diff --git a/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_config.py b/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_config.py
index 7dea503..00dd7ed 100644
--- a/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_config.py
+++ b/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_config.py
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-from .metrics_util import (validate_field, validate_non_empty,
-                           validate_non_negative, validate_positive,
-                           validate_string_type)
+from .metrics_util import (validate_non_empty, validate_non_negative,
+                           validate_positive, validate_string_type)
 
 
 class ConfigOptions(object):
@@ -144,9 +143,6 @@ def _parse_tags(self, child):
         if len(child.values) % 2 != 0:
             raise Exception('Missing tags key/value in options %s.' % str(child.values))
 
-        for value in child.values:
-            validate_field(value, child.key, 'Value', 'Key')
-
         self.conf[child.key] = zip(*(iter(child.values),) * 2)
 
         self.collectd.info('Parsed %s tags %s' % (child.key, self.conf[child.key]))
diff --git a/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_converter.py b/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_converter.py
index 5041b83..0f5a3b6 100644
--- a/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_converter.py
+++ b/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_converter.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import math
 
-from .metrics_util import validate_field
+from .metrics_util import sanitize_field
 
 
 class IntrinsicKeys(object):
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ def gen_tag(key, value):
     """
     Tag is of form key=value
     """
-    key = validate_field(key, value, 'Key', 'Value')
-    value = validate_field(value, key, 'Value', 'Key')
+    key = sanitize_field(key)
+    value = sanitize_field(value)
     if not key:
         raise Exception('Key for value %s cannot be empty' % value)
 
diff --git a/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_util.py b/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_util.py
index 3b12da5..9bd2954 100644
--- a/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_util.py
+++ b/sumologic_collectd_metrics/metrics_util.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 _reserved_symbols = {
-    ' ': None,
+    ' ': '_',
     '=': ':',
 }
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def validate_string_type(value, field, label1, label2):
                         (label1, value, label2, field, type(value)))
 
 
-def validate_field(value, field, label1, label2):
+def sanitize_field(value):
     """
     Field must be string that does not contains '=' or ' '
     """
@@ -41,30 +41,10 @@ def validate_field(value, field, label1, label2):
 
     for reserved_symbol, replacement in _reserved_symbols.items():
         if reserved_symbol in value:
-            if replacement is None:
-                raise Exception('%s %s for %s %s must not contain reserved symbol \"%s\"' %
-                                (label1, value, label2, field, reserved_symbol))
-
             value = value.replace(reserved_symbol, replacement)
     return value
 
 
-def validate_type(data, types):
-    """
-    Validate type are defined in types.db and matching data values
-    """
-
-    # Verify type is defined in types.db
-    if data.type not in types:
-        raise Exception('Do not know how to handle type %s. Do you have all your types.db files'
-                        ' configured?' % data.type)
-
-    # Verify values conform to the type defined
-    if len(data.values) != len(types[data.type]):
-        raise Exception('Number values %s differ from types defined for %s' %
-                        (data.values, data.type))
-
-
 class RecoverableException(Exception):
     """
     Exception that are recoverable.
diff --git a/test/test_metrics_config.py b/test/test_metrics_config.py
index 8dc7bed..3b63c95 100644
--- a/test/test_metrics_config.py
+++ b/test/test_metrics_config.py
@@ -229,17 +229,6 @@ def test_invalid_http_post_interval_exception():
     assert 'Specify HttpPostInterval' in str(e)
 
 
-def test_contains_reserved_symbols_exception():
-    with pytest.raises(Exception) as e:
-        met_config = Helper.default_config()
-        tags = ('meta_key1', 'meta_val1', 'meta_key2', 'meta val2')
-        config = CollectdConfig([Helper.url_node(),
-                                 tags_node(ConfigOptions.meta_tags, tags)])
-        met_config.parse_config(config)
-
-    assert 'Value meta val2 for Key Metadata must not contain reserved symbol " "' in str(e)
-
-
 def test_non_ascii_strings():
     met_config = Helper.default_config()
 
diff --git a/test/test_metrics_converter.py b/test/test_metrics_converter.py
index 25f1b23..53be418 100644
--- a/test/test_metrics_converter.py
+++ b/test/test_metrics_converter.py
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ def test_gen_value_not_string_exception():
     assert expected, value
 
 
+def test_gen_value_reserved():
+    assert gen_tag('tag_key space=', 'tag_value=t st') == 'tag_key_space:=tag_value:t_st'
+
+
 def test_tags_to_str():
     tags = ['tag_key1=tag_val1', 'tag_key2=tag_val2', 'tag_key3=tag_val3']
     tag_str = tags_to_str(tags)