diff --git a/server/controllers/project.controller.js b/server/controllers/project.controller.js
index 88b990a3..15e9b3ee 100644
--- a/server/controllers/project.controller.js
+++ b/server/controllers/project.controller.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import moment from 'moment';
 import isUrl from 'is-url';
 import slugify from 'slugify';
 import jsdom, { serializeDocument } from 'jsdom';
+import generateFileSystemSafeName from '../utils/generateFileSystemSafeName';
 import Project from '../models/project';
 import User from '../models/user';
 import { deleteObjectsFromS3, getObjectKey } from './aws.controller';
@@ -295,7 +296,7 @@ function buildZip(project, req, res) {
 
   const currentTime = moment().format('YYYY_MM_DD_HH_mm_ss');
   project.slug = slugify(project.name, '_');
-  res.attachment(`${project.slug}_${currentTime}.zip`);
+  res.attachment(`${generateFileSystemSafeName(project.slug)}_${currentTime}.zip`);
   zip.pipe(res);
 
   function addFileToZip(file, path) {
diff --git a/server/models/project.js b/server/models/project.js
index c1a255d8..e3c22bdb 100644
--- a/server/models/project.js
+++ b/server/models/project.js
@@ -4,14 +4,17 @@ import slugify from 'slugify';
 
 const { Schema } = mongoose;
 
-const fileSchema = new Schema({
-  name: { type: String, default: 'sketch.js' },
-  content: { type: String, default: '' },
-  url: { type: String },
-  children: { type: [String], default: [] },
-  fileType: { type: String, default: 'file' },
-  isSelectedFile: { type: Boolean }
-}, { timestamps: true, _id: true, usePushEach: true });
+const fileSchema = new Schema(
+  {
+    name: { type: String, default: 'sketch.js' },
+    content: { type: String, default: '' },
+    url: { type: String },
+    children: { type: [String], default: [] },
+    fileType: { type: String, default: 'file' },
+    isSelectedFile: { type: Boolean }
+  },
+  { timestamps: true, _id: true, usePushEach: true }
+);
 
 fileSchema.virtual('id').get(function getFileId() {
   return this._id.toHexString();
@@ -21,14 +24,17 @@ fileSchema.set('toJSON', {
   virtuals: true
 });
 
-const projectSchema = new Schema({
-  name: { type: String, default: "Hello p5.js, it's the server" },
-  user: { type: Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'User' },
-  serveSecure: { type: Boolean, default: false },
-  files: { type: [fileSchema] },
-  _id: { type: String, default: shortid.generate },
-  slug: { type: String }
-}, { timestamps: true, usePushEach: true });
+const projectSchema = new Schema(
+  {
+    name: { type: String, default: "Hello p5.js, it's the server" },
+    user: { type: Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'User' },
+    serveSecure: { type: Boolean, default: false },
+    files: { type: [fileSchema] },
+    _id: { type: String, default: shortid.generate },
+    slug: { type: String }
+  },
+  { timestamps: true, usePushEach: true }
+);
 
 projectSchema.virtual('id').get(function getProjectId() {
   return this._id;
diff --git a/server/utils/generateFileSystemSafeName.js b/server/utils/generateFileSystemSafeName.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2eeef579
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/utils/generateFileSystemSafeName.js
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/**
+ * generate file system safe string for a given string
+ * that can be used as a valid file name
+ * in all operating systems
+ * @param {String} string
+ * @param {String} replacer (optional) character to replace invalid characters
+ */
+function generateFileSystemSafeName(string, replacer) {
+  // from here  https://serverfault.com/a/242134
+  const INVALID_CHARS_REGEX = /[*/?:\\<>|"\u0000-\u001F]/g;
+  const slug = string.replace(INVALID_CHARS_REGEX, replacer || '');
+
+  return slug;
+}
+
+export default generateFileSystemSafeName;