diff --git a/.buildkite/common.py b/.buildkite/common.py
index fc74a32e65f..6c86e26487d 100644
--- a/.buildkite/common.py
+++ b/.buildkite/common.py
@@ -76,12 +76,6 @@ def group(label, command, instances, platforms, **kwargs):
 
     https://buildkite.com/docs/pipelines/group-step
     """
-    # Use the 1st character of the group name (should be an emoji)
-    label1 = label[0]
-    # if the emoji is in the form ":emoji:", pick the entire slug
-    if label.startswith(":") and ":" in label[1:]:
-        label1 = label[: label.index(":", 1) + 1]
-
     steps = []
     commands = command
     if isinstance(command, str):
@@ -92,7 +86,7 @@ def group(label, command, instances, platforms, **kwargs):
             args = {"instance": instance, "os": os_, "kv": kv}
             step = {
                 "command": [cmd.format(**args) for cmd in commands],
-                "label": f"{label1} {instance} {os_} {kv}",
+                "label": f"{label}-{instance}-{os_}-{kv}",
                 "agents": args,
             }
             step_kwargs = dict_fmt(kwargs, args)
diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline_perf.py b/.buildkite/pipeline_perf.py
index 9d0b4fb207c..a64504cc99d 100755
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline_perf.py
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline_perf.py
@@ -17,23 +17,23 @@
 # has to be the node associated with the NUMA node from which we picked CPUs.
 perf_test = {
     "virtio-block-sync": {
-        "label": "💿 Virtio Sync Block Performance",
+        "label": "virtio-block-sync",
         "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_block.py::test_block_performance -k 'not Async'",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-10 -m 0",
     },
     "virtio-block-async": {
-        "label": "💿 Virtio Async Block Performance",
+        "label": "virtio-block-async",
         "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_block.py::test_block_performance -k Async",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-10 -m 0",
     },
     "vhost-user-block": {
-        "label": "💿 vhost-user Block Performance",
+        "label": "vhost-user-block",
         "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_block.py::test_block_vhost_user_performance",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-10 -m 0",
         "ab_opts": "--noise-threshold 0.1",
     },
     "network": {
-        "label": "📠 Network Latency and Throughput",
+        "label": "network",
         "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_network.py",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-10 -m 0",
         # Triggers if delta is > 0.01ms (10µs) or default relative threshold (5%)
@@ -41,37 +41,42 @@
         "ab_opts": "--absolute-strength 0.010",
     },
     "snapshot-latency": {
-        "label": "📸 Snapshot Latency",
+        "label": "snapshot-latency",
         "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_snapshot.py::test_restore_latency integration_tests/performance/test_snapshot.py::test_post_restore_latency integration_tests/performance/test_snapshot.py::test_snapshot_create_latency",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-12 -m 0",
     },
     "population-latency": {
-        "label": "📸 Memory Population Latency",
+        "label": "population-latency",
         "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_snapshot.py::test_population_latency",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-12 -m 0",
     },
     "vsock-throughput": {
-        "label": "🧦 Vsock Throughput",
+        "label": "vsock-throughput",
         "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_vsock.py",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-10 -m 0",
     },
     "memory-overhead": {
-        "label": "💾 Memory Overhead and 👢 Boottime",
-        "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_memory_overhead.py integration_tests/performance/test_boottime.py::test_boottime",
+        "label": "memory-overhead",
+        "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_memory_overhead.py",
+        "devtool_opts": "-c 1-10 -m 0",
+    },
+    "boottime": {
+        "label": "boottime",
+        "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_boottime.py::test_boottime",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-10 -m 0",
     },
     "jailer": {
-        "label": "⛓️ jailer",
+        "label": "jailer",
         "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_jailer.py",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-10 -m 0",
     },
     "pmem": {
-        "label": "💿 Pmem Performance",
+        "label": "pmem",
         "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_pmem.py",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-10 -m 0",
     },
     "mmds": {
-        "label": ":information_source: MMDS",
+        "label": "mmds",
         "tests": "integration_tests/performance/test_mmds.py",
         "devtool_opts": "-c 1-10 -m 0",
     },