diff --git a/powerdnsadmin/models/account.py b/powerdnsadmin/models/account.py
index 4d08fc1..4e3ca97 100644
--- a/powerdnsadmin/models/account.py
+++ b/powerdnsadmin/models/account.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class Account(db.Model):
 
         if self.name is not None:
             self.name = ''.join(c for c in self.name.lower()
-                                if c in "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789")
+                                if c in "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789_-")
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return '<Account {0}r>'.format(self.name)
diff --git a/powerdnsadmin/routes/index.py b/powerdnsadmin/routes/index.py
index 316db2d..9893ff6 100644
--- a/powerdnsadmin/routes/index.py
+++ b/powerdnsadmin/routes/index.py
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ def login():
                         # check if user has permissions
                         account_users = account.get_user()
                         current_app.logger.info('Group: {} Users: {}'.format(
-                            group_name, 
+                            group_name,
                             account_users))
                         if user.id in account_users:
                             current_app.logger.info('User id {} is already in account {}'.format(
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ def login():
                         account.mail = ''
                         account.create_account()
                         history = History(msg='Create account {0}'.format(
-                            account.name), 
+                            account.name),
                             created_by='System')
                         history.add()
 
@@ -487,13 +487,13 @@ def login():
                                        saml_enabled=SAML_ENABLED,
                                        error='Token required')
 
-        if Setting().get('autoprovisioning') and auth_method!='LOCAL': 
+        if Setting().get('autoprovisioning') and auth_method!='LOCAL':
             urn_value=Setting().get('urn_value')
             Entitlements=user.read_entitlements(Setting().get('autoprovisioning_attribute'))
             if len(Entitlements)==0 and Setting().get('purge'):
                 user.set_role("User")
                 user.revoke_privilege(True)
-                
+
             elif len(Entitlements)!=0:
                 if checkForPDAEntries(Entitlements, urn_value):
                     user.updateUser(Entitlements)
@@ -1089,7 +1089,7 @@ def create_group_to_account_mapping():
 
 def handle_account(account_name, account_description=""):
     clean_name = ''.join(c for c in account_name.lower()
-                         if c in "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789")
+                         if c in "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789_-")
     if len(clean_name) > Account.name.type.length:
         current_app.logger.error(
             "Account name {0} too long. Truncated.".format(clean_name))
diff --git a/powerdnsadmin/templates/admin_edit_account.html b/powerdnsadmin/templates/admin_edit_account.html
index 41f2d43..0514ead 100644
--- a/powerdnsadmin/templates/admin_edit_account.html
+++ b/powerdnsadmin/templates/admin_edit_account.html
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
                             <span class="fa fa-cog form-control-feedback"></span>
                             {% if invalid_accountname %}
                             <span class="help-block">Cannot be blank and must only contain alphanumeric
-                                characters.</span>
+                                characters, hyphens or underscores.</span>
                             {% elif duplicate_accountname %}
                             <span class="help-block">Account name already in use.</span>
                             {% endif %}
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@
                     </p>
                     <p>Fill in all the fields to the in the form to the left.</p>
                     <p>
-                        <strong>Name</strong> is an account identifier. It will be stored as all lowercase letters (no
-                        spaces, special characters etc).<br />
+                        <strong>Name</strong> is an account identifier. It will be lowercased and can contain alphanumeric
+                        characters, hyphens and underscores (no space or other special character is allowed).<br />
                         <strong>Description</strong> is a user friendly name for this account.<br />
                         <strong>Contact person</strong> is the name of a contact person at the account.<br />
                         <strong>Mail Address</strong> is an e-mail address for the contact person.