diff --git a/sh/jshn.sh b/sh/jshn.sh
index 8ecefcf..d325460 100644
--- a/sh/jshn.sh
+++ b/sh/jshn.sh
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ json_get_type() {
 
 json_get_var() {
 	local dest="$1"
-	local var="$2"
+	local var="$(echo -n "$2" | tr -C '[a-zA-Z_]' _)"
 	eval "export -- \"$dest=\${${JSON_CUR}_$var}\""
 }