diff --git a/hash/bbcb_cass.xml b/hash/bbcb_cass.xml
index a9f223fc315..d7cd2c11f68 100644
--- a/hash/bbcb_cass.xml
+++ b/hash/bbcb_cass.xml
@@ -15256,7 +15256,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="fs2-68">
+	<software name="fs2_68">
 		<description>Fun School 2 (For 6-8 year olds)</description>
 		<year>1989</year>
 		<publisher>Database Educational Software</publisher>
@@ -15267,7 +15267,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="fs2-ov8">
+	<software name="fs2_ov8">
 		<description>Fun School 2 (For the Over-8s)</description>
 		<year>1989</year>
 		<publisher>Database Educational Software</publisher>
@@ -15278,7 +15278,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="fs2-un6">
+	<software name="fs2_un6">
 		<description>Fun School 2 (For Under 6s)</description>
 		<year>1989</year>
 		<publisher>Database Educational Software</publisher>
diff --git a/hash/bbcb_flop_orig.xml b/hash/bbcb_flop_orig.xml
index afd684b0e17..482f43af366 100644
--- a/hash/bbcb_flop_orig.xml
+++ b/hash/bbcb_flop_orig.xml
@@ -3730,7 +3730,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="fs2-68">
+	<software name="fs2_68">
 		<description>Fun School 2 (For 6-8 year olds)</description>
 		<year>1989</year>
 		<publisher>Database Educational Software</publisher>
@@ -3741,7 +3741,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="fs2-ov8">
+	<software name="fs2_ov8">
 		<description>Fun School 2 (For the Over-8s)</description>
 		<year>1989</year>
 		<publisher>Database Educational Software</publisher>
diff --git a/hash/electron_cass.xml b/hash/electron_cass.xml
index 07640fde2f7..5148240ac97 100644
--- a/hash/electron_cass.xml
+++ b/hash/electron_cass.xml
@@ -3991,7 +3991,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="fs2-68">
+	<software name="fs2_68">
 		<description>Fun School 2 (For 6-8 year olds)</description>
 		<year>1989</year>
 		<publisher>Database Educational Software</publisher>
@@ -4002,7 +4002,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="fs2-ov8">
+	<software name="fs2_ov8">
 		<description>Fun School 2 (For the Over-8s)</description>
 		<year>1989</year>
 		<publisher>Database Educational Software</publisher>
@@ -4013,7 +4013,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="fs2-un6">
+	<software name="fs2_un6">
 		<description>Fun School 2 (For Under 6s)</description>
 		<year>1989</year>
 		<publisher>Database Educational Software</publisher>
diff --git a/hash/m5_cart.xml b/hash/m5_cart.xml
index e4c828aaee2..15c9c882048 100644
--- a/hash/m5_cart.xml
+++ b/hash/m5_cart.xml
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ come from... they might be eventually removed -->
 
 
 <!-- This is only Sord memory expansion -->
-	<software name="em-5" supported="no">
+	<software name="em_5" supported="no">
 		<description>EM-5 Expansion memory 32Kb</description>
 		<year>198?</year>
 		<publisher>Sord</publisher>
diff --git a/hash/tvc_flop.xml b/hash/tvc_flop.xml
index 62528de7e68..4644a07cb3b 100644
--- a/hash/tvc_flop.xml
+++ b/hash/tvc_flop.xml
@@ -9178,7 +9178,7 @@ If the program doesn't automatically start, start it with RUN
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="tvc-ass">
+	<software name="tvc_ass">
 		<description>TVC-Assembler v1.0</description>
 		<year>198?</year>
 		<publisher>&lt;unknown&gt;</publisher>
diff --git a/hash/unichamp.xml b/hash/unichamp.xml
index c4aae48a0db..a6d104c20d6 100644
--- a/hash/unichamp.xml
+++ b/hash/unichamp.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 <softwarelist name="unichamp" description="Unisonic Champion 2711 cartridges">
 
-	<software name="pac-02">
+	<software name="pac_02">
 		<description>Professional Poker Games</description>
 		<year>1977</year>
 		<publisher>Unisonic</publisher>
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="pac-03">
+	<software name="pac_03">
 		<description>Assorted Family Fun</description>
 		<year>1977</year>
 		<publisher>Unisonic</publisher>
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="pac-04">
+	<software name="pac_04">
 		<description>Family Card Games</description>
 		<year>1977</year>
 		<publisher>Unisonic</publisher>
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 		</part>
 	</software>
 
-	<software name="pac-05">
+	<software name="pac_05">
 		<description>Math</description>
 		<year>1977</year>
 		<publisher>Unisonic</publisher>
diff --git a/src/emu/softlist_dev.cpp b/src/emu/softlist_dev.cpp
index 013dd7898e4..8532b611e5a 100644
--- a/src/emu/softlist_dev.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/softlist_dev.cpp
@@ -419,6 +419,8 @@ void software_list_device::internal_validity_check(validity_checker &valid)
 	softlist_map descriptions;
 	for (const software_info &swinfo : get_info())
 	{
+		std::string const &shortname(swinfo.shortname());
+
 		// first parse and output core errors if any
 		if (m_errors.length() > 0)
 		{
@@ -431,52 +433,51 @@ void software_list_device::internal_validity_check(validity_checker &valid)
 		// Did we lost any description?
 		if (swinfo.longname().empty())
 		{
-			osd_printf_error("%s: %s has no description\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str());
+			osd_printf_error("%s: %s has no description\n", filename(), shortname.c_str());
 			break;
 		}
 
 		// Did we lost any year?
 		if (swinfo.year().empty())
 		{
-			osd_printf_error("%s: %s has no year\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str());
+			osd_printf_error("%s: %s has no year\n", filename(), shortname.c_str());
 			break;
 		}
 
 		// Did we lost any publisher?
 		if (swinfo.publisher().empty())
 		{
-			osd_printf_error("%s: %s has no publisher\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str());
+			osd_printf_error("%s: %s has no publisher\n", filename(), shortname.c_str());
 			break;
 		}
 
 		// Did we lost the software parts?
 		if (swinfo.parts().empty())
 		{
-			osd_printf_error("%s: %s has no part\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str());
+			osd_printf_error("%s: %s has no part\n", filename(), shortname.c_str());
 			break;
 		}
 
 		// Second, since the xml is fine, run additional checks:
 
 		// check for duplicate names
-		if (!names.insert(std::make_pair(swinfo.shortname(), &swinfo)).second)
+		if (!names.insert(std::make_pair(shortname, &swinfo)).second)
 		{
-			const software_info *match = names.find(swinfo.shortname())->second;
-			osd_printf_error("%s: %s is a duplicate name (%s)\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str(), match->shortname().c_str());
+			const software_info *match = names.find(shortname)->second;
+			osd_printf_error("%s: %s is a duplicate name (%s)\n", filename(), shortname.c_str(), match->shortname().c_str());
 		}
 
 		// check for duplicate descriptions
-		std::string longname = std::string(swinfo.longname());
+		std::string longname(swinfo.longname());
 		if (!descriptions.insert(std::make_pair(strmakelower(longname), &swinfo)).second)
-			osd_printf_error("%s: %s is a duplicate description (%s)\n", filename(), swinfo.longname().c_str(), swinfo.shortname().c_str());
+			osd_printf_error("%s: %s is a duplicate description (%s)\n", filename(), swinfo.longname().c_str(), shortname.c_str());
 
-		bool is_clone = false;
-		if (!swinfo.parentname().empty())
+		bool const is_clone(!swinfo.parentname().empty());
+		if (is_clone)
 		{
-			is_clone = true;
-			if (swinfo.parentname() == swinfo.shortname())
+			if (swinfo.parentname() == shortname)
 			{
-				osd_printf_error("%s: %s is set as a clone of itself\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str());
+				osd_printf_error("%s: %s is set as a clone of itself\n", filename(), shortname.c_str());
 				break;
 			}
 
@@ -484,21 +485,29 @@ void software_list_device::internal_validity_check(validity_checker &valid)
 			const software_info *swinfo2 = find(swinfo.parentname().c_str());
 
 			if (swinfo2 == nullptr)
-				osd_printf_error("%s: parent '%s' software for '%s' not found\n", filename(), swinfo.parentname().c_str(), swinfo.shortname().c_str());
+				osd_printf_error("%s: parent '%s' software for '%s' not found\n", filename(), swinfo.parentname().c_str(), shortname.c_str());
 			else if (!swinfo2->parentname().empty())
-				osd_printf_error("%s: %s is a clone of a clone\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str());
+				osd_printf_error("%s: %s is a clone of a clone\n", filename(), shortname.c_str());
 		}
 
-		// make sure the driver name is 8 chars or less
-		if ((is_clone && swinfo.shortname().length() > NAME_LEN_CLONE) || (!is_clone && swinfo.shortname().length() > NAME_LEN_PARENT))
-			osd_printf_error("%s: %s %s driver name must be %d characters or less\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str(),
-				is_clone ? "clone" : "parent", is_clone ? NAME_LEN_CLONE : NAME_LEN_PARENT);
+		// make sure the driver name isn't too long
+		if (shortname.length() > (is_clone ? NAME_LEN_CLONE : NAME_LEN_PARENT))
+			osd_printf_error("%s: %s %s software name must be %d characters or less\n", filename(), shortname.c_str(),
+					is_clone ? "clone" : "parent", is_clone ? NAME_LEN_CLONE : NAME_LEN_PARENT);
+
+		// make sure the driver name doesn't contain invalid characters
+		for (char ch : shortname)
+			if (((ch < '0') || (ch > '9')) && ((ch < 'a') || (ch > 'z')) && (ch != '_'))
+			{
+				osd_printf_error("%s: %s contains invalid characters\n", filename(), shortname.c_str());
+				break;
+			}
 
 		// make sure the year is only digits, '?' or '+'
-		for (const char *s = swinfo.year().c_str(); *s != 0; s++)
-			if (!isdigit((UINT8)*s) && *s != '?' && *s != '+')
+		for (char ch : swinfo.year())
+			if (!isdigit(UINT8(ch)) && (ch != '?') && (ch != '+'))
 			{
-				osd_printf_error("%s: %s has an invalid year '%s'\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str(), swinfo.year().c_str());
+				osd_printf_error("%s: %s has an invalid year '%s'\n", filename(), shortname.c_str(), swinfo.year().c_str());
 				break;
 			}
 
@@ -506,18 +515,16 @@ void software_list_device::internal_validity_check(validity_checker &valid)
 		for (const software_part &part : swinfo.parts())
 		{
 			if (part.interface().empty())
-				osd_printf_error("%s: %s has a part (%s) without interface\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str(), part.name().c_str());
+				osd_printf_error("%s: %s has a part (%s) without interface\n", filename(), shortname.c_str(), part.name().c_str());
 
 			if (part.romdata().empty())
-				osd_printf_error("%s: %s has a part (%s) with no data\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str(), part.name().c_str());
+				osd_printf_error("%s: %s has a part (%s) with no data\n", filename(), shortname.c_str(), part.name().c_str());
 
 			if (!part_names.insert(std::make_pair(part.name(), &swinfo)).second)
-				osd_printf_error("%s: %s has a part (%s) whose name is duplicate\n", filename(), swinfo.shortname().c_str(), part.name().c_str());
+				osd_printf_error("%s: %s has a part (%s) whose name is duplicate\n", filename(), shortname.c_str(), part.name().c_str());
 		}
 	}
 
 	// release all the memory
 	release();
 }
-
-