diff --git a/src/rougail/loader.py b/src/rougail/loader.py
index 46d5e1f2..39541fc7 100644
--- a/src/rougail/loader.py
+++ b/src/rougail/loader.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import imp
 class ConvertDynOptionDescription(DynOptionDescription):
     def convert_suffix_to_path(self, suffix):
         return normalize_family(suffix,
-                                check=False)
+                                check_name=False)
 
 
 class CreoleLoaderError(Exception):
diff --git a/src/rougail/objspace.py b/src/rougail/objspace.py
index 5969ac99..49f2a424 100644
--- a/src/rougail/objspace.py
+++ b/src/rougail/objspace.py
@@ -601,7 +601,9 @@ class Path(object):
     def get_family_path(self, name, current_namespace):  # pylint: disable=C0111
         if current_namespace is None:  # pragma: no cover
             raise CreoleOperationError('current_namespace must not be None')
-        dico = self.families[normalize_family(name, check_name=False)]
+        dico = self.families[normalize_family(name,
+                                              check_name=False,
+                                              allow_dot=True)]
         if dico['namespace'] != 'creole' and current_namespace != dico['namespace']:
             raise CreoleDictConsistencyError(_('A family located in the {} namespace '
                                                'shall not be used in the {} namespace').format(
diff --git a/src/rougail/utils.py b/src/rougail/utils.py
index 8445528d..6d68fee1 100644
--- a/src/rougail/utils.py
+++ b/src/rougail/utils.py
@@ -6,12 +6,14 @@ from .i18n import _
 
 
 def normalize_family(family_name: str,
-                     check_name=True) -> str:
+                     check_name: bool=True,
+                     allow_dot: bool=False) -> str:
     """replace space, accent, uppercase, ... by valid character
     """
     f = family_name
     f = f.replace('-', '_')
-    f = f.replace('.', '_')
+    if not allow_dot:
+        f = f.replace('.', '_')
     f = f.replace(' ', '_')
     nfkd_form = unicodedata.normalize('NFKD', f)
     f = ''.join([c for c in nfkd_form if not unicodedata.combining(c)])