diff --git a/neat/common.py b/neat/common.py
index c37d654..7915276 100644
--- a/neat/common.py
+++ b/neat/common.py
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ def parse_compute_hosts(compute_hosts):
     :return: A list of host names.
      :rtype: list(str)
     """
-    return filter(None, re.split('\W+', compute_hosts))
+    return filter(None, re.split('[^a-zA-Z0-9\-_]+', compute_hosts))
 
 
 @contract
diff --git a/tests/test_common.py b/tests/test_common.py
index e1d46ae..5a59992 100644
--- a/tests/test_common.py
+++ b/tests/test_common.py
@@ -156,6 +156,8 @@ class Common(TestCase):
         assert common.parse_compute_hosts('') == []
         assert common.parse_compute_hosts('test1, test2') == \
             ['test1', 'test2']
+        assert common.parse_compute_hosts('test-1, test_2') == \
+            ['test-1', 'test_2']
         assert common.parse_compute_hosts('t1,,  t2 , t3') == \
             ['t1', 't2', 't3']