diff --git a/python/paddle/trainer_config_helpers/layers.py b/python/paddle/trainer_config_helpers/layers.py
index cc1b34df9e7cf8d17bafeb57624548de017066e9..6e8ac8838bf3012969bf4f597cdf4430693fe313 100644
--- a/python/paddle/trainer_config_helpers/layers.py
+++ b/python/paddle/trainer_config_helpers/layers.py
@@ -1047,6 +1047,13 @@ def fc_layer(input,
         if isinstance(param_attr, collections.Sequence):
             assert len(input) == len(param_attr)
         else:
+            if "parameter_name" in param_attr.attr and len(input) > 1:
+                logger.fatal(
+                    "When the name field of param_attr is manually specified "
+                    "and the input is a list, the param_attr should also be a "
+                    "list with each item being the param_attr for each input "
+                    "item. If only one named param_attr is provided, all the "
+                    "input items would share this parameter.")
             param_attr = [copy.deepcopy(param_attr) for _ in range(len(input))]
 
     assert isinstance(input, collections.Sequence)
@@ -4877,6 +4884,13 @@ def selective_fc_layer(input,
         if isinstance(param_attr, collections.Sequence):
             assert len(input) == len(param_attr)
         else:
+            if "parameter_name" in param_attr.attr and len(input) > 1:
+                logger.fatal(
+                    "When the name field of param_attr is manually specified "
+                    "and the input is a list, the param_attr should also be a "
+                    "list with each item being the param_attr for each input "
+                    "item. If only one named param_attr is provided, all the "
+                    "input items would share this parameter.")
             param_attr = [copy.deepcopy(param_attr) for _ in range(len(input))]
 
     assert isinstance(input, collections.Sequence)