diff --git a/ratapi/utils/convert.py b/ratapi/utils/convert.py
index b957789c..7b3a44f7 100644
--- a/ratapi/utils/convert.py
+++ b/ratapi/utils/convert.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from os import PathLike
 from pathlib import Path
 
-from numpy import array, empty
+from numpy import array, empty, ndarray
 from scipy.io.matlab import MatlabOpaque, loadmat
 
 from ratapi import Project, wrappers
@@ -227,6 +227,12 @@ def fix_invalid_constraints(name: str, constrs: tuple[float, float], value: floa
     if isinstance(mat_project["resolNames"], str):
         mat_project["resolNames"] = [mat_project["resolNames"]]
 
+    if isinstance(mat_project["contrastNames"], (ndarray, list)) and len(
+        dict.fromkeys(mat_project["contrastNames"])
+    ) != len(mat_project["contrastNames"]):
+        # contrast names are not unique so create unique ones
+        mat_project["contrastNames"] = [f"Contrast {i + 1}" for i in range(len(mat_project["contrastNames"]))]
+
     contrasts = ClassList(
         [
             Contrast(
diff --git a/tests/test_convert.py b/tests/test_convert.py
index fc6f4400..0cbd621b 100644
--- a/tests/test_convert.py
+++ b/tests/test_convert.py
@@ -69,6 +69,13 @@ def test_r1_to_project(file, project, path_type, request):
         assert getattr(output_project, class_list) == getattr(expected_project, class_list)
 
 
+def test_r1_with_non_unique_contrast_names():
+    """Test that R1 to Project class conversion returns the expected Project."""
+    output_project = r1_to_project(pathlib.Path(TEST_DIR_PATH, "nonUniqueContrast.mat"))
+    assert output_project.contrasts[0].name == "Contrast 1"
+    assert output_project.contrasts[1].name == "Contrast 2"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "project",
     [
diff --git a/tests/test_data/nonUniqueContrast.mat b/tests/test_data/nonUniqueContrast.mat
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..41375134
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/test_data/nonUniqueContrast.mat differ