diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/core/GeoAlgorithm.py b/python/plugins/processing/core/GeoAlgorithm.py
index ac94be4020e..5a04f9cce1b 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/core/GeoAlgorithm.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/core/GeoAlgorithm.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 *                                                                         *
 ***************************************************************************
 """
-from processing import interface
 __author__ = 'Victor Olaya'
 __date__ = 'August 2012'
 __copyright__ = '(C) 2012, Victor Olaya'
@@ -284,7 +283,7 @@ class GeoAlgorithm:
                         if p is not None:
                             self.crs = p.crs()
                             return
-        qgis = interface.iface
+        qgis = dataobjects.iface
         self.crs = qgis.mapCanvas().mapRenderer().destinationCrs()
 
     def checkInputCRS(self):
@@ -369,9 +368,11 @@ class GeoAlgorithm:
 
     def commandLineName(self):
         name = self.provider.getName().lower() + ":" + self.name.lower()
-        name = removeInvalidChars(name)
+        validChars = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789:"
+        name = ''.join(c for c in name if c in validChars)
         return name
 
+
     def removeOutputFromName(self, name):
         for out in self.outputs:
             if out.name == name:
diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerParameterDefinitionDialog.py b/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerParameterDefinitionDialog.py
index 3cf32e4708c..9359e32b926 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerParameterDefinitionDialog.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerParameterDefinitionDialog.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 *                                                                         *
 ***************************************************************************
 """
-from processing.tools.general import removeInvalidChars
 
 
 __author__ = 'Victor Olaya'
@@ -229,7 +228,8 @@ class ModelerParameterDefinitionDialog(QtGui.QDialog):
             QMessageBox.critical(self, "Unable to define parameter", "Invalid parameter name")
             return
         if self.param is None:
-            safeName = removeInvalidChars(description)            
+            validChars = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789"
+            safeName = ''.join(c for c in description if c in validChars)
             name = self.paramType.upper().replace(" ","") + "_" + safeName.upper()
         else:
             name = self.param.name
diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/saga/SagaAlgorithm.py b/python/plugins/processing/saga/SagaAlgorithm.py
index 5b652ae049f..451643d1790 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/saga/SagaAlgorithm.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/saga/SagaAlgorithm.py
@@ -384,7 +384,8 @@ class SagaAlgorithm(GeoAlgorithm):
             filename = str(layer.name())
         else:
             filename = os.path.basename(source)
-        filename = removeInvalidChars(filename)
+        validChars = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789:"
+        filename = ''.join(c for c in filename if c in validChars)
         if len(filename) == 0:
             filename = "layer"
         destFilename = getTempFilenameInTempFolder(filename + ".sgrd")
diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/saga/SplitRGBBands.py b/python/plugins/processing/saga/SplitRGBBands.py
index e8945329519..162478fc576 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/saga/SplitRGBBands.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/saga/SplitRGBBands.py
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ class SplitRGBBands(GeoAlgorithm):
         input = self.getParameterValue(SplitRGBBands.INPUT)
         temp = getTempFilename(None).replace('.','');
         basename = os.path.basename(temp)
-        safeBasename = removeInvalidChars(basename)
+        validChars = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789"
+        safeBasename = ''.join(c for c in basename if c in validChars)
         temp = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(temp), safeBasename)
 
         r = self.getOutputValue(SplitRGBBands.R)
diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/tools/dataobjects.py b/python/plugins/processing/tools/dataobjects.py
index 7457aa6920c..ac01821fa46 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/tools/dataobjects.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/tools/dataobjects.py
@@ -219,9 +219,10 @@ def exportVectorLayer(layer):
         filename = filename[:idx]
 
     filename = str(layer.name())
-    filename = removeInvalidChars(filename)
+    validChars = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789:"
+    filename = ''.join(c for c in filename if c in validChars)
     if len(filename) == 0:
-        filename = "layer"
+         filename = "layer"
     output = getTempFilenameInTempFolder(filename + ".shp")
     provider = layer.dataProvider()
     useSelection = ProcessingConfig.getSetting(ProcessingConfig.USE_SELECTED)
diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/tools/general.py b/python/plugins/processing/tools/general.py
index 5b121496784..585e3d07b1b 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/tools/general.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/tools/general.py
@@ -93,8 +93,5 @@ def extent(layers):
     else:
         return str(xmin) + "," + str(xmax) + "," + str(ymin) + "," + str(ymax)
 
-def removeInvalidChars(string):
-    validChars = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789:"
-    string = ''.join(c for c in string if c in validChars)
-    return string
+
 
diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/tools/help.py b/python/plugins/processing/tools/help.py
index f3ea17b0dcc..3204eb74e9a 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/tools/help.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/tools/help.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 *                                                                         *
 ***************************************************************************
 """
-from processing.tools.general import removeInvalidChars
 
 __author__ = 'Victor Olaya'
 __date__ = 'March 2013'
@@ -33,7 +32,8 @@ def createBaseHelpFile(alg, folder):
     folder = os.path.join(folder, alg.provider.getName().lower())
     mkdir(folder)
     cmdLineName = alg.commandLineName()[alg.commandLineName().find(":") + 1:].lower()
-    safeFilename = removeInvalidChars(cmdLineName)    
+    validChars = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789"
+    safeFilename = ''.join(c for c in cmdLineName if c in validChars)
     filepath = os.path.join(folder, safeFilename + ".rst")
     file = open(filepath, "w")
     file.write(alg.name.upper())
diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/tools/system.py b/python/plugins/processing/tools/system.py
index 4c04316941e..8ba83b7703f 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/tools/system.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/tools/system.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 *                                                                         *
 ***************************************************************************
 """
-from processing.tools.general import removeInvalidChars
 
 __author__ = 'Victor Olaya'
 __date__ = 'August 2012'
@@ -69,7 +68,6 @@ def getTempFilenameInTempFolder(basename):
     path = tempFolder()
     path = os.path.join(path, str(uuid.uuid4()).replace("-",""))
     mkdir(path)
-    basename = removeInvalidChars(basename)
     filename =  os.path.join(path, basename)
     return filename