diff --git a/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_fieldview/gtir_sdfg.py b/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_fieldview/gtir_sdfg.py
index e489f130db..48c666a363 100644
--- a/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_fieldview/gtir_sdfg.py
+++ b/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_fieldview/gtir_sdfg.py
@@ -399,6 +399,14 @@ def visit_Program(self, node: gtir.Program) -> dace.SDFG:
 
         sdfg = dace.SDFG(node.id)
         sdfg.debuginfo = dace_utils.debug_info(node, default=sdfg.debuginfo)
+
+        # DaCe requires C-compatible strings for the names of data containers,
+        # such as arrays and scalars. GT4Py uses a unicode symbols ('ᐞ') as name
+        # separator in the SSA pass, which generates invalid symbols for DaCe.
+        # Here we find new names for invalid symbols present in the IR.
+        node = dace_gtir_utils.replace_invalid_symbols(sdfg, node)
+
+        # start block of the stateful graph
         entry_state = sdfg.add_state("program_entry", is_start_block=True)
 
         # declarations of temporaries result in transient array definitions in the SDFG
diff --git a/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_fieldview/utility.py b/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_fieldview/utility.py
index 355eaac903..baae8a6ccd 100644
--- a/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_fieldview/utility.py
+++ b/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_fieldview/utility.py
@@ -9,9 +9,13 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import itertools
-from typing import Any
+from typing import Any, Dict, TypeVar
 
+import dace
+
+from gt4py import eve
 from gt4py.next import common as gtx_common
+from gt4py.next.iterator import ir as gtir
 from gt4py.next.type_system import type_specifications as ts
 
 
@@ -66,3 +70,40 @@ def get_tuple_type(data: tuple[Any, ...]) -> ts.TupleType:
     return ts.TupleType(
         types=[get_tuple_type(d) if isinstance(d, tuple) else d.gt_dtype for d in data]
     )
+
+
+def replace_invalid_symbols(sdfg: dace.SDFG, ir: gtir.Program) -> gtir.Program:
+    """
+    Ensure that all symbols used in the program IR are valid strings (e.g. no unicode-strings).
+
+    If any invalid symbol present, this funtion returns a copy of the input IR where
+    the invalid symbols have been replaced with new names. If all symbols are valid,
+    the input IR is returned without copying it.
+    """
+
+    class ReplaceSymbols(eve.PreserveLocationVisitor, eve.NodeTranslator):
+        T = TypeVar("T", gtir.Sym, gtir.SymRef)
+
+        def _replace_sym(self, node: T, symtable: Dict[str, str]) -> T:
+            sym = str(node.id)
+            return type(node)(id=symtable.get(sym, sym), type=node.type)
+
+        def visit_Sym(self, node: gtir.Sym, *, symtable: Dict[str, str]) -> gtir.Sym:
+            return self._replace_sym(node, symtable)
+
+        def visit_SymRef(self, node: gtir.SymRef, *, symtable: Dict[str, str]) -> gtir.SymRef:
+            return self._replace_sym(node, symtable)
+
+    # program arguments are checked separetely, because they cannot be replaced
+    if not all(dace.dtypes.validate_name(str(sym.id)) for sym in ir.params):
+        raise ValueError("Invalid symbol in program parameters.")
+
+    invalid_symbols_mapping = {
+        sym_id: sdfg.temp_data_name()
+        for sym in eve.walk_values(ir).if_isinstance(gtir.Sym).to_set()
+        if not dace.dtypes.validate_name(sym_id := str(sym.id))
+    }
+    if len(invalid_symbols_mapping) != 0:
+        return ReplaceSymbols().visit(ir, symtable=invalid_symbols_mapping)
+    else:
+        return ir
diff --git a/tests/next_tests/unit_tests/program_processor_tests/runners_tests/dace_tests/test_gtir_to_sdfg.py b/tests/next_tests/unit_tests/program_processor_tests/runners_tests/dace_tests/test_gtir_to_sdfg.py
index 41f540d3cf..9f5498b4a7 100644
--- a/tests/next_tests/unit_tests/program_processor_tests/runners_tests/dace_tests/test_gtir_to_sdfg.py
+++ b/tests/next_tests/unit_tests/program_processor_tests/runners_tests/dace_tests/test_gtir_to_sdfg.py
@@ -1629,20 +1629,20 @@ def test_gtir_let_lambda():
         declarations=[],
         body=[
             gtir.SetAt(
-                # `x1` is a let-lambda expression representing `x * 3`
-                # `x2` is a let-lambda expression representing `x * 4`
-                #  - note that the let-symbol `x2` is used twice, in a nested let-expression, to test aliasing of the symbol
-                # `x3` is a let-lambda expression simply accessing `x` field symref
-                expr=im.let("x1", im.op_as_fieldop("multiplies", subdomain)(3.0, "x"))(
+                # `xᐞ1` is a let-lambda expression representing `x * 3`
+                # `xᐞ2` is a let-lambda expression representing `x * 4`
+                #  - note that the let-symbol `xᐞ2` is used twice, in a nested let-expression, to test aliasing of the symbol
+                # `xᐞ3` is a let-lambda expression simply accessing `x` field symref
+                expr=im.let("xᐞ1", im.op_as_fieldop("multiplies", subdomain)(3.0, "x"))(
                     im.let(
-                        "x2",
-                        im.let("x2", im.op_as_fieldop("multiplies", domain)(2.0, "x"))(
-                            im.op_as_fieldop("plus", subdomain)("x2", "x2")
+                        "xᐞ2",
+                        im.let("xᐞ2", im.op_as_fieldop("multiplies", domain)(2.0, "x"))(
+                            im.op_as_fieldop("plus", subdomain)("xᐞ2", "xᐞ2")
                         ),
                     )(
-                        im.let("x3", "x")(
+                        im.let("xᐞ3", "x")(
                             im.op_as_fieldop("plus", subdomain)(
-                                "x1", im.op_as_fieldop("plus", subdomain)("x2", "x3")
+                                "xᐞ1", im.op_as_fieldop("plus", subdomain)("xᐞ2", "xᐞ3")
                             )
                         )
                     )