diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/a/atlas.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/a/atlas.py
index 24f93a78fc..d4235a35fd 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/a/atlas.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/a/atlas.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root
 
 
-class ATLAS(Application):
+class EB_ATLAS(Application):
     """
     Support for building ATLAS
     - configure (and check if it failed due to CPU throttling being enabled)
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/b/binary.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/b/binary.py
index 84855b4cdb..32936246ad 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/b/binary.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/b/binary.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from easybuild.framework.application import Application
 
 
-class Binary(Application):
+class EB_Binary(Application):
     """Support for installing a binary package.
     Just copy it's sources to the installdir"""
 
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/b/blacs.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/b/blacs.py
index 3fb3d3944d..fd69355078 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/b/blacs.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/b/blacs.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def det_interface(log, path):
         log.error("Failed to determine interface, output for xintface: %s" % out)
 
 
-class BLACS(Application):
+class EB_BLACS(Application):
     """
     Support for building/installing BLACS
     - configure: symlink BMAKES/Bmake.MPI-LINUX to Bmake.inc
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/c/cp2k.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/c/cp2k.py
index 236ceff89a..b82d572e91 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/c/cp2k.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/c/cp2k.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root, get_software_version
 
 
-class CP2K(Application):
+class EB_CP2K(Application):
     """
     Support for building CP2K
     - prepare module include files if required
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/c/cplex.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/c/cplex.py
index 28f4150213..bba69a2174 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/c/cplex.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/c/cplex.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.filetools import run_cmd_qa
 
 
-class CPLEX(Binary):
+class EB_CPLEX(Binary):
     """
     Support for installing CPLEX.
     Version 12.2 has a self-extracting package with a Java installer
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/d/doxygen.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/d/doxygen.py
index 2156c04394..e9d7790c3b 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/d/doxygen.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/d/doxygen.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.filetools import run_cmd
 
 
-class Doxygen(Application):
+class EB_Doxygen(Application):
     """Support for building/installing Doxygen"""
 
     def configure(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/f/fsl.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/f/fsl.py
index 55c7b28668..f6c51bfefe 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/f/fsl.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/f/fsl.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.filetools import run_cmd
 
 
-class FSL(Application):
+class EB_FSL(Application):
     """Support for building and installing FSL."""
 
     def __init__(self,*args,**kwargs):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/g/g2clib.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/g/g2clib.py
index a0879f27bb..6b5b53cd7c 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/g/g2clib.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/g/g2clib.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root
 
 
-class G2clib(Application):
+class EB_g2clib(Application):
     """Support for building g2clib GRIB2 C library."""
 
     def configure(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/g/g2lib.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/g/g2lib.py
index b9887e581a..51ce554160 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/g/g2lib.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/g/g2lib.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root
 
 
-class G2lib(Application):
+class EB_g2lib(Application):
     """Support for building g2clib GRIB2 library."""
 
     def configure(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/g/gcc.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/g/gcc.py
index 4d0633eea8..dfdbaabae9 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/g/gcc.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/g/gcc.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.systemtools import get_kernel_name, get_shared_lib_ext, get_platform_name
 
 
-class GCC(Application):
+class EB_GCC(Application):
     """
     Self-contained build of GCC.
     Uses system compiler for initial build, then bootstraps.
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/h/hdf5.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/h/hdf5.py
index 463ccc1a64..64a970b3a9 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/h/hdf5.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/h/hdf5.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root
 
 
-class HDF5(Application):
+class EB_HDF5(Application):
     """Support for building/installing HDF5"""
 
     def configure(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/h/hpl.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/h/hpl.py
index 3aeb94e316..152a932ab8 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/h/hpl.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/h/hpl.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.filetools import run_cmd
 
 
-class HPL(Application):
+class EB_HPL(Application):
     """
     Support for building HPL (High Performance Linpack)
     - create Make.UNKNOWN
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/icc.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/icc.py
index a838fa31a7..467a46babb 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/icc.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/icc.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 from easybuild.easyblocks.i.intelbase import IntelBase
 
 
-class Icc(IntelBase):
+class EB_icc(IntelBase):
     """Support for installing icc
 
     - tested with 11.1.046
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/ifort.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/ifort.py
index 303328ad03..dd89307d87 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/ifort.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/ifort.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 from easybuild.easyblocks.i.icc import Icc, IntelBase
 
 
-class Ifort(Icc):
+class EB_ifort(Icc):
     """
     Class that can be used to install ifort
     - tested with 11.1.046
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/imkl.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/imkl.py
index 1ee437ee8e..1098448115 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/imkl.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/imkl.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import Modules
 
 
-class Imkl(IntelBase):
+class EB_imkl(IntelBase):
     """
     Class that can be used to install mkl
     - tested with 10.2.1.017
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/impi.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/impi.py
index 8c6ae8ab68..b3dd7f498d 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/impi.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/impi.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.filetools import run_cmd
 
 
-class Impi(IntelBase):
+class EB_impi(IntelBase):
     """
     Support for installing Intel MPI library
     """
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/intelbase.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/intelbase.py
index b6410da40e..bc83bdc046 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/intelbase.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/intelbase.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.filetools import run_cmd
 
 
-class IntelBase(Application):
+class EB_intelBase(Application):
     """
     Base class for Intel software
     - no configure/make : binary release
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/ipp.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/ipp.py
index d7ff219fa2..f931be3343 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/ipp.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/ipp.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 from easybuild.easyblocks.i.intelbase import IntelBase
 
 
-class Ipp(IntelBase):
+class EB_ipp(IntelBase):
 
     def sanitycheck(self):
 
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/itac.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/itac.py
index ab61fcda0a..052e3547f8 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/i/itac.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/i/itac.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.filetools import run_cmd
 
 
-class Itac(IntelBase):
+class EB_itac(IntelBase):
     """
     Class that can be used to install itac
     - tested with Intel Trace Analyzer and Collector 7.2.1.008
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/l/lapack.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/l/lapack.py
index 01118e8258..efc3d56a01 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/l/lapack.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/l/lapack.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def get_blas_lib(log):
     return blaslib
 
 
-class LAPACK(Application):
+class EB_LAPACK(Application):
     """
     Support for building LAPACK
     - read make.inc.example and replace BLAS line with configtops
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/l/libsmm.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/l/libsmm.py
index 45b06b8192..64468a044d 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/l/libsmm.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/l/libsmm.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root, get_software_version
 
 
-class Libsmm(Application):
+class EB_libsmm(Application):
     """
     Support for the CP2K small matrix library
     Notes: - build can take really really long, and no real rebuilding needed for each version
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/m/maple.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/m/maple.py
index 489b8711c1..e09b4be15d 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/m/maple.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/m/maple.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.filetools import run_cmd_qa
 
 
-class Maple(Application):
+class EB_Maple(Application):
     """Support for installing Maple."""
 
     def unpack_src(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/m/mrbayes.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/m/mrbayes.py
index 3eabb898e3..11cec923ac 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/m/mrbayes.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/m/mrbayes.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root
 
 
-class MrBayes(Application):
+class EB_MrBayes(Application):
     """Support for building/installing MrBayes."""
 
     def configure(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/m/mvapich2.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/m/mvapich2.py
index eb6b3676c7..fa00784bda 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/m/mvapich2.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/m/mvapich2.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from easybuild.framework.easyconfig import CUSTOM
 
 
-class MVAPICH2(Application):
+class EB_MVAPICH2(Application):
     """
     Support for building the MVAPICH2 MPI library.
     - some compiler dependent configure options
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/n/ncl.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/n/ncl.py
index 26f196d4b4..daaaa4105d 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/n/ncl.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/n/ncl.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root, get_software_version
 
 
-class NCL(Application):
+class EB_NCL(Application):
     """Support for building/installing NCL."""
 
     def configure(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/n/netcdf.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/n/netcdf.py
index ed2babf71d..f04089cec9 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/n/netcdf.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/n/netcdf.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root, get_software_version
 
 
-class NetCDF(Application):
+class EB_netCDF(Application):
     """Support for building/installing netCDF"""
 
     def configure(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/n/netcdf_fortran.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/n/netcdf_fortran.py
index c69bd64061..10054015c0 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/n/netcdf_fortran.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/n/netcdf_fortran.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from easybuild.framework.application import Application
 
 
-class NetCDF_Fortran(Application):
+class EB_netCDF_Fortran(Application):
     """Support for building/installing the netCDF-Fortran library"""
 
     def configure(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/o/openfoam.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/o/openfoam.py
index 555bef8ff2..c4ace2dce3 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/o/openfoam.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/o/openfoam.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root
 
 
-class OpenFOAM(Application):
+class EB_OpenFOAM(Application):
     """Support for building and installing OpenFOAM."""
 
     def __init__(self,*args,**kwargs):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/p/packedbinary.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/p/packedbinary.py
index 79d8a256be..59f84d668b 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/p/packedbinary.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/p/packedbinary.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 from easybuild.easyblocks.b.binary import Binary
 
 
-class PackedBinary(Binary, Application):
+class EB_PackedBinary(Binary, Application):
     """Support for installing a packed binary package.
     Just unpack its source in the installdir
     """
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/p/pasha.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/p/pasha.py
index e9406bef8f..28583fabd2 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/p/pasha.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/p/pasha.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root
 
 
-class Pasha(Application):
+class EB_Pasha(Application):
     """Support for building and installing Pasha"""
 
     def configure(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/p/python.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/p/python.py
index e25d7f4c13..709445145f 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/p/python.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/p/python.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root
 
 
-class Python(Application):
+class EB_Python(Application):
     """Support for building/installing Python
     - default configure/make/make install works fine
 
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ def extra_packages_pre(self):
         """
         We set some default configs here for packages included in python
         """
-        #insert new packages by building them with DefaultPythonPackage
+        #insert new packages by building them with EB_DefaultPythonPackage
         self.log.debug("setting extra packages options")
-        # use __name__ here, since this is the module where DefaultPythonPackage is defined
-        self.setcfg('pkgdefaultclass', (__name__, "DefaultPythonPackage"))
+        # use __name__ here, since this is the module where EB_DefaultPythonPackage is defined
+        self.setcfg('pkgdefaultclass', (__name__, "EB_DefaultPythonPackage"))
         self.setcfg('pkgfilter', ('python -c "import %(name)s"', ""))
 
     def make_install(self):
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def make_install(self):
                 self.log.error("Failed to symlink %s to %s: %s" % err)
 
 
-class DefaultPythonPackage(ApplicationPackage):
+class EB_DefaultPythonPackage(ApplicationPackage):
     """
     Easyblock for python packages to be included in the python installation.
     """
@@ -189,10 +189,10 @@ def getcfg(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self.mself.getcfg(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
-class Nose(DefaultPythonPackage):
+class EB_nose(EB_DefaultPythonPackage):
     """nose package"""
     def __init__(self, mself, pkg, pkginstalldeps):
-        DefaultPythonPackage.__init__(self, mself, pkg, pkginstalldeps)
+        EB_DefaultPythonPackage.__init__(self, mself, pkg, pkginstalldeps)
 
         # use extra unpack options to avoid problems like
         # 'tar: Ignoring unknown extended header keyword `SCHILY.nlink'
@@ -200,8 +200,8 @@ def __init__(self, mself, pkg, pkginstalldeps):
         self.unpack_options = ' --pax-option="delete=SCHILY.*" --pax-option="delete=LIBARCHIVE.*" '
 
 
-class FortranPythonPackage(DefaultPythonPackage):
-    """Extends DefaultPythonPackage to add a Fortran compiler to the make call"""
+class EB_FortranPythonPackage(EB_DefaultPythonPackage):
+    """Extends EB_DefaultPythonPackage to add a Fortran compiler to the make call"""
 
     def make(self):
         comp_fam = self.toolkit().comp_family()
@@ -227,11 +227,11 @@ def make(self):
         run_cmd(cmd, log_all=True, simple=True)
 
 
-class Numpy(FortranPythonPackage):
+class EB_numpy(EB_FortranPythonPackage):
     """numpy package"""
 
     def __init__(self, mself, pkg, pkginstalldeps):
-        FortranPythonPackage.__init__(self, mself, pkg, pkginstalldeps)
+        EB_FortranPythonPackage.__init__(self, mself, pkg, pkginstalldeps)
 
         self.pkgcfgs = mself.getcfg('pkgcfgs')
         if self.pkgcfgs.has_key('numpysitecfglibsubdirs'):
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ def make_install(self):
         """Install numpy package
         We remove the numpy build dir here, so scipy doesn't find it by accident
         """
-        FortranPythonPackage.make_install(self)
+        EB_FortranPythonPackage.make_install(self)
         builddir = os.path.join(self.builddir, "numpy")
         if os.path.isdir(builddir):
             shutil.rmtree(builddir)
@@ -310,11 +310,11 @@ def make_install(self):
             self.log.debug("build dir %s already clean" % builddir)
 
 
-class Scipy(FortranPythonPackage):
+class EB_scipy(EB_FortranPythonPackage):
     """scipy package"""
 
     def __init__(self, mself, pkg, pkginstalldeps):
-        FortranPythonPackage.__init__(self, mself, pkg, pkginstalldeps)
+        EB_FortranPythonPackage.__init__(self, mself, pkg, pkginstalldeps)
 
         # disable testing
         test = False
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/s/scalapack.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/s/scalapack.py
index 2a48212901..1b1ccc601d 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/s/scalapack.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/s/scalapack.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root
 
 
-class ScaLAPACK(Application):
+class EB_ScaLAPACK(Application):
     """
     Support for building and installing ScaLAPACK, both versions 1.x and 2.x
     """
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tarball.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tarball.py
index 7e60633a0c..31ba7f8440 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tarball.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tarball.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 from easybuild.framework.application import Application
 
 
-class Tarball(Application):
+class EB_Tarball(Application):
     """
     Precompiled software packaged as tarball:
     - will unpack binary and copy it to the install dir
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tbb.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tbb.py
index b4602852a8..a4a439b455 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tbb.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tbb.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from easybuild.easyblocks.i.intelbase import IntelBase
 
 
-class Tbb(IntelBase):
+class EB_tbb(IntelBase):
     """EasyBlock for tbb, threading building blocks"""
 
     def make_install(self):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/t/toolkit.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/t/toolkit.py
index 8de48b911b..822c6b1193 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/t/toolkit.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/t/toolkit.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 from easybuild.framework.application import Application
 
 
-class Toolkit(Application):
+class EB_Toolkit(Application):
     """
     Compiler toolkit: generate module file only, nothing to make/install
     """
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/w/wps.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/w/wps.py
index a26c4e6800..e2eb7a9b42 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/w/wps.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/w/wps.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root, get_software_version
 
 
-class WPS(Application):
+class EB_WPS(Application):
     """Support for building/installing WPS."""
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/w/wrf.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/w/wrf.py
index a41c1d97b2..8e083ae789 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/w/wrf.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/w/wrf.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.modules import get_software_root
 
 
-class WRF(Application):
+class EB_WRF(Application):
     """Support for building/installing WRF."""
 
     def __init__(self,*args,**kwargs):
diff --git a/easybuild/framework/application.py b/easybuild/framework/application.py
index 646d62a8de..2ccc14f6c8 100644
--- a/easybuild/framework/application.py
+++ b/easybuild/framework/application.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 from easybuild.framework.easyconfig import EasyConfig
 from easybuild.tools.build_log import EasyBuildError, initLogger, removeLogHandler,print_msg
 from easybuild.tools.config import source_path, buildPath, installPath
-from easybuild.tools.filetools import unpack, patch, run_cmd, convertName
+from easybuild.tools.filetools import unpack, patch, run_cmd, convertName, encode_class_name
 from easybuild.tools.module_generator import ModuleGenerator
 from easybuild.tools.modules import Modules, get_software_root
 from easybuild.tools.toolkit import Toolkit
@@ -1401,7 +1401,7 @@ def extra_packages(self):
         allclassmodule = pkgdefaultclass[0]
         defaultClass = pkgdefaultclass[1]
         for pkg in self.pkgs:
-            name = pkg['name'][0].upper() + pkg['name'][1:] # classnames start with a capital
+            name = encode_class_name(pkg['name']) # Use the same encoding as get_class
             self.log.debug("Starting package %s" % name)
 
             try:
@@ -1566,8 +1566,8 @@ def get_class(easyblock, log, name=None):
                 name = "UNKNOWN"
 
             modulepath = module_path_for_easyblock(name)
-            # don't use capitalize, as it changes 'GCC' into 'Gcc', we want to keep the capitals that are there already
-            class_name = name[0].upper() + name[1:].replace('-','_')
+            # The following is a generic way to calculate unique class names for any funny package title
+            class_name = encode_class_name(name)
 
             # try and find easyblock
             easyblock_found = False
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/filetools.py b/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
index 0ee01a0d04..cdbb98b6e7 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
@@ -717,3 +717,68 @@ def patch_perl_script_autoflush(path):
 
     except IOError, err:
         log.error("Failed to patch Perl configure script: %s" % err)
+
+
+def encode_string(name):
+    """
+    This encoding function handles funky package names ad infinitum, like:
+      example: '0_foo+0x0x#-$__'
+      becomes: '0_underscore_foo_plus_0x0x_hash__minus__dollar__underscore__underscore_'
+    The intention is to have a robust escaping mechanism for names like c++, C# et al
+
+    It has been inspired by the concepts seen at, but in lowercase style:
+    * http://fossies.org/dox/netcdf-4.2.1.1/escapes_8c_source.html
+    * http://celldesigner.org/help/CDH_Species_01.html
+    * http://research.cs.berkeley.edu/project/sbp/darcsrepo-no-longer-updated/src/edu/berkeley/sbp/misc/ReflectiveWalker.java
+    and can be extended freely as per ISO/IEC 10646:2012 / Unicode 6.1 names:
+    * http://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode6.1.0/ 
+    For readability of >2 words, it is suggested to use _CamelCase_ style.
+    So, yes, '_GreekSmallLetterEtaWithPsiliAndOxia_' *could* indeed be a fully
+    valid package name; package "electron" in the original spelling anyone? ;-)
+
+    """
+
+    charmap = {
+               ' ': "_space_",
+               '!': "_exclamation_",
+               '"': "_quotation_",
+               '#': "_hash_",
+               '$': "_dollar_",
+               '%': "_percent_",
+               '&': "_ampersand_",
+               '(': "_leftparen_",
+               ')': "_rightparen_",
+               '*': "_asterisk_",
+               '+': "_plus_",
+               ',': "_comma_",
+               '-': "_minus_",
+               '.': "_period_",
+               '/': "_slash_",
+               ':': "_colon_",
+               ';': "_semicolon_",
+               '<': "_lessthan_",
+               '=': "_equals_",
+               '>': "_greaterthan_",
+               '?': "_question_",
+               '@': "_atsign_",
+               '[': "_leftbracket_",
+               '\'': "_apostrophe_",
+               '\\': "_backslash_",
+               ']': "_rightbracket_",
+               '^': "_circumflex_",
+               '_': "_underscore_",
+               '`': "_backquote_",
+               '{': "_leftcurly_",
+               '|': "_verticalbar_",
+               '}': "_rightcurly_",
+               '~': "_tilde_"
+              }
+
+    # do the character remapping, return same char by default
+    result = ''.join(map(lambda x: charmap.get(x, x), name))
+    return result
+
+def encode_class_name(name):
+    """return encoded version of class name"""
+    return "EB_" + encode_string(name)
+