diff --git a/backend/fluksio/sdk/__init__.py b/backend/fluksio/sdk/__init__.py
index b845c6b..5e0cf6b 100644
--- a/backend/fluksio/sdk/__init__.py
+++ b/backend/fluksio/sdk/__init__.py
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ DTYPES = frozenset(
 ITEM_TYPES = frozenset({"float", "int", "str", "bool", "json", "record"})
 #: Settings the engine reads itself, mirroring ``nodes.base.RESERVED_SETTINGS``.
 RESERVED_SETTINGS = frozenset({"synchronous"})
+#: Names ``_shim`` needs inside the body it generates: ``settings`` would collide
+#: with its ``**settings``, ``_impl`` with the function it imports.
+SHIM_RESERVED = frozenset({"settings", "_impl"})
 #: Mirrors ``fluksio.flow.schemas.NAME_PATTERN``.
 NAME_PATTERN = re.compile(r"^[a-z][a-z0-9_]*$")
 #: First line of every generated node body. Its absence is how ``sync`` knows a
@@ -495,6 +498,11 @@ def _check(spec: NodeSpec, mode: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
         p.kind is inspect.Parameter.VAR_KEYWORD for p in parameters.values()
     )
     ports = {port.port for port in spec.requires}
+    for name in sorted(ports & SHIM_RESERVED):
+        raise SyncError(
+            f"{where}: '{name}' is a name the generated node body keeps for "
+            "itself — rename the port"
+        )
 
     params: dict[str, Any] = {}
     for name, parameter in parameters.items():
@@ -772,6 +780,10 @@ def _shim(spec: NodeSpec) -> str:
     The store therefore still holds a complete, runnable definition — the body
     simply happens to be generated, which is why it says so and says where the
     real thing is.
+
+    The import is aliased because ``process``'s parameters are the node's port
+    names, and a port may be named after the very function it feeds — which
+    would otherwise shadow the import inside the body.
     """
     _refuse_main(spec)
     fn = spec.fn
@@ -780,7 +792,7 @@ def _shim(spec: NodeSpec) -> str:
     ports = [port.port for port in spec.requires]
     signature = ", ".join(ports + ["**settings"])
     arguments = ", ".join([f"{port}={port}" for port in ports] + ["**settings"])
-    call = f"{fn.__name__}({arguments})"
+    call = f"_impl({arguments})"
 
     lines = [
         f"{MARKER} from {where} — edit that file instead",
@@ -798,7 +810,7 @@ def _shim(spec: NodeSpec) -> str:
             "",
         ]
     lines += [
-        f"from {fn.__module__} import {fn.__name__}",
+        f"from {fn.__module__} import {fn.__name__} as _impl",
         "",
         "",
         f"def process({signature}):",
diff --git a/backend/tests/sdk/test_build.py b/backend/tests/sdk/test_build.py
index 834d91a..a800217 100644
--- a/backend/tests/sdk/test_build.py
+++ b/backend/tests/sdk/test_build.py
@@ -187,15 +187,15 @@ def test_shim_imports_rather_than_copies():
     shims = a_flow().shims()
 
     assert shims["prepare"].startswith(MARKER)
-    assert "from tests.sdk.test_build import prepare" in shims["prepare"]
+    assert "from tests.sdk.test_build import prepare as _impl" in shims["prepare"]
     assert "def process(**settings):" in shims["prepare"]
-    assert "return prepare(**settings)" in shims["prepare"]
+    assert "return _impl(**settings)" in shims["prepare"]
 
 
 def test_shim_of_a_generator_delegates_and_keeps_its_return_value():
     """A bare `yield from` streams but drops what the generator returns."""
     assert (
-        "return (yield from fit(dataset=dataset, lr=lr, **settings))"
+        "return (yield from _impl(dataset=dataset, lr=lr, **settings))"
         in a_flow().shims()["fit"]
     )
 
@@ -221,7 +221,31 @@ def test_a_generator_shim_publishes_both_the_stream_and_the_result():
 
 
 def test_shim_of_a_single_port_wraps_the_bare_return():
-    assert "return {'score': evaluate(weights=weights" in a_flow().shims()["evaluate"]
+    assert "return {'score': _impl(weights=weights" in a_flow().shims()["evaluate"]
+
+
+@node(requires=["scale"], provides=Port("scaled", "float"))
+def scale(scale):
+    return scale * 2.0
+
+
+def test_a_port_named_like_its_function_still_calls_the_function():
+    """The body imports under an alias, so the port cannot shadow the function."""
+    flow = Flow("collide", nodes=[scale], inputs=[Port("scale", "float", initial=1.0)])
+    namespace: dict = {}
+    exec(compile(flow.shims()["scale"], "<shim>", "exec"), namespace)
+
+    assert namespace["process"](scale=2.0) == {"scaled": 4.0}
+
+
+def reads_settings(settings):
+    return settings
+
+
+def test_a_port_the_generated_body_reserves_is_refused():
+    refused = node(requires=["settings"], provides=Port("out", "float"))(reads_settings)
+    with pytest.raises(SyncError, match="keeps for itself"):
+        Flow("reserved", nodes=[refused], inputs=[Port("settings", "float")])
 
 
 def test_every_shim_compiles_and_defines_process():