diff --git a/src/pandablocks/hdf.py b/src/pandablocks/hdf.py
index 8008478f..73eb80f2 100644
--- a/src/pandablocks/hdf.py
+++ b/src/pandablocks/hdf.py
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ def create_dataset(self, field: FieldCapture, raw: bool):
         dataset_name = self.capture_record_hdf_names.get(field.name, {}).get(
             field.capture, f"{field.name}.{field.capture}"
         )
+
         return self.hdf_file.create_dataset(
             f"/{dataset_name}",
             dtype=dtype,
diff --git a/tests/test_hdf.py b/tests/test_hdf.py
index 5ff7a2af..290491ac 100644
--- a/tests/test_hdf.py
+++ b/tests/test_hdf.py
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import numpy as np
+import pytest
 
-from pandablocks.hdf import Pipeline, create_default_pipeline, stop_pipeline
+from pandablocks.hdf import HDFWriter, Pipeline, create_default_pipeline, stop_pipeline
 from pandablocks.responses import EndData, EndReason, FieldCapture, FrameData, StartData
 
 
@@ -58,3 +59,113 @@ def __init__(self):
         assert num_written_queue.get() == NUMBER_OF_FRAMES_WRITTEN
     finally:
         stop_pipeline(pipeline)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "capture_record_hdf_names,expected_names",
+    [
+        (
+            {},
+            {
+                "/COUNTER1.OUT.Value",
+                "/COUNTER2.OUT.Mean",
+                "/COUNTER2.OUT.Max",
+                "/COUNTER2.OUT.Min",
+            },
+        ),
+        (
+            {"COUNTER1.OUT": {"Value": "scientific-name"}},
+            {
+                "/scientific-name",
+                "/COUNTER2.OUT.Mean",
+                "/COUNTER2.OUT.Max",
+                "/COUNTER2.OUT.Min",
+            },
+        ),
+        (
+            {
+                "COUNTER2.OUT": {
+                    "Mean": "scientific-name",
+                    "Max": "scientific-name-max",
+                    "Min": "scientific-name-min",
+                }
+            },
+            {
+                "/COUNTER1.OUT.Value",
+                "/scientific-name",
+                "/scientific-name-max",
+                "/scientific-name-min",
+            },
+        ),
+        (
+            {
+                "COUNTER1.OUT": {"Value": "scientific-name1"},
+                "COUNTER2.OUT": {
+                    "Mean": "scientific-name2",
+                    "Max": "scientific-name2-max",
+                    "Min": "scientific-name2-min",
+                },
+            },
+            {
+                "/scientific-name1",
+                "/scientific-name2",
+                "/scientific-name2-max",
+                "/scientific-name2-min",
+            },
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_hdf_writer_uses_alternative_dataset_names(
+    tmp_path, capture_record_hdf_names, expected_names
+):
+    hdf_writer = HDFWriter(
+        iter([str(tmp_path / "test_file.h5")]), capture_record_hdf_names
+    )
+
+    start_data = StartData(
+        fields=[
+            FieldCapture(
+                name="COUNTER1.OUT",
+                type=np.dtype("float64"),
+                capture="Value",
+                scale=1,
+                offset=0,
+                units="",
+            ),
+            FieldCapture(
+                name="COUNTER2.OUT",
+                type=np.dtype("float64"),
+                capture="Min",
+                scale=1,
+                offset=0,
+                units="",
+            ),
+            FieldCapture(
+                name="COUNTER2.OUT",
+                type=np.dtype("float64"),
+                capture="Max",
+                scale=1,
+                offset=0,
+                units="",
+            ),
+            FieldCapture(
+                name="COUNTER2.OUT",
+                type=np.dtype("float64"),
+                capture="Mean",
+                scale=1,
+                offset=0,
+                units="",
+            ),
+        ],
+        missed=0,
+        process="Scaled",
+        format="Framed",
+        sample_bytes=52,
+        arm_time="2024-03-05T20:27:12.607841574Z",
+        start_time="2024-03-05T20:27:12.608875498Z",
+        hw_time_offset_ns=100555,
+    )
+
+    hdf_writer.open_file(start_data)
+
+    assert {dataset.name for dataset in hdf_writer.datasets} == expected_names