diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/hardwaremanagement/ipmi.py b/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/hardwaremanagement/ipmi.py
index db40e941..d5ed8289 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/hardwaremanagement/ipmi.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/hardwaremanagement/ipmi.py
@@ -838,7 +838,14 @@ class IpmiHandler:
             return
         # Update user
         elif len(self.element) == 4:
-            user = int(self.element[-1])
+            # ipmi users really are numbered slots, unlike redfish accounts, so
+            # say that rather than letting the conversion fail as a surprise
+            try:
+                user = int(self.element[-1])
+            except ValueError:
+                raise pygexc.InvalidParameterValue(
+                    'ipmi users are numbered, and "{0}" is not a user '
+                    'number'.format(self.element[-1]))
             if self.op == 'read':
                 data = await self.ipmicmd.get_user(uid=user)
                 await self.output.put(msg.User(
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/hardwaremanagement/redfish.py b/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/hardwaremanagement/redfish.py
index f3bdc132..8cc84492 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/hardwaremanagement/redfish.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/plugins/hardwaremanagement/redfish.py
@@ -734,7 +734,10 @@ class IpmiHandler:
             return
         # Update user
         elif len(self.element) == 4:
-            user = int(self.element[-1])
+            # A redfish account is identified by a string, and an
+            # implementation is free to use the account name as one, so take it
+            # as given rather than assuming a number
+            user = self.element[-1]
             if self.op == 'read':
                 data = await self.ipmicmd.get_user(uid=user)
                 await self.output.put(msg.User(