diff --git a/cmd/init.go b/cmd/init.go
index 8f006bc98..6d7f1a911 100644
--- a/cmd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/init.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/qri-io/dataset"
 	"github.com/qri-io/ioes"
 	"github.com/qri-io/qri/lib"
+	"github.com/qri-io/varName"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ func (o *InitOptions) Run() (err error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	suggestDataset := filepath.Base(pwd)
+	suggestDataset := varName.CreateVarNameFromString(filepath.Base(pwd))
 
 	// Process flags for inputs, prompt for any that were not provided.
 	var dsName, dsFormat string
diff --git a/cmd/save.go b/cmd/save.go
index 4f12a963e..af09bf369 100644
--- a/cmd/save.go
+++ b/cmd/save.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ type SaveOptions struct {
 // Complete adds any missing configuration that can only be added just before calling Run
 func (o *SaveOptions) Complete(f Factory, args []string) (err error) {
 	o.Ref, err = GetDatasetRefString(f, args, 0)
-	o.IsLinkedRef, _ = GetLinkedFilesysRef()
+	_, o.IsLinkedRef = GetLinkedFilesysRef()
 
 	if o.IsLinkedRef {
 		// Determine format of the body.
diff --git a/cmd/status.go b/cmd/status.go
index d5690f8bc..f87ae4c76 100644
--- a/cmd/status.go
+++ b/cmd/status.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ type StatusOptions struct {
 // Complete adds any missing configuration that can only be added just before calling Run
 func (o *StatusOptions) Complete(f Factory, args []string) (err error) {
 	var ok bool
-	ok, o.Selection = GetLinkedFilesysRef()
+	o.Selection, ok = GetLinkedFilesysRef()
 	if !ok {
 		return fmt.Errorf("this is not a linked working directory")
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/use.go b/cmd/use.go
index 91acae559..7101e98af 100644
--- a/cmd/use.go
+++ b/cmd/use.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/qri-io/ioes"
 	"github.com/qri-io/qri/lib"
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ func GetDatasetRefString(f Factory, args []string, index int) (string, error) {
 		return args[index], nil
 	}
 	// If in a working directory that is linked to a dataset, use that link's reference.
-	ok, data := GetLinkedFilesysRef()
+	data, ok := GetLinkedFilesysRef()
 	if ok {
 		return data, nil
 	}
@@ -156,12 +157,12 @@ func GetDatasetRefString(f Factory, args []string, index int) (string, error) {
 
 // GetLinkedFilesysRef returns whether the current directory is linked to a dataset in your repo,
 // and the reference to that dataset.
-func GetLinkedFilesysRef() (bool, string) {
+func GetLinkedFilesysRef() (string, bool) {
 	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(QriRefFilename)
 	if err == nil {
-		return true, string(data)
+		return strings.TrimSpace(string(data)), true
 	}
-	return false, ""
+	return "", false
 }
 
 // DefaultSelectedRefList returns the list of currently selected dataset references