diff --git a/src/remote.cc b/src/remote.cc
index e6992c20..7a8f0d02 100644
--- a/src/remote.cc
+++ b/src/remote.cc
@@ -605,8 +605,8 @@ const String& session_directory()
 
 String session_path(StringView session)
 {
-    if (contains(session, '/'))
-        throw runtime_error{"session names cannot have slashes"};
+    if (not all_of(session, is_identifier))
+        throw runtime_error{format("invalid session name: '{}'", session)};
     return format("{}/{}", session_directory(), session);
 }
 
@@ -848,9 +848,6 @@ private:
 Server::Server(String session_name, bool is_daemon)
     : m_session{std::move(session_name)}, m_is_daemon{is_daemon}
 {
-    if (not all_of(m_session, is_identifier))
-        throw runtime_error{format("invalid session name: '{}'", m_session)};
-
     int listen_sock = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
     fcntl(listen_sock, F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC);
     sockaddr_un addr = session_addr(m_session);
@@ -885,9 +882,6 @@ Server::Server(String session_name, bool is_daemon)
 
 bool Server::rename_session(StringView name)
 {
-    if (not all_of(name, is_identifier))
-        throw runtime_error{format("invalid session name: '{}'", name)};
-
     String old_socket_file = session_path(m_session);
     String new_socket_file = session_path(name);