diff --git a/shares.py b/shares.py
index 9cbeadcd7..587965a60 100644
--- a/shares.py
+++ b/shares.py
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ from utils import loadJson
 from utils import saveJson
 from media import removeMetaData
 
+def getValidItemID(displayName: str) -> str:
+    """Removes any invalid characters from the display name to
+    produce an item ID
+    """
+    return displayName.replace(' ','').replace('/','-').replace('\\','-').replace('.','_').replace('?','-').replace('\n','').replace("’","'")
+
 def removeShare(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str, \
                 displayName: str) -> None:
     """Removes a share for a person
@@ -30,7 +36,7 @@ def removeShare(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str, \
     if os.path.isfile(sharesFilename):
         sharesJson=loadJson(sharesFilename)
 
-    itemID=displayName.replace(' ','')
+    itemID=getValidItemID(displayName)
     if sharesJson.get(itemID):
         # remove any image for the item
         itemIDfile=baseDir+'/sharefiles/'+itemID
@@ -79,7 +85,7 @@ def addShare(baseDir: str, \
             if 'year' in durationList[1]:
                 durationSec=published+(int(durationList[0])*60*60*24*365)
 
-    itemID=displayName.replace(' ','').replace('/','-').replace('\\','-').replace('.','_').replace('?','-').replace('\n','').replace("’","'")
+    itemID=getValidItemID(displayName)
 
     # has an image for this share been uploaded?
     imageUrl=None