
 template <typename T>
-audio_processor_metaclass<T>::audio_processor_metaclass()
+audio_processor_metaclass<T>::audio_processor_metaclass(t_symbol* class_name)
 {
   audio_processor_metaclass::instance = this;
   using instance = audio_processor<T>;
@@ -249,8 +252,8 @@ audio_processor_metaclass<T>::audio_processor_metaclass()
 
   /// Class creation ///
   g_class = class_new(
-      symbol_from_name<T>(), (t_newmethod)obj_new, (t_method)obj_free,
-      sizeof(audio_processor<T>), CLASS_DEFAULT, A_GIMME, 0);
+      class_name ? class_name : symbol_from_name<T>(), (t_newmethod)obj_new,
+      (t_method)obj_free, sizeof(audio_processor<T>), CLASS_DEFAULT, A_GIMME, 0);
 
   // First port will receive messages
   CLASS_MAINSIGNALIN(g_class, audio_processor<T>, f);
diff --git a/include/avnd/binding/pd/message_processor.hpp b/include/avnd/binding/pd/message_processor.hpp
index f0742ff5..0194fca0 100644
--- a/include/avnd/binding/pd/message_processor.hpp
+++ b/include/avnd/binding/pd/message_processor.hpp
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ struct message_processor_metaclass
   static inline t_class* g_class{};
   static inline message_processor_metaclass* instance{};
 
-  message_processor_metaclass();
+  // class_name is the Pd class symbol; the setup function passes @AVND_C_NAME@ so
+  // the registered class matches the external's filename (nullptr -> fall back to
+  // the introspected name, for callers that construct the metaclass directly).
+  message_processor_metaclass(t_symbol* class_name = nullptr);
 };
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -187,7 +190,7 @@ struct message_processor
 };
 
 template <typename T>
-message_processor_metaclass<T>::message_processor_metaclass()
+message_processor_metaclass<T>::message_processor_metaclass(t_symbol* class_name)
 {
   message_processor_metaclass::instance = this;
   using instance = message_processor<T>;
@@ -228,8 +231,8 @@ message_processor_metaclass<T>::message_processor_metaclass()
 
   /// Class creation ///
   g_class = class_new(
-      symbol_from_name<T>(), (t_newmethod)obj_new, (t_method)obj_free,
-      sizeof(message_processor<T>), CLASS_DEFAULT, A_GIMME, 0);
+      class_name ? class_name : symbol_from_name<T>(), (t_newmethod)obj_new,
+      (t_method)obj_free, sizeof(message_processor<T>), CLASS_DEFAULT, A_GIMME, 0);
 
   // Connect our methods
   class_addanything(g_class, (t_method)obj_process);
diff --git a/include/avnd/binding/pd/prototype.cpp.in b/include/avnd/binding/pd/prototype.cpp.in
index 5cefe039..d548c6a5 100644
--- a/include/avnd/binding/pd/prototype.cpp.in
+++ b/include/avnd/binding/pd/prototype.cpp.in
@@ -10,17 +10,23 @@ using type = decltype(avnd::configure<pd::config, @AVND_MAIN_CLASS@>())::type;
 
 extern "C" AVND_EXPORTED_SYMBOL void @AVND_C_NAME@_setup()
 {
-  []<typename T = type> {
+  // Register the class under the external's own name (the file Pd just loaded is
+  // @AVND_C_NAME@.pd_*, and this function is @AVND_C_NAME@_setup). Pd looks up a
+  // single-object external by filename, so the class symbol must match it exactly;
+  // otherwise the object loads but the class is registered under a different name,
+  // Pd never finds it, and its loader retries until it hits the recursion limit.
+  t_symbol* const avnd_class_name = gensym("@AVND_C_NAME@");
+  [avnd_class_name]<typename T = type> {
     if constexpr(
         avnd::monophonic_audio_processor<T> || avnd::polyphonic_audio_processor<T>)
     {
       // If we're an audio effect, make a type with the whole DSP stuff
-      static const pd::audio_processor_metaclass<T> instance{};
+      static const pd::audio_processor_metaclass<T> instance{avnd_class_name};
     }
     else
     {
       // Simpler case which just processes messages
-      static const pd::message_processor_metaclass<T> instance{};
+      static const pd::message_processor_metaclass<T> instance{avnd_class_name};
     }
   }();
 }
diff --git a/include/avnd/wrappers/metadatas.hpp b/include/avnd/wrappers/metadatas.hpp
index 42181470..6ec8537d 100644
--- a/include/avnd/wrappers/metadatas.hpp
+++ b/include/avnd/wrappers/metadatas.hpp
@@ -318,6 +318,21 @@ static constexpr auto get_static_symbol()
     return avnd::get_c_identifier<T, Symtab>();
 }
 
+// True unless the object declares an explicit c_name (halp_meta(c_name, ...)) that
+// differs from the external's CMake C_NAME. The per-backend prototypes call this so
+// a C_NAME that disagrees with the object's own c_name is a compile error instead of
+// an external whose file name and registered class name silently differ (which Pd and
+// Max load by, so it can't be instantiated). Objects with no c_name meta leave the
+// CMake C_NAME authoritative and always pass.
+template <typename T>
+consteval bool c_name_matches(std::string_view cmake_c_name)
+{
+  if constexpr(avnd::has_c_name<T>)
+    return avnd::get_c_name<T>() == cmake_c_name;
+  else
+    return true;
+}
+
 
 
 template <typename T>