diff --git a/src/main/java/io/swagger/codegen/v3/generators/python/PythonClientCodegen.java b/src/main/java/io/swagger/codegen/v3/generators/python/PythonClientCodegen.java
index 08c4541a36..f7e5a894e9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/swagger/codegen/v3/generators/python/PythonClientCodegen.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/swagger/codegen/v3/generators/python/PythonClientCodegen.java
@@ -174,7 +174,8 @@ public void processOpts() {
         }
 
         if (additionalProperties.containsKey(CodegenConstants.PROJECT_NAME)) {
-            setProjectName((String) additionalProperties.get(CodegenConstants.PROJECT_NAME));
+            String projectName = (String) additionalProperties.get(CodegenConstants.PROJECT_NAME);
+            setProjectName(projectName.replaceAll("[^a-zA-Z0-9\\s\\-_]",""));
         }
         else {
             // default: set project based on package name