diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index b27b1fb7..52a4d369 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -355,8 +355,9 @@ func (c *client) handleRequest(req *gortsplib.Request) bool {
 			return false
 		}
 
-		if strings.Index(path, "/") >= 0 {
-			c.writeResError(req, gortsplib.StatusBadRequest, fmt.Errorf("slashes in the path are not supported (%s)", path))
+		err := checkPathName(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			c.writeResError(req, gortsplib.StatusBadRequest, fmt.Errorf("invalid path name: %s (%s)", err, path))
 			return false
 		}
 
@@ -367,7 +368,7 @@ func (c *client) handleRequest(req *gortsplib.Request) bool {
 			return false
 		}
 
-		err := c.authenticate(confp.publishIpsParsed, confp.PublishUser, confp.PublishPass, req)
+		err = c.authenticate(confp.publishIpsParsed, confp.PublishUser, confp.PublishPass, req)
 		if err != nil {
 			if err == errAuthCritical {
 				return false
diff --git a/conf.go b/conf.go
index 5beb4078..f4a2e4af 100644
--- a/conf.go
+++ b/conf.go
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ func loadConf(fpath string, stdin io.Reader) (*conf, error) {
 			confp = conf.Paths[name]
 		}
 
+		err := checkPathName(name)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid path name: %s (%s)", err, name)
+		}
+
 		if confp.Source == "" {
 			confp.Source = "record"
 		}
diff --git a/utils.go b/utils.go
index 8d384a74..d136cb15 100644
--- a/utils.go
+++ b/utils.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
+	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -161,3 +162,13 @@ func makeIpKey(ip net.IP) ipKey {
 	}
 	return ret
 }
+
+var rePathName = regexp.MustCompile("^[0-9a-zA-Z_-]+$")
+
+func checkPathName(name string) error {
+	if !rePathName.MatchString(name) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("can contain only alfanumeric characters, underscore or minus")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}