diff --git a/libvips/foreign/svgload.c b/libvips/foreign/svgload.c
index d8d06a38..fd8eb721 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/svgload.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/svgload.c
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ vips_foreign_load_svg_class_init( VipsForeignLoadSvgClass *class )
 	gobject_class->set_property = vips_object_set_property;
 	gobject_class->get_property = vips_object_get_property;
 
-	object_class->nickname = "svgload";
+	object_class->nickname = "svgload_base";
 	object_class->description = _( "load SVG with rsvg" );
 
 	/* is_a() is not that quick ... lower the priority.