diff --git a/ariba/cdhit.py b/ariba/cdhit.py
index 1d85210d..85749c2e 100644
--- a/ariba/cdhit.py
+++ b/ariba/cdhit.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import tempfile
 import shutil
+import sys
 import os
 import pyfastaq
 from ariba import common, external_progs
@@ -47,14 +48,26 @@ def fake_run(self):
 
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _load_user_clusters_file(filename):
+    def _load_user_clusters_file(filename, all_ref_seqs, rename_dict=None):
+        if rename_dict is None:
+            rename_dict = {}
+
         f = pyfastaq.utils.open_file_read(filename)
         clusters = {}
         used_names = set()
 
         for line in f:
             names_list = line.rstrip().split()
-            new_names = set(names_list)
+            to_remove = set()
+
+            for name in names_list:
+                new_name = rename_dict.get(name, name)
+                if new_name not in all_ref_seqs:
+                    to_remove.add(name)
+                    print('WARNING: ignoring sequence', name, 'from clusters file because not in fasta file. This probably means it failed sanity checks - see the log files 01.filter.check_genes.log, 01.filter.check_metadata.log.', file=sys.stderr)
+
+            names_list = [x for x in names_list if x not in to_remove]
+            new_names = set([rename_dict.get(name, name) for name in names_list])
             if len(names_list) != len(new_names) or not new_names.isdisjoint(used_names):
                 pyfastaq.utils.close(f)
                 raise Error('Error in user-provided clusters file ' + filename + '. Non unique name found at this line:\n' + line)
@@ -66,9 +79,10 @@ def _load_user_clusters_file(filename):
         return clusters
 
 
-    def run_get_clusters_from_file(self, clusters_infile):
+    def run_get_clusters_from_file(self, clusters_infile, all_ref_seqs, rename_dict=None):
         '''Instead of running cdhit, gets the clusters info from the input file.'''
-        clusters = self._load_user_clusters_file(clusters_infile)
+        if rename_dict is None:
+            rename_dict = {}
 
         # check that every sequence in the clusters file can be
         # found in the fasta file
@@ -76,6 +90,8 @@ def run_get_clusters_from_file(self, clusters_infile):
         names_list_from_fasta_file = [seq.id for seq in seq_reader]
         names_set_from_fasta_file = set(names_list_from_fasta_file)
 
+        clusters = self._load_user_clusters_file(clusters_infile, all_ref_seqs, rename_dict=rename_dict)
+
         if len(names_set_from_fasta_file) != len(names_list_from_fasta_file):
             raise Error('At least one duplicate name in fasta file ' + self.infile + '. Cannot continue')
 
diff --git a/ariba/reference_data.py b/ariba/reference_data.py
index 8d25e923..a945a4a4 100644
--- a/ariba/reference_data.py
+++ b/ariba/reference_data.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 class Error (Exception): pass
 
-rename_sub_regex = re.compile(r'''[':!@,-]''')
+rename_sub_regex = re.compile(r'''[|()\[\];"':!@,-]''')
 
 
 class ReferenceData:
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ def __init__(self,
 
         self.genetic_code = genetic_code
         pyfastaq.sequences.genetic_code = self.genetic_code
+        self.rename_dict = None
 
 
     @classmethod
@@ -353,15 +354,15 @@ def _rename_names_in_metadata(cls, meta_dict, rename_dict):
 
 
     def rename_sequences(self, outfile):
-        rename_dict = ReferenceData._seq_names_to_rename_dict(self.sequences.keys())
-        if len(rename_dict):
+        self.rename_dict = ReferenceData._seq_names_to_rename_dict(self.sequences.keys())
+        if len(self.rename_dict):
             print('Had to rename some sequences. See', outfile, 'for old -> new names', file=sys.stderr)
             with open(outfile, 'w') as f:
-                for old_name, new_name in sorted(rename_dict.items()):
+                for old_name, new_name in sorted(self.rename_dict.items()):
                     print(old_name, new_name, sep='\t', file=f)
 
-            self.sequences = ReferenceData._rename_names_in_seq_dict(self.sequences, rename_dict)
-            self.metadata = ReferenceData._rename_names_in_metadata(self.metadata, rename_dict)
+            self.sequences = ReferenceData._rename_names_in_seq_dict(self.sequences, self.rename_dict)
+            self.metadata = ReferenceData._rename_names_in_metadata(self.metadata, self.rename_dict)
 
 
     def sequence_type(self, sequence_name):
@@ -427,7 +428,7 @@ def cluster_with_cdhit(self, outprefix, seq_identity_threshold=0.9, threads=1, l
             )
 
             if clusters_file is not None:
-                new_clusters = cdhit_runner.run_get_clusters_from_file(clusters_file)
+                new_clusters = cdhit_runner.run_get_clusters_from_file(clusters_file, self.sequences, rename_dict=self.rename_dict)
             elif nocluster:
                 new_clusters = cdhit_runner.fake_run()
             else:
diff --git a/ariba/tests/cdhit_test.py b/ariba/tests/cdhit_test.py
index 82b74eb2..da2d9d26 100644
--- a/ariba/tests/cdhit_test.py
+++ b/ariba/tests/cdhit_test.py
@@ -102,7 +102,26 @@ def test_load_user_clusters_file_good_file(self):
             '2': {'seq5', 'seq6'}
         }
 
-        got = cdhit.Runner._load_user_clusters_file(infile)
+        got = cdhit.Runner._load_user_clusters_file(infile, {'seq' + str(i) for i in range(1,7,1)})
+        self.assertEqual(expected, got)
+
+        expected['2'] = {'seq5'}
+        got = cdhit.Runner._load_user_clusters_file(infile, {'seq' + str(i) for i in range(1,6,1)})
+        self.assertEqual(expected, got)
+
+
+    def test_load_user_clusters_file_good_file_with_renaming(self):
+        '''test _load_user_clusters_file with good input file with some renamed'''
+        rename_dict = {'seq2': 'seq2_renamed', 'seq6': 'seq6_renamed'}
+        infile = os.path.join(data_dir, 'cdhit_test_load_user_clusters_file.good')
+        expected  = {
+            '0': {'seq1', 'seq2_renamed', 'seq3'},
+            '1': {'seq4'},
+            '2': {'seq5', 'seq6_renamed'}
+        }
+
+        names = {'seq1', 'seq2_renamed', 'seq3', 'seq4', 'seq5', 'seq6_renamed'}
+        got = cdhit.Runner._load_user_clusters_file(infile, names, rename_dict=rename_dict)
         self.assertEqual(expected, got)
 
 
@@ -115,7 +134,7 @@ def test_load_user_clusters_file_bad_file(self):
         ]
         for filename in infiles:
             with self.assertRaises(cdhit.Error):
-                cdhit.Runner._load_user_clusters_file(filename)
+                cdhit.Runner._load_user_clusters_file(filename, {'seq1', 'seq2', 'seq3'})
 
 
     def test_run_get_clusters_from_file(self):
@@ -123,9 +142,23 @@ def test_run_get_clusters_from_file(self):
         fa_infile = os.path.join(data_dir, 'cdhit_test_run_get_clusters_from_dict.in.fa')
         clusters_infile = os.path.join(data_dir, 'cdhit_test_run_get_clusters_from_dict.in.clusters')
         r = cdhit.Runner(fa_infile)
-        clusters = r.run_get_clusters_from_file(clusters_infile)
+        clusters = r.run_get_clusters_from_file(clusters_infile, {'seq1', 'seq2', 'seq3'})
         expected_clusters = {
             '0': {'seq1', 'seq2'},
             '1': {'seq3'},
         }
         self.assertEqual(clusters, expected_clusters)
+
+
+    def test_run_get_clusters_from_file_with_renaming(self):
+        '''test run_get_clusters_from_file with renaming'''
+        rename_dict = {'seq2': 'seq2_renamed'}
+        fa_infile = os.path.join(data_dir, 'cdhit_test_run_get_clusters_from_dict_rename.in.fa')
+        clusters_infile = os.path.join(data_dir, 'cdhit_test_run_get_clusters_from_dict.in.clusters')
+        r = cdhit.Runner(fa_infile)
+        clusters = r.run_get_clusters_from_file(clusters_infile, {'seq1', 'seq2_renamed', 'seq3'}, rename_dict=rename_dict)
+        expected_clusters = {
+            '0': {'seq1', 'seq2_renamed'},
+            '1': {'seq3'},
+        }
+        self.assertEqual(clusters, expected_clusters)
diff --git a/ariba/tests/data/cdhit_test_run_get_clusters_from_dict_rename.in.fa b/ariba/tests/data/cdhit_test_run_get_clusters_from_dict_rename.in.fa
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6760b692
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ariba/tests/data/cdhit_test_run_get_clusters_from_dict_rename.in.fa
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+>seq1
+ACGT
+>seq2_renamed
+AAAA
+>seq3
+CCCC
diff --git a/ariba/tests/reference_data_test.py b/ariba/tests/reference_data_test.py
index f23d4cc7..9b12088a 100644
--- a/ariba/tests/reference_data_test.py
+++ b/ariba/tests/reference_data_test.py
@@ -278,12 +278,33 @@ def test_new_seq_name(self):
 
     def test_seq_names_to_rename_dict(self):
         '''Test _seq_names_to_rename_dict'''
-        names = {'foo', 'bar!', 'bar:', 'bar,', 'spam', 'eggs,123'}
+        names = {
+            'foo',
+            'bar!',
+            'bar:',
+            'bar,',
+            'spam',
+            'eggs,123',
+            'ab(c1',
+            'ab(c)2',
+            'ab[c]3',
+            'abc;4',
+            "abc'5",
+            'abc"6',
+            'abc|7',
+        }
         got = reference_data.ReferenceData._seq_names_to_rename_dict(names)
         expected = {
             'bar!': 'bar_',
             'bar,': 'bar__1',
             'bar:': 'bar__2',
+            'ab(c1': 'ab_c1',
+            'ab(c)2': 'ab_c_2',
+            'ab[c]3': 'ab_c_3',
+            'abc;4': 'abc_4',
+            "abc'5": 'abc_5',
+            'abc"6': 'abc_6',
+            'abc|7': 'abc_7',
             'eggs,123': 'eggs_123'
         }
 
@@ -423,6 +444,17 @@ def test_rename_sequences(self):
 
         self.assertEqual(expected_seqs_dict, refdata.sequences)
 
+        expected_rename_dict = {
+            'pres!abs3': 'pres_abs3',
+            'pres\'abs1': 'pres_abs1',
+            'pres_abs1': 'pres_abs1_1',
+            'var,only1': 'var_only1',
+            'var:only1': 'var_only1_1',
+            'var_only1': 'var_only1_2',
+        }
+
+        self.assertEqual(expected_rename_dict, refdata.rename_dict)
+
 
     def test_sequence_type(self):
         '''Test sequence_type'''
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 9261ebb0..5a7e806e 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 setup(
     ext_modules=[minimap_mod, fermilite_mod],
     name='ariba',
-    version='2.2.1',
+    version='2.2.2',
     description='ARIBA: Antibiotic Resistance Identification By Assembly',
     packages = find_packages(),
     package_data={'ariba': ['test_run_data/*']},