diff --git a/test/test_utils.py b/test/test_utils.py
index c7373af1e2..2f8996d7bb 100644
--- a/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_utils.py
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ def test_sanitize_filename(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             sanitize_filename('New World record at 0:12:34'),
             'New World record at 0_12_34')
+        self.assertEqual(sanitize_filename('--gasdgf'), '_-gasdgf')
+        self.assertEqual(sanitize_filename('--gasdgf', is_id=True), '--gasdgf')
 
         forbidden = '"\0\\/'
         for fc in forbidden:
diff --git a/youtube_dl/utils.py b/youtube_dl/utils.py
index 475fad3c90..e2631dccda 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/utils.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/utils.py
@@ -304,6 +304,8 @@ def replace_insane(char):
         # Common case of "Foreign band name - English song title"
         if restricted and result.startswith('-_'):
             result = result[2:]
+        if result.startswith('-'):
+            result = '_' + result[len('-'):]
         if not result:
             result = '_'
     return result