diff --git a/octavia/common/utils.py b/octavia/common/utils.py
index f4260d74ef..ec66066721 100644
--- a/octavia/common/utils.py
+++ b/octavia/common/utils.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 import base64
 import hashlib
+import re
 import socket
 
 import netaddr
@@ -45,7 +46,9 @@ def base64_sha1_string(string_to_hash):
     # break backwards compatibility with existing loadbalancers.
     hash_str = hashlib.sha1(string_to_hash.encode('utf-8')).digest()  # nosec
     b64_str = base64.b64encode(hash_str, str.encode('_-', 'ascii'))
-    return b64_str.decode('UTF-8')
+    b64_sha1 = b64_str.decode('UTF-8')
+    # https://github.com/haproxy/haproxy/issues/644
+    return re.sub(r"^-", "x", b64_sha1)
 
 
 def get_network_driver():
diff --git a/octavia/tests/unit/common/test_utils.py b/octavia/tests/unit/common/test_utils.py
index 832f6ee6f8..b98e5a321d 100644
--- a/octavia/tests/unit/common/test_utils.py
+++ b/octavia/tests/unit/common/test_utils.py
@@ -60,3 +60,18 @@ class TestConfig(base.TestCase):
                          utils.ip_netmask_to_cidr('10.0.0.1', '255.255.240.0'))
         self.assertEqual('10.0.0.0/30', utils.ip_netmask_to_cidr(
             '10.0.0.1', '255.255.255.252'))
+
+    def test_base64_sha1_string(self):
+        str_to_sha1 = [
+            # no special cases str (no altchars)
+            ('77e7d60d-e137-4246-8a84-a25db33571cd',
+             'iVZVQ5AKmk2Ae0uGLP0Ue4OseRM='),
+            # backward compat amphorae with - in str[1:]
+            ('9c6e5f27-a0da-4ceb-afe5-5a81230be42e',
+             'NjrNgt3Egl-H5ScbYM5ChtUH3M8='),
+            # sha1 would start with -, now replaced with x
+            ('4db4a3cf-9fef-4057-b1fd-b2afbf7a8a0f',
+             'xxqntK8jJ_gE3QEmh-D1-XgCW_E=')
+        ]
+        for str, sha1 in str_to_sha1:
+            self.assertEqual(sha1, utils.base64_sha1_string(str))
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/fix-peer-name-prefix-hypen-e74a87e9a01b4f4c.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/fix-peer-name-prefix-hypen-e74a87e9a01b4f4c.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f883eab8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/fix-peer-name-prefix-hypen-e74a87e9a01b4f4c.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    An amphora image update is recommended to pick up a workaround to an
+    HAProxy issue where it would fail to reload on configuration change should
+    the local peer name start with "-x".
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Workaround an HAProxy issue where it would fail to reload on configuration
+    change should the local peer name start with "-x".