diff --git a/grudge/array_context.py b/grudge/array_context.py
index a3c92b40..2cd265b9 100644
--- a/grudge/array_context.py
+++ b/grudge/array_context.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
         TYPE_CHECKING, Mapping, Tuple, Any, Callable, Optional, Type,
         FrozenSet)
 from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pytools import to_identifier
 from pytools.tag import Tag
 from meshmode.array_context import (
         PyOpenCLArrayContext as _PyOpenCLArrayContextBase,
@@ -162,11 +163,6 @@ class MPIBasedArrayContext:
 
 # {{{ distributed + pytato
 
-def _to_identifier(s: str) -> str:
-    # Only allow digits, letters, and underscores in identifiers
-    return "".join(ch for ch in s if ch.isalnum() or ch == "_")
-
-
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
 class _DistributedPartProgramID:
     f: Callable[..., Any]
@@ -175,9 +171,9 @@ class _DistributedPartProgramID:
     def __str__(self):
         name = getattr(self.f, "__name__", "anonymous")
         if not name.isidentifier():
-            name = _to_identifier(name)
+            name = to_identifier(name)
 
-        part = _to_identifier(str(self.part_id))
+        part = to_identifier(str(self.part_id))
         if part:
             return f"{name}_part{part}"
         else:
diff --git a/grudge/dof_desc.py b/grudge/dof_desc.py
index 8d5089c2..10c7e2e3 100644
--- a/grudge/dof_desc.py
+++ b/grudge/dof_desc.py
@@ -85,16 +85,7 @@
 from meshmode.mesh import (
     BTAG_PARTITION, BTAG_ALL, BTAG_REALLY_ALL, BTAG_NONE, BoundaryTag)
 
-
-# {{{ _to_identifier
-
-def _to_identifier(name: str) -> str:
-    if not name.isidentifier():
-        return "".join(ch for ch in name if ch.isidentifier())
-    else:
-        return name
-
-# }}}
+from pytools import to_identifier
 
 
 # {{{ volume tags
@@ -357,24 +348,24 @@ def as_identifier(self) -> str:
             if isinstance(vtag, type):
                 vtag = vtag.__name__.replace("VTAG_", "").lower()
             elif isinstance(vtag, str):
-                vtag = _to_identifier(vtag)
+                vtag = to_identifier(vtag)
             else:
-                vtag = _to_identifier(str(vtag))
+                vtag = to_identifier(str(vtag))
             dom_id = f"v_{vtag}"
         elif isinstance(self.domain_tag, BoundaryDomainTag):
             btag = self.domain_tag.tag
             if isinstance(btag, type):
                 btag = btag.__name__.replace("BTAG_", "").lower()
             elif isinstance(btag, str):
-                btag = _to_identifier(btag)
+                btag = to_identifier(btag)
             else:
-                btag = _to_identifier(str(btag))
+                btag = to_identifier(str(btag))
             dom_id = f"b_{btag}"
         else:
             raise ValueError(f"unexpected domain tag: '{self.domain_tag}'")
 
         if isinstance(self.discretization_tag, str):
-            discr_id = _to_identifier(self.discretization_tag)
+            discr_id = to_identifier(self.discretization_tag)
         elif issubclass(self.discretization_tag, DISCR_TAG_QUAD):
             discr_id = "_quad"
         elif self.discretization_tag is DISCR_TAG_BASE: