diff --git a/hgext/mq.py b/hgext/mq.py
--- a/hgext/mq.py
+++ b/hgext/mq.py
@@ -834,7 +834,7 @@ class queue(object):
                 raise util.Abort(_("local changes found"))
         return m, a, r, d
 
-    _reserved = ('series', 'status', 'guards')
+    _reserved = ('series', 'status', 'guards', '.', '..')
     def check_reserved_name(self, name):
         if (name in self._reserved or name.startswith('.hg')
             or name.startswith('.mq') or '#' in name or ':' in name):
diff --git a/tests/test-mq-qnew.t b/tests/test-mq-qnew.t
--- a/tests/test-mq-qnew.t
+++ b/tests/test-mq-qnew.t
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
   >     hg qnew series
   >     hg qnew status
   >     hg qnew guards
+  >     hg qnew .
+  >     hg qnew ..
   >     hg qnew .hgignore
   >     hg qnew .mqfoo
   >     hg qnew 'foo#bar'
@@ -102,6 +104,8 @@ plain headers
   abort: "series" cannot be used as the name of a patch
   abort: "status" cannot be used as the name of a patch
   abort: "guards" cannot be used as the name of a patch
+  abort: "." cannot be used as the name of a patch
+  abort: ".." cannot be used as the name of a patch
   abort: ".hgignore" cannot be used as the name of a patch
   abort: ".mqfoo" cannot be used as the name of a patch
   abort: "foo#bar" cannot be used as the name of a patch
@@ -167,6 +171,8 @@ hg headers
   abort: "series" cannot be used as the name of a patch
   abort: "status" cannot be used as the name of a patch
   abort: "guards" cannot be used as the name of a patch
+  abort: "." cannot be used as the name of a patch
+  abort: ".." cannot be used as the name of a patch
   abort: ".hgignore" cannot be used as the name of a patch
   abort: ".mqfoo" cannot be used as the name of a patch
   abort: "foo#bar" cannot be used as the name of a patch