diff --git a/maestrowf/datastructures/core/study.py b/maestrowf/datastructures/core/study.py
index b57bb1300..9dd9dbab5 100644
--- a/maestrowf/datastructures/core/study.py
+++ b/maestrowf/datastructures/core/study.py
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ def _stage_parameterized(self, dag):
                 # Copy the step and set to not modified.
                 self.step_combos[step].add(step)
 
-                workspace = make_safe_path(self._out_path, step)
+                workspace = make_safe_path(self._out_path, *[step])
                 self.workspaces[step] = workspace
                 logger.debug("Workspace: %s", workspace)
 
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ def _stage_parameterized(self, dag):
                         # If we're looking at a parameter independent match
                         # the workspace is the folder that contains all of
                         # the outputs of all combinations for the step.
-                        ws = make_safe_path(self._out_path, match)
+                        ws = make_safe_path(self._out_path, *[match])
                         logger.info("Found funnel workspace -- %s", ws)
                     else:
                         ws = self.workspaces[match]
@@ -584,10 +584,11 @@ def _stage_parameterized(self, dag):
                     combo_str = combo.get_param_string(self.used_params[step])
                     if self._hash_ws:
                         workspace = make_safe_path(
-                            self._out_path, step, md5(combo_str).hexdigest())
+                                        self._out_path,
+                                        *[step, md5(combo_str).hexdigest()])
                     else:
                         workspace = \
-                            make_safe_path(self._out_path, step, combo_str)
+                            make_safe_path(self._out_path, *[step, combo_str])
                         logger.debug("Workspace: %s", workspace)
                     combo_str = "{}_{}".format(step, combo_str)
                     self.workspaces[combo_str] = workspace
@@ -613,7 +614,7 @@ def _stage_parameterized(self, dag):
                             # If we're looking at a parameter independent match
                             # the workspace is the folder that contains all of
                             # the outputs of all combinations for the step.
-                            ws = make_safe_path(self._out_path, match)
+                            ws = make_safe_path(self._out_path, *[match])
                             logger.info("Found funnel workspace -- %s", ws)
                         elif not self.used_params[match]:
                             # If it's not a funneled dependency and the match
@@ -695,7 +696,7 @@ def _stage_linear(self, dag):
                 continue
 
             # Initialize management structures.
-            ws = make_safe_path(self._out_path, step)
+            ws = make_safe_path(self._out_path, *[step])
             self.workspaces[step] = ws
             self.depends[step] = set()
             # Hub dependencies are not possible in linear studies. Empty set
diff --git a/maestrowf/maestro.py b/maestrowf/maestro.py
index 318ec9bdc..b91f1d6cb 100644
--- a/maestrowf/maestro.py
+++ b/maestrowf/maestro.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ def run_study(args):
     out_dir = environment.remove("OUTPUT_PATH")
     if args.out:
         # If out is specified in the args, ignore OUTPUT_PATH.
-        output_path = os.path.abspath(make_safe_path(args.out))
+        output_path = os.path.abspath(args.out)
 
         # If we are automatically launching, just set the input as yes.
         if os.path.exists(output_path):
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def run_study(args):
             spec.name.replace(" ", "_"),
             time.strftime("%Y%m%d-%H%M%S")
         )
-        output_path = make_safe_path(out_dir, out_name)
+        output_path = make_safe_path(out_dir, *[out_name])
     environment.add(Variable("OUTPUT_PATH", output_path))
 
     # Now that we know outpath, set up logging.
@@ -236,8 +236,7 @@ def run_study(args):
         raise NotImplementedError("The 'dryrun' mode is in development.")
 
     # Pickle up the DAG
-    pkl_path = os.path.join(path, "{}.pkl".format(
-        study.name.replace(" ", "_").lower()))
+    pkl_path = make_safe_path(path, *["{}.pkl".format(study.name)])
     exec_dag.pickle(pkl_path)
 
     # If we are automatically launching, just set the input as yes.
@@ -259,12 +258,15 @@ def run_study(args):
             return completion_status.value
         else:
             # Launch manager with nohup
+            log_path = make_safe_path(
+                study.output_path,
+                *["{}.txt".format(exec_dag.name)])
+
             cmd = ["nohup", "conductor",
                    "-t", str(args.sleeptime),
                    "-d", str(args.debug_lvl),
                    path,
-                   "&>", "{}.txt".format(os.path.join(
-                    study.output_path, exec_dag.name))]
+                   "&>", log_path]
             LOGGER.debug(" ".join(cmd))
             start_process(" ".join(cmd))
 
@@ -385,7 +387,7 @@ def setup_logging(args, path, name):
         logpath = args.logpath
     # Otherwise, we should just output to the OUTPUT_PATH.
     else:
-        logpath = make_safe_path(path, "logs")
+        logpath = make_safe_path(path, *["logs"])
 
     loglevel = args.debug_lvl * 10
 
@@ -394,8 +396,8 @@ def setup_logging(args, path, name):
     formatter = logging.Formatter(LFORMAT)
     ROOTLOGGER.setLevel(loglevel)
 
-    logname = make_safe_path("{}.log".format(name))
-    fh = logging.FileHandler(os.path.join(logpath, logname))
+    log_path = make_safe_path(logpath, *["{}.log".format(name)])
+    fh = logging.FileHandler(log_path)
     fh.setLevel(loglevel)
     fh.setFormatter(formatter)
     ROOTLOGGER.addHandler(fh)
diff --git a/maestrowf/utils.py b/maestrowf/utils.py
index b22d6457e..31c14051e 100644
--- a/maestrowf/utils.py
+++ b/maestrowf/utils.py
@@ -150,12 +150,21 @@ def csvtable_to_dict(fstream):
     return table
 
 
-def make_safe_path(*args):
+def make_safe_path(base_path, *args):
+    """
+    Construct a subpath that is path safe.
+
+    :params base_path: The base path to append args to.
+    :params *args: Path components to join into a path.
+    :returns: A joined subpath with invalid characters stripped.
+    """
     valid = "-_.() {}{}".format(string.ascii_letters, string.digits)
+    path = [base_path]
     for arg in args:
         arg = "".join(c for c in arg if c in valid)
         arg = arg.replace(" ", "_")
-    return os.path.join(*args)
+        path.append(arg)
+    return os.path.join(*path)
 
 
 def start_process(cmd, cwd=None, env=None, shell=True):