diff --git a/src/lint/ArcanistLintMessage.php b/src/lint/ArcanistLintMessage.php
--- a/src/lint/ArcanistLintMessage.php
+++ b/src/lint/ArcanistLintMessage.php
@@ -90,6 +90,23 @@
   }
 
   public function setCode($code) {
+    $code = (string)$code;
+
+    $maximum_bytes = 128;
+    $actual_bytes = strlen($code);
+
+    if ($actual_bytes > $maximum_bytes) {
+      throw new Exception(
+        pht(
+          'Parameter ("%s") passed to "%s" when constructing a lint message '.
+          'must be a scalar with a maximum string length of %s bytes, but is '.
+          '%s bytes in length.',
+          $code,
+          'setCode()',
+          new PhutilNumber($maximum_bytes),
+          new PhutilNumber($actual_bytes)));
+    }
+
     $this->code = $code;
     return $this;
   }
diff --git a/src/lint/engine/ArcanistLintEngine.php b/src/lint/engine/ArcanistLintEngine.php
--- a/src/lint/engine/ArcanistLintEngine.php
+++ b/src/lint/engine/ArcanistLintEngine.php
@@ -217,6 +217,8 @@
 
     foreach ($runnable as $linter) {
       foreach ($linter->getLintMessages() as $message) {
+        $this->validateLintMessage($linter, $message);
+
         if (!$this->isSeverityEnabled($message->getSeverity())) {
           continue;
         }
@@ -598,5 +600,18 @@
     $this->endLintServiceCall($call_id);
   }
 
+  private function validateLintMessage(
+    ArcanistLinter $linter,
+    ArcanistLintMessage $message) {
+
+    $name = $message->getName();
+    if (!strlen($name)) {
+      throw new Exception(
+        pht(
+          'Linter "%s" generated a lint message that is invalid because it '.
+          'does not have a name. Lint messages must have a name.',
+          get_class($linter)));
+    }
+  }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/lint/linter/ArcanistPhpcsLinter.php b/src/lint/linter/ArcanistPhpcsLinter.php
--- a/src/lint/linter/ArcanistPhpcsLinter.php
+++ b/src/lint/linter/ArcanistPhpcsLinter.php
@@ -109,15 +109,17 @@
           $prefix = 'W';
         }
 
-        $code = 'PHPCS.'.$prefix.'.'.$child->getAttribute('source');
-
-        $message = new ArcanistLintMessage();
-        $message->setPath($path);
-        $message->setLine($child->getAttribute('line'));
-        $message->setChar($child->getAttribute('column'));
-        $message->setCode($code);
-        $message->setDescription($child->nodeValue);
-        $message->setSeverity($this->getLintMessageSeverity($code));
+        $source = $child->getAttribute('source');
+        $code = 'PHPCS.'.$prefix.'.'.$source;
+
+        $message = id(new ArcanistLintMessage())
+          ->setPath($path)
+          ->setName($source)
+          ->setLine($child->getAttribute('line'))
+          ->setChar($child->getAttribute('column'))
+          ->setCode($code)
+          ->setDescription($child->nodeValue)
+          ->setSeverity($this->getLintMessageSeverity($code));
 
         $messages[] = $message;
       }