diff --git a/src/common/assoc_mgr.c b/src/common/assoc_mgr.c
index 793fcefb704fceac29e9ffa872f9962b5386573d..f1562c9dadd2a57a24c9338e9b48e10dba0c8c53 100644
--- a/src/common/assoc_mgr.c
+++ b/src/common/assoc_mgr.c
@@ -2635,8 +2635,7 @@ extern int assoc_mgr_update_wckeys(slurmdb_update_object_t *update)
 				//rc = SLURM_ERROR;
 				break;
 			}
-			if ((object->user == NULL) ||
-			    (uid_from_string (object->user, &pw_uid) < 0)) {
+			if (uid_from_string (object->user, &pw_uid) < 0) {
 				debug("wckey add couldn't get a uid "
 				      "for user %s",
 				      object->user);
@@ -2739,8 +2738,7 @@ extern int assoc_mgr_update_users(slurmdb_update_object_t *update)
 				//rc = SLURM_ERROR;
 				break;
 			}
-			if ((object->name == NULL) ||
-			    (uid_from_string (object->name, &pw_uid) < 0)) {
+			if (uid_from_string (object->name, &pw_uid) < 0) {
 				debug("user add couldn't get a uid for user %s",
 				      object->name);
 				object->uid = NO_VAL;
diff --git a/src/common/uid.c b/src/common/uid.c
index 309fba0e038f281e63f4582f493791c49fb87436..874a14864c405045200cb6d38f61abe2d547c3a4 100644
--- a/src/common/uid.c
+++ b/src/common/uid.c
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ uid_from_string (char *name, uid_t *uidp)
 	char buffer[PW_BUF_SIZE], *p = NULL;
 	long l;
 
+	if (!name)
+		return -1;
+
 	/*
 	 *  Check to see if name is a valid username first.
 	 */
@@ -190,6 +193,9 @@ gid_from_string (char *name, gid_t *gidp)
 	char buffer[PW_BUF_SIZE], *p = NULL;
 	long l;
 
+	if (!name)
+		return -1;
+
 	/*
 	 *  Check for valid group name first.
 	 */