diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d1fb2d04..c57c1397 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -143,3 +143,16 @@ To make `mimaReportBinaryIssues` not fail you may want to do one of the followin
 * avoid calling `mimaPreviousArtifacts` when binary compatibility checking isn't needed
 * set `mimaFailOnNoPrevious := false` on specific projects that want to opt-out (alternatively `disablePlugins(MimaPlugin)`)
 * set `mimaFailOnNoPrevious in ThisBuild := false`, which disables it build-wide, effectively reverting back to the previous behaviour
+
+## Setting mimaPreviousArtifacts when name contains a "."
+
+To refer to the project name in `mimaPreviousArtifacts`, use `moduleName` rather
+than `name`, like
+```scala
+mimaPreviousArtifacts := Set(organization.value %% moduleName.value % "0.1.0")
+```
+
+Unlike `name`, `moduleName` escapes characters like `.`, and is the name
+actually used by `publish` and `publishLocal` to publish your project. It's
+also the value your users should use when adding a dependency towards your
+project.
diff --git a/sbtplugin/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/tools/mima/plugin/MimaPlugin.scala b/sbtplugin/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/tools/mima/plugin/MimaPlugin.scala
index fc22df25..df45d778 100644
--- a/sbtplugin/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/tools/mima/plugin/MimaPlugin.scala
+++ b/sbtplugin/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/tools/mima/plugin/MimaPlugin.scala
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ object MimaPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
         case previousArtifacts =>
           previousArtifacts.iterator.map { m =>
             val moduleId = CrossVersion(m, scalaModuleInfo.value) match {
-              case Some(f) => m.withName(f(Project.normalizeModuleID(m.name)))
-              case None    => m // no module id normalization if it's fully declaring it (using "%")
+              case Some(f) => m.withName(f(m.name))
+              case None    => m
             }
             moduleId -> SbtMima.getPreviousArtifact(moduleId, ivy, taskStreams)
           }.toMap