diff --git a/OpenSim/Data/DBGuids.cs b/OpenSim/Data/DBGuids.cs
index 1a2bf4169f..ed0e7ca4e1 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Data/DBGuids.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Data/DBGuids.cs
@@ -47,24 +47,25 @@ namespace OpenSim.Data
             if ((id == null) || (id == DBNull.Value))
                 return UUID.Zero;
 
-            if (id.GetType() == typeof(Guid))
+            Type idtype = id.GetType();
+
+            if (idtype == typeof(Guid))
                 return new UUID((Guid)id);
 
-            if (id.GetType() == typeof(byte[]))
+            if (id.GetType() == typeof(string))
             {
-                if (((byte[])id).Length == 0)
-                    return UUID.Zero;
-                else if (((byte[])id).Length == 16)
-                    return new UUID((byte[])id, 0);
-            }
-            else if (id.GetType() == typeof(string))
-            {
-                if (((string)id).Length == 0)
-                    return UUID.Zero;
-                else if (((string)id).Length == 36)
-                    return new UUID((string)id);
+                Guid gg; 
+                if (Guid.TryParse((string)id, out gg))
+                    return new UUID(gg);
+                return UUID.Zero;
             }
 
+            if (idtype == typeof(byte[]))
+            {
+                if (((byte[])id).Length < 16)
+                    return UUID.Zero;
+                return new UUID((byte[])id, 0);
+            }
             throw new Exception("Failed to convert db value to UUID: " + id.ToString());
         }
     }