diff --git a/src/ytdl_sub/validators/string_formatter_validators.py b/src/ytdl_sub/validators/string_formatter_validators.py
index cd62b4a4..e8a4b22b 100644
--- a/src/ytdl_sub/validators/string_formatter_validators.py
+++ b/src/ytdl_sub/validators/string_formatter_validators.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ from typing import Dict
 from typing import List
 from typing import final
 
+from yt_dlp.utils import sanitize_filename
+
 from ytdl_sub.utils.exceptions import InvalidVariableNameException
 from ytdl_sub.utils.exceptions import StringFormattingException
 from ytdl_sub.utils.exceptions import StringFormattingVariableNotFoundException
@@ -151,24 +153,23 @@ class StringFormatterValidator(Validator):
             value=formatter.format_string.format(**OrderedDict(variable_dict)),
         )
 
-    def apply_formatter(self, variable_dict: Dict[str, str]) -> str:
-        """
-        Calls `format` on the format string using the variable_dict as input kwargs
-
-        Parameters
-        ----------
-        variable_dict
-            kwargs to pass to the format string
-
-        Returns
-        -------
-        Format string formatted
-        """
-        # Keep formatting the format string until no format_variables are present
+    def _apply_formatter(self, variable_dict: Dict[str, str], resolve_sanitized: bool = False):
         formatter = self
         recursion_depth = 0
         max_depth = self._max_format_recursion
 
+        if resolve_sanitized:
+            for format_variable in formatter.format_variables:
+                # Must resolve the sanitized variable completely
+                if format_variable.endswith("_sanitized"):
+                    # pylint: disable=protected-access
+                    variable_dict[format_variable] = sanitize_filename(
+                        StringFormatterValidator(
+                            name=self._name, value=f"{{{format_variable}}}"
+                        )._apply_formatter(variable_dict, resolve_sanitized=False)
+                    )
+                    # pylint: enable=protected-access
+
         while formatter.format_variables and recursion_depth < max_depth:
             formatter = self.__apply_formatter(formatter=formatter, variable_dict=variable_dict)
             recursion_depth += 1
@@ -183,6 +184,21 @@ class StringFormatterValidator(Validator):
 
         return formatter.format_string
 
+    def apply_formatter(self, variable_dict: Dict[str, str]) -> str:
+        """
+        Calls `format` on the format string using the variable_dict as input kwargs
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        variable_dict
+            kwargs to pass to the format string
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        Format string formatted
+        """
+        return self._apply_formatter(variable_dict=variable_dict, resolve_sanitized=True)
+
 
 # pylint: disable=line-too-long
 class OverridesStringFormatterValidator(StringFormatterValidator):
diff --git a/tests/unit/validators/test_string_formatter_validator.py b/tests/unit/validators/test_string_formatter_validator.py
index 4a30ba7b..9481ec2a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/validators/test_string_formatter_validator.py
+++ b/tests/unit/validators/test_string_formatter_validator.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import pytest
+from yt_dlp.utils import sanitize_filename
 
 from ytdl_sub.utils.exceptions import StringFormattingException
 from ytdl_sub.utils.exceptions import ValidationException
@@ -146,6 +147,18 @@ class TestStringFormatterValidator(object):
 
         assert format_string.apply_formatter(variable_dict=variable_dict) == expected_string
 
+    def test_entry_formatter_override_sanitized_recursive(self, string_formatter_class):
+        variable_dict = {
+            "level_a": "level a",
+            "level_b": "level b ? {level_a}",
+            "level_c_sanitized": "level c and {level_b}",
+        }
+
+        format_string = string_formatter_class(name="test", value="level d and {level_c_sanitized}")
+        expected_string = "level d and " + sanitize_filename("level c and level b ? level a")
+
+        assert format_string.apply_formatter(variable_dict=variable_dict) == expected_string
+
     def test_entry_formatter_override_recursive_fail_cycle(self, string_formatter_class):
         variable_dict = {
             "level_a": "{level_b}",