diff --git a/bin/vhost-deploy.sh b/bin/vhost-deploy.sh
index a95758d..8b351f7 100755
--- a/bin/vhost-deploy.sh
+++ b/bin/vhost-deploy.sh
@@ -39,34 +39,42 @@ fi
 # check for and set username
 if [[ -z "$username" ]]; then
   username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
+  username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
   username=`echo ${username:0:8}`
   if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
     # username already exists, try another
     username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
+    username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
     username=`echo ${username:0:7}`
     if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
       # username already exists, try another
       username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
+      username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
       username=`echo ${username:0:6}`
       if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
         # username already exists, try another
         username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
+        username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
         username=`echo ${username:0:5}`
         if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
           # username already exists, try another
           username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
+          username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
           username=`echo ${username:0:9}`
           if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
             # username already exists, try another
             username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
+            username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
             username=`echo ${username:0:10}`
             if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
               # username already exists, try another
               username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
+              username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
               username=`echo ${username:0:11}`
               if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
                 # username already exists, try another
                 username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
+                username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
                 username=`echo ${username:0:12}`
                 if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
                   echo "trouble setting unique username, specify '-u USERNAME' to use an existing username"