diff --git a/Lib/glyphsLib/classes.py b/Lib/glyphsLib/classes.py
index b46fdc5b6..65b3304d2 100755
--- a/Lib/glyphsLib/classes.py
+++ b/Lib/glyphsLib/classes.py
@@ -4125,7 +4125,7 @@ def _serialize_to_plist(self, writer):
 
         userData = dict(self.userData)
 
-        if self.layerId != self.associatedMasterId:
+        if not self.isMasterLayer:
             writer.writeObjectKeyValue(self, "associatedMasterId")
         if writer.formatVersion > 2:
             attributes = self._get_plist_attributes()
@@ -4152,9 +4152,9 @@ def _serialize_to_plist(self, writer):
             writer.writeObjectKeyValue(self, "metricRight")
             writer.writeObjectKeyValue(self, "metricWidth")
         if (
-            self.name is not None
-            and len(self.name) > 0
-            and self.layerId != self.associatedMasterId
+            self._name is not None
+            and len(self._name) > 0
+            and not self.isMasterLayer
         ):
             writer.writeObjectKeyValue(self, "name")
         if writer.formatVersion > 2:
@@ -4482,6 +4482,9 @@ def leftMetricsKey(self, value):
     def widthMetricsKey(self, value):
         self.metricWidth = value
 
+    def isMasterLayer(self):
+        return self.layerId == self.associatedMasterId
+
     def isBracketLayer(self):
         return LAYER_ATTRIBUTE_AXIS_RULES in self.attributes