The taxonomic position of a novel actinomycete, strain SA152T, isolated from a sample of Algerian Saharan soil, was determined using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The strain produced abundant aerial mycelium and fragmented substrate mycelium on most media tested. Chemotaxonomically and phylogenetically, the strain was related to the members of the genus
Saccharothrix
. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison revealed that strain SA152T shared the highest degree of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with
Saccharothrix xinjiangensis
NBRC 101911T (99.3 %) and
Saccharothrix texasensis
NRRL B-16134T (98.9 %). However, DNA–DNA hybridization studies showed only 16.2 % relatedness with
S. xinjiangensis
DSM 44896T and 33.9 % relatedness with
S. texasensis
DSM 44231T. Based upon genotypic and phenotypic differences from other members of the genus, a novel species,
Saccharothrix
saharensis sp. nov., is proposed, with SA152T ( = DSM 45456T = CCUG 60213T) as the type strain.