diff --git a/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcad2kicad_common.cpp b/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcad2kicad_common.cpp
index fc57b6cbc7..e6403434c7 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcad2kicad_common.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcad2kicad_common.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 #include <wx/wx.h>
 #include <wx/config.h>
+#include <wx/regex.h>
 
 #include <common.h>
 #include <convert_to_biu.h>
@@ -225,6 +226,18 @@ wxString ValidateName( wxString aName )
 }
 
 
+wxString ValidateReference( wxString aRef )
+{
+    wxRegEx reRef;
+    reRef.Compile( wxT( "^[[:digit:]][[:digit:]]*$" ) );
+
+    if( reRef.Matches( aRef ) )
+        aRef.Prepend( wxT( '.' ) );
+
+    return aRef;
+}
+
+
 void SetWidth( wxString aStr,
                wxString aDefaultMeasurementUnit,
                int*     aWidth,
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcad2kicad_common.h b/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcad2kicad_common.h
index 5d5a8127fb..02997e6b8f 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcad2kicad_common.h
+++ b/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcad2kicad_common.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ extern wxString     GetAndCutWordWithMeasureUnits( wxString*    aStr,
                                                    wxString     aDefaultMeasurementUnit );
 extern int          StrToInt1Units( wxString aStr );
 extern wxString     ValidateName( wxString aName );
+extern wxString     ValidateReference( wxString aRef );
 extern void         SetWidth( wxString  aStr,
                               wxString  aDefaultMeasurementUnit,
                               int*      aWidth,
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcb_module.cpp b/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcb_module.cpp
index 849bcb048d..eeb73a5801 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcb_module.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcad2kicadpcb_plugin/pcb_module.cpp
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ void PCB_MODULE::AddToBoard()
     // reference text
     TEXTE_MODULE* ref_text = &module->Reference();
 
-    ref_text->SetText( m_name.text );
+    ref_text->SetText( ValidateReference( m_name.text ) );
     ref_text->SetType( TEXTE_MODULE::TEXT_is_REFERENCE );
 
     ref_text->SetPos0( wxPoint( m_name.correctedPositionX, m_name.correctedPositionY ) );