diff --git a/release/ci/model_generator.py b/release/ci/model_generator.py
index 76935f3627..607260f145 100755
--- a/release/ci/model_generator.py
+++ b/release/ci/model_generator.py
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@ def create_short_name(full_name: str) -> str:
   return result[:8]
 
 
+def create_pkl_name(full_name: str) -> str:
+  pkl = re.sub(r'[^a-zA-Z0-9]+', '_', full_name).strip('_').lower()
+  return pkl
+
+
 def _read_pkl_bytes(pkl_path: Path) -> bytes:
   manifest = Path(f"{pkl_path}.chunkmanifest")
   if manifest.exists():
@@ -154,14 +159,15 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
   _output_dir = Path(args.output_dir)
   _output_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True, parents=True)
   _short_name = create_short_name(args.custom_name) if args.custom_name else None
+  _pkl = create_pkl_name(args.custom_name) if args.custom_name else None
 
   _driving_pkl = _find_driving_pkl(_output_dir)
   if not _driving_pkl:
     print(f"No driving_tinygrad.pkl found in {_output_dir}", file=sys.stderr)
     sys.exit(1)
 
-  if _short_name:
-    new_pkl = _output_dir / f"driving_{_short_name.lower()}_tinygrad.pkl"
+  if _pkl:
+    new_pkl = _output_dir / f"driving_{_pkl}_tinygrad.pkl"
     if not new_pkl.exists():
       _driving_pkl = _rename_pkl_with_chunks(_driving_pkl, new_pkl)
     else: