diff --git a/src/Menus.cpp b/src/Menus.cpp
index 0eb2abbc4..5be6175bf 100644
--- a/src/Menus.cpp
+++ b/src/Menus.cpp
@@ -2012,6 +2012,8 @@ void AudacityProject::OnSortName()
    wxArrayPtrVoid arr;
    TrackListIterator iter(mTracks);
    Track *track = iter.First();
+   //Assumes that linked channels have the same name.
+   //if this is not true a crash will occur during redraw after the sort.
    while (track) {
       for (ndx = 0; ndx < (int)arr.GetCount(); ndx++) {
          if (track->GetName() < ((Track *) arr[ndx])->GetName()) {
diff --git a/src/Project.cpp b/src/Project.cpp
index 122833cf3..e0ef3e48d 100644
--- a/src/Project.cpp
+++ b/src/Project.cpp
@@ -3269,14 +3269,17 @@ void AudacityProject::AddImportedTracks(wxString fileName,
    bool initiallyEmpty = mTracks->IsEmpty();
    double newRate = 0;
    wxString trackNameBase = fileName.AfterLast(wxFILE_SEP_PATH).BeforeLast('.');
-
+   bool isLinked = false;
    for (int i = 0; i < numTracks; i++) {
       if (newRate == 0 && newTracks[i]->GetKind() == Track::Wave) {
          newRate = ((WaveTrack *)newTracks[i])->GetRate();
       }
       mTracks->Add(newTracks[i]);
       newTracks[i]->SetSelected(true);
-      if (numTracks > 2 || (numTracks > 1 && !newTracks[i]->GetLink())) {
+      //we need to check link status based on the first channel only.
+      if(0==i)
+         isLinked = newTracks[i]->GetLinked();
+      if (numTracks > 2 || (numTracks > 1 && !isLinked) ) {
          newTracks[i]->SetName(trackNameBase + wxString::Format(wxT(" %d" ), i + 1));
       }
       else {
diff --git a/src/TrackPanel.cpp b/src/TrackPanel.cpp
index 6b7391c2f..5333a4e97 100644
--- a/src/TrackPanel.cpp
+++ b/src/TrackPanel.cpp
@@ -6793,9 +6793,14 @@ void TrackPanel::OnSetName(wxCommandEvent &event)
       wxString defaultStr = t->GetName();
       wxString newName = wxGetTextFromUser(_("Change track name to:"),
                                            _("Track Name"), defaultStr);
-      if (newName != wxT(""))
+      //if we have a linked channel this name should change as well (otherwise sort by name and time will crash)
+      if (newName != wxT("")) {
          t->SetName(newName);
-
+         if(t->GetLinked())
+         {
+            t->GetLink()->SetName(newName);
+         }
+      }
       #ifdef EXPERIMENTAL_MIXER_BOARD
          MixerBoard* pMixerBoard = this->GetMixerBoard();
          if (pMixerBoard && (t->GetKind() == Track::Wave))