diff --git a/src/aleph/vm/controllers/firecracker/executable.py b/src/aleph/vm/controllers/firecracker/executable.py
index c6d6721fa..7249be9c7 100644
--- a/src/aleph/vm/controllers/firecracker/executable.py
+++ b/src/aleph/vm/controllers/firecracker/executable.py
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ async def download_kernel(self):
 
     async def download_volumes(self):
         volumes = []
-        # TODO: Download in parallel
+        # TODO: Download in parallel and prevent duplicated volume names
         for i, volume in enumerate(self.message_content.volumes):
             # only persistant volume has name and mount
             if isinstance(volume, PersistentVolume):
diff --git a/src/aleph/vm/storage.py b/src/aleph/vm/storage.py
index 15d3b9384..58d6f78c2 100644
--- a/src/aleph/vm/storage.py
+++ b/src/aleph/vm/storage.py
@@ -376,12 +376,14 @@ async def get_volume_path(volume: MachineVolume, namespace: str) -> Path:
         return await get_existing_file(ref)
     elif isinstance(volume, PersistentVolume | RootfsVolume):
         volume_name = volume.name if isinstance(volume, PersistentVolume) else "rootfs"
+
         if volume.persistence != VolumePersistence.host:
             msg = "Only 'host' persistence is supported"
             raise NotImplementedError(msg)
         if not re.match(r"^[\w\-_/]+$", volume_name):
-            msg = f"Invalid value for volume name: {repr(volume_name)}"
-            raise ValueError(msg)
+            # Sanitize volume names
+            logger.debug(f"Invalid values for volume name: {repr(volume_name)} detected, sanitizing")
+            volume_name = re.sub(r"[^\w\-_]", "_", volume_name)
         (Path(settings.PERSISTENT_VOLUMES_DIR) / namespace).mkdir(exist_ok=True)
         if volume.parent:
             return await create_devmapper(volume, namespace)