diff --git a/coreutils/id.c b/coreutils/id.c
index 6af677404..ce5db52f0 100644
--- a/coreutils/id.c
+++ b/coreutils/id.c
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 /*
  * Mini id implementation for busybox
  *
- *
  * Copyright (C) 2000 by Randolph Chung <tausq@debian.org>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -33,7 +32,8 @@ extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int no_user = 0, no_group = 0, print_real = 0;
 	char *cp, *user, *group;
-	unsigned long gid;
+	long gid;
+	long pwnam, grnam;
 	int opt;
 	
 	cp = user = group = NULL;
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	user = argv[optind];
 
 	if (user == NULL) {
-		user = xmalloc(9);
-		group = xmalloc(9);
+		user = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
+		group = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
 		if (print_real) {
 			my_getpwuid(user, getuid());
 			my_getgrgid(group, getgid());
@@ -69,19 +69,22 @@ extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			my_getgrgid(group, getegid());
 		}
 	} else {
-		group = xmalloc(9);
+		group = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
 	    gid = my_getpwnamegid(user);
 		my_getgrgid(group, gid);
 	}
 
+	pwnam=my_getpwnam(user);
+	grnam=my_getgrnam(group);
+	if (gid == -1 || pwnam==-1 || grnam==-1) {
+		fatalError("%s: No such user\n", user);
+	}
 	if (no_group)
-		printf("%lu\n", my_getpwnam(user));
+		printf("%ld\n", pwnam);
 	else if (no_user)
-		printf("%lu\n", my_getgrnam(group));
+		printf("%ld\n", grnam);
 	else
-		printf("uid=%lu(%s) gid=%lu(%s)\n",
-				my_getpwnam(user), user, my_getgrnam(group), group);
-
+		printf("uid=%ld(%s) gid=%ld(%s)\n", pwnam, user, grnam, group);
 	return(0);
 }
 
diff --git a/id.c b/id.c
index 6af677404..ce5db52f0 100644
--- a/id.c
+++ b/id.c
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 /*
  * Mini id implementation for busybox
  *
- *
  * Copyright (C) 2000 by Randolph Chung <tausq@debian.org>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -33,7 +32,8 @@ extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int no_user = 0, no_group = 0, print_real = 0;
 	char *cp, *user, *group;
-	unsigned long gid;
+	long gid;
+	long pwnam, grnam;
 	int opt;
 	
 	cp = user = group = NULL;
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	user = argv[optind];
 
 	if (user == NULL) {
-		user = xmalloc(9);
-		group = xmalloc(9);
+		user = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
+		group = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
 		if (print_real) {
 			my_getpwuid(user, getuid());
 			my_getgrgid(group, getgid());
@@ -69,19 +69,22 @@ extern int id_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			my_getgrgid(group, getegid());
 		}
 	} else {
-		group = xmalloc(9);
+		group = xcalloc(9, sizeof(char));
 	    gid = my_getpwnamegid(user);
 		my_getgrgid(group, gid);
 	}
 
+	pwnam=my_getpwnam(user);
+	grnam=my_getgrnam(group);
+	if (gid == -1 || pwnam==-1 || grnam==-1) {
+		fatalError("%s: No such user\n", user);
+	}
 	if (no_group)
-		printf("%lu\n", my_getpwnam(user));
+		printf("%ld\n", pwnam);
 	else if (no_user)
-		printf("%lu\n", my_getgrnam(group));
+		printf("%ld\n", grnam);
 	else
-		printf("uid=%lu(%s) gid=%lu(%s)\n",
-				my_getpwnam(user), user, my_getgrnam(group), group);
-
+		printf("uid=%ld(%s) gid=%ld(%s)\n", pwnam, user, grnam, group);
 	return(0);
 }