diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index b88b833..787dfcb 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ func (s *Server) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 			return
 		}
 		p.Path = fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", s.hostname, strings.Trim(req.URL.Path, "/"))
+		if !Valid(p.Path, s.storage.All()) {
+			http.Error(w, fmt.Sprintf("invalid path; prefix already taken %q", req.URL.Path), http.StatusConflict)
+			return
+		}
 		s.storage.Add(p)
 	case "PATCH":
 	default:
diff --git a/storage.go b/storage.go
index 698b6c5..e63d33f 100644
--- a/storage.go
+++ b/storage.go
@@ -2,9 +2,19 @@ package vain
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 )
 
+func Valid(p string, packages []Package) bool {
+	for _, pkg := range packages {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(pkg.Path, p) {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 type MemStore struct {
 	l sync.RWMutex
 	p map[string]Package
diff --git a/vain_test.go b/vain_test.go
index 1690969..270546c 100644
--- a/vain_test.go
+++ b/vain_test.go
@@ -35,3 +35,60 @@ func TestVcsStrings(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestValid(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		pkgs []Package
+		in   string
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{
+			pkgs: []Package{},
+			in:   "bobo",
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			pkgs: []Package{
+				{Path: ""},
+			},
+			in:   "bobo",
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			pkgs: []Package{
+				{Path: "bobo"},
+			},
+			in:   "bobo",
+			want: false,
+		},
+		{
+			pkgs: []Package{
+				{Path: "a/b/c"},
+			},
+			in:   "a/b/c",
+			want: false,
+		},
+		{
+			pkgs: []Package{
+				{Path: "foo/bar"},
+				{Path: "foo/baz"},
+			},
+			in:   "foo",
+			want: false,
+		},
+		{
+			pkgs: []Package{
+				{Path: "bilbo"},
+				{Path: "frodo"},
+			},
+			in:   "foo/bar/baz",
+			want: true,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		got := Valid(test.in, test.pkgs)
+		if got != test.want {
+			t.Errorf("Incorrect testing of %q against %#v; got %t, want %t", test.in, test.pkgs, got, test.want)
+		}
+	}
+}