diff --git a/openjpa-kernel/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/kernel/BrokerImpl.java b/openjpa-kernel/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/kernel/BrokerImpl.java
index 8526cac12..60ac73f3c 100644
--- a/openjpa-kernel/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/kernel/BrokerImpl.java
+++ b/openjpa-kernel/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/kernel/BrokerImpl.java
@@ -1142,6 +1142,9 @@ public class BrokerImpl
             default:
                 throw new UserException(_loc.get("meta-unknownid", cls));
             }
+        } catch (IllegalArgumentException iae) {
+        	throw new UserException(_loc.get("bad-id-value", val,
+                val.getClass().getName(), cls)).setCause(iae);
         } catch (OpenJPAException ke) {
             throw ke;
         } catch (ClassCastException cce) {