diff --git a/Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter/__main__.py b/Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter/__main__.py
index ecbdad3..f360de1 100644
--- a/Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter/__main__.py
+++ b/Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter/__main__.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter import ios_handler, ios_media_handler
 from Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter.vcards_contacts import ContactsFromVCards
 from Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter.data_model import ChatStore
 from Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter.utility import APPLE_TIME, Crypt, DbType, chat_is_empty
-from Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter.utility import check_update, import_from_json
+from Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter.utility import check_update, import_from_json, sanitize_filename
 from argparse import ArgumentParser, SUPPRESS
 from datetime import datetime
 from sys import exit
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ def main():
                     contact = data[jik]["name"].replace('/', '')
                 else:
                     contact = jik.replace('+', '')
-                with open(f"{args.json}/{contact}.json", "w") as f:
+                with open(f"{args.json}/{sanitize_filename(contact)}.json", "w") as f:
                     file_content_to_write = json.dumps({jik: data[jik]}, ensure_ascii=not args.avoid_encoding_json, indent=2 if args.pretty_print_json else None)
                     f.write(file_content_to_write)
                     print(f"Writing JSON file...({index + 1}/{total})", end="\r")
diff --git a/Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter/utility.py b/Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter/utility.py
index 75adaf3..4cff722 100644
--- a/Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter/utility.py
+++ b/Whatsapp_Chat_Exporter/utility.py
@@ -139,6 +139,10 @@ def import_from_json(json_file, data):
         print(f"Importing chats from JSON...({index + 1}/{total_row_number})", end="\r")
 
 
+def sanitize_filename(file_name: str):
+    return "".join(x for x in file_name if x.isalnum() or x in "- ")
+
+
 def get_file_name(contact: str, chat: ChatStore):
     if "@" not in contact and contact not in ("000000000000000", "000000000000001", "ExportedChat"):
         raise ValueError("Unexpected contact format: " + contact)
@@ -156,7 +160,7 @@ def get_file_name(contact: str, chat: ChatStore):
     else:
         name = phone_number
 
-    return "".join(x for x in file_name if x.isalnum() or x in "- "), name
+    return sanitize_filename(file_name), name
 
 
 def get_chat_condition(filter, include, column):