diff --git a/openlp/core/utils/__init__.py b/openlp/core/utils/__init__.py
index 67d624b6b..297388072 100644
--- a/openlp/core/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/openlp/core/utils/__init__.py
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ APPLICATION_VERSION = {}
 IMAGES_FILTER = None
 UNO_CONNECTION_TYPE = u'pipe'
 #UNO_CONNECTION_TYPE = u'socket'
+CONTROL_CHARS = re.compile(u'[\x00-\x1F\x7F-\x9F]', re.UNICODE)
+INVALID_FILE_CHARS = re.compile(u'[\\\/:\*\?"<>\|]', re.UNICODE)
 VERSION_SPLITTER = re.compile(r'([0-9]+).([0-9]+).([0-9]+)(?:-bzr([0-9]+))?')
 
 class VersionThread(QtCore.QThread):
@@ -400,7 +402,7 @@ def clean_filename(filename):
     """
     if not isinstance(filename, unicode):
         filename = unicode(filename, u'utf-8')
-    return re.sub(r'[/\\?*|<>\[\]":<>+%\n]+', u'_', filename).strip(u'_')
+    return INVALID_FILE_CHARS.sub(u'_', CONTROL_CHARS.sub(u'', filename))
 
 def delete_file(file_path_name):
     """
diff --git a/openlp/plugins/songs/lib/__init__.py b/openlp/plugins/songs/lib/__init__.py
index 1c3fb76df..b17d3b1a8 100644
--- a/openlp/plugins/songs/lib/__init__.py
+++ b/openlp/plugins/songs/lib/__init__.py
@@ -256,6 +256,13 @@ def clean_string(string):
     Strips punctuation from the passed string to assist searching
     """
     return WHITESPACE.sub(u' ', APOSTROPHE.sub(u'', string)).lower()
+    
+def clean_title(title):
+    """
+    Cleans the song title by removing Unicode control chars groups C0 & C1,
+    as well as any trailing spaces
+    """
+    return re.sub(u'[\x00-\x1F\x7F-\x9F]| +$', u'',  title, re.UNICODE)
 
 def clean_song(manager, song):
     """
@@ -275,10 +282,14 @@ def clean_song(manager, song):
         song.alternate_title = unicode(song.alternate_title)
     if isinstance(song.lyrics, buffer):
         song.lyrics = unicode(song.lyrics)
-    song.title = song.title.rstrip() if song.title else u''
-    if song.alternate_title is None:
+    if song.title:
+        song.title = clean_title(song.title)
+    else:
+        song.title = u''
+    if song.alternate_title:
+        song.alternate_title = clean_title(song.alternate_title)
+    else:
         song.alternate_title = u''
-    song.alternate_title = song.alternate_title.strip()
     song.search_title = clean_string(song.title) + u'@' + \
         clean_string(song.alternate_title)
     # Only do this, if we the song is a 1.9.4 song (or older).