diff --git a/src/cleveragents/action/schema.py b/src/cleveragents/action/schema.py
index 8ce054207..0d5070cd0 100644
--- a/src/cleveragents/action/schema.py
+++ b/src/cleveragents/action/schema.py
@@ -122,11 +122,12 @@ class ActionArgumentSchema(BaseModel):
     @field_validator("name")
     @classmethod
     def validate_name(cls, v: str) -> str:
-        """Ensure argument name is a valid identifier."""
-        if not v.replace("-", "_").isidentifier():
+        """Ensure argument name is a valid Python identifier."""
+        if not v.isidentifier():
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Argument name '{v}' is not a valid identifier. "
-                "Use alphanumeric characters, underscores, or hyphens."
+                f"Argument name '{v}' is not a valid Python identifier. "
+                "Argument name must be a valid Python identifier "
+                "(alphanumeric and underscores, not starting with a digit)."
             )
         return v