diff --git a/init/service.cpp b/init/service.cpp
index 3a9f622..4d9edc4 100644
--- a/init/service.cpp
+++ b/init/service.cpp
@@ -380,9 +380,18 @@
 }
 
 bool Service::ParseGroup(const std::vector<std::string>& args, std::string* err) {
-    gid_ = decode_uid(args[1].c_str());
+    std::string decode_uid_err;
+    if (!DecodeUid(args[1], &gid_, &decode_uid_err)) {
+        *err = "Unable to find GID for '" + args[1] + "': " + decode_uid_err;
+        return false;
+    }
     for (std::size_t n = 2; n < args.size(); n++) {
-        supp_gids_.emplace_back(decode_uid(args[n].c_str()));
+        gid_t gid;
+        if (!DecodeUid(args[n], &gid, &decode_uid_err)) {
+            *err = "Unable to find GID for '" + args[n] + "': " + decode_uid_err;
+            return false;
+        }
+        supp_gids_.emplace_back(gid);
     }
     return true;
 }
@@ -480,10 +489,25 @@
 template <typename T>
 bool Service::AddDescriptor(const std::vector<std::string>& args, std::string* err) {
     int perm = args.size() > 3 ? std::strtoul(args[3].c_str(), 0, 8) : -1;
-    uid_t uid = args.size() > 4 ? decode_uid(args[4].c_str()) : 0;
-    gid_t gid = args.size() > 5 ? decode_uid(args[5].c_str()) : 0;
+    uid_t uid = 0;
+    gid_t gid = 0;
     std::string context = args.size() > 6 ? args[6] : "";
 
+    std::string decode_uid_err;
+    if (args.size() > 4) {
+        if (!DecodeUid(args[4], &uid, &decode_uid_err)) {
+            *err = "Unable to find UID for '" + args[4] + "': " + decode_uid_err;
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (args.size() > 5) {
+        if (!DecodeUid(args[5], &gid, &decode_uid_err)) {
+            *err = "Unable to find GID for '" + args[5] + "': " + decode_uid_err;
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     auto descriptor = std::make_unique<T>(args[1], args[2], uid, gid, perm, context);
 
     auto old =
@@ -522,7 +546,11 @@
 }
 
 bool Service::ParseUser(const std::vector<std::string>& args, std::string* err) {
-    uid_ = decode_uid(args[1].c_str());
+    std::string decode_uid_err;
+    if (!DecodeUid(args[1], &uid_, &decode_uid_err)) {
+        *err = "Unable to find UID for '" + args[1] + "': " + decode_uid_err;
+        return false;
+    }
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -936,15 +964,28 @@
     }
     uid_t uid = 0;
     if (command_arg > 3) {
-        uid = decode_uid(args[2].c_str());
+        std::string decode_uid_err;
+        if (!DecodeUid(args[2], &uid, &decode_uid_err)) {
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Unable to find UID for '" << args[2] << "': " << decode_uid_err;
+            return nullptr;
+        }
     }
     gid_t gid = 0;
     std::vector<gid_t> supp_gids;
     if (command_arg > 4) {
-        gid = decode_uid(args[3].c_str());
+        std::string decode_uid_err;
+        if (!DecodeUid(args[3], &gid, &decode_uid_err)) {
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Unable to find GID for '" << args[3] << "': " << decode_uid_err;
+            return nullptr;
+        }
         std::size_t nr_supp_gids = command_arg - 1 /* -- */ - 4 /* exec SECLABEL UID GID */;
         for (size_t i = 0; i < nr_supp_gids; ++i) {
-            supp_gids.push_back(decode_uid(args[4 + i].c_str()));
+            gid_t supp_gid;
+            if (!DecodeUid(args[4 + i], &supp_gid, &decode_uid_err)) {
+                LOG(ERROR) << "Unable to find UID for '" << args[4 + i] << "': " << decode_uid_err;
+                return nullptr;
+            }
+            supp_gids.push_back(supp_gid);
         }
     }