diff --git a/src/consumer.ts b/src/consumer.ts
index d5a4ff2..7a3b44c 100644
--- a/src/consumer.ts
+++ b/src/consumer.ts
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ export class Consumer {
       throw new Error('workerFn is required');
     }
 
-    if (!qname) {
-      throw new Error('qname is required');
+    if (!qname || qname === defaultOptions.INTERNALS) {
+      throw new Error(`qname cannot be empty or set as "${defaultOptions.INTERNALS}"`);
     }
 
     this.consumers = [];
diff --git a/src/producer.ts b/src/producer.ts
index 5e3b30f..9a0fad4 100644
--- a/src/producer.ts
+++ b/src/producer.ts
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ export class Producer {
       this._redis = new IORedis(this._redisOptions) as Redis;
     }
 
-    if (!qname) {
-      throw new Error('qname is required');
+    if (!qname || qname === defaultOptions.INTERNALS) {
+      throw new Error(`qname cannot be empty or set as "${defaultOptions.INTERNALS}"`);
     }
 
     this._QNAME = `${defaultOptions.NAMESPACE}:queue:${qname}`;