diff --git a/data/elementary/themes/edc/elm/multibuttonentry.edc b/data/elementary/themes/edc/elm/multibuttonentry.edc
index cefb816419..63ad74ff3d 100644
--- a/data/elementary/themes/edc/elm/multibuttonentry.edc
+++ b/data/elementary/themes/edc/elm/multibuttonentry.edc
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ group { name: "elm/multibuttonentry/base/default";
             rel2.to: "bg";
          }
       }
-      part { name: "box.swallow"; type: SWALLOW;
+      /* this widget was released with non-namespaced parts in legacy api */
+      alias: "box.swallow" "elm.swallow.box";
+      part { name: "elm.swallow.box"; type: SWALLOW;
          description { state: "default" 0.0;
             rel1.to: "bg";
             rel2.to: "bg";
diff --git a/src/lib/elementary/elc_multibuttonentry.c b/src/lib/elementary/elc_multibuttonentry.c
index 2dce1690f2..9a3cf18564 100644
--- a/src/lib/elementary/elc_multibuttonentry.c
+++ b/src/lib/elementary/elc_multibuttonentry.c
@@ -1432,7 +1432,8 @@ _view_init(Evas_Object *obj, Elm_Multibuttonentry_Data *sd)
 
    elm_box_layout_set(sd->box, _box_layout_cb, obj, NULL);
    elm_box_homogeneous_set(sd->box, EINA_FALSE);
-   elm_layout_content_set(obj, "box.swallow", sd->box);
+   if (!elm_layout_content_set(obj, "elm.swallow.box", sd->box))
+     elm_layout_content_set(obj, "box.swallow", sd->box);
 
    sd->label = edje_object_add(evas_object_evas_get(obj));
    if (!sd->label) return;