diff --git a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/shell/InteractiveShell.kt b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/shell/InteractiveShell.kt
index ea6779f983..57fb06dee1 100644
--- a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/shell/InteractiveShell.kt
+++ b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/shell/InteractiveShell.kt
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ object InteractiveShell {
                 return UniqueIdentifier(ids[0], uuid)
             }
             //Any other string used as externalId.
-            return UniqueIdentifier(p.text)
+            return UniqueIdentifier.fromString(p.text)
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/node/src/test/kotlin/net/corda/node/shell/CustomTypeJsonParsingTests.kt b/node/src/test/kotlin/net/corda/node/shell/CustomTypeJsonParsingTests.kt
index 1622f839f8..bd9eee844d 100644
--- a/node/src/test/kotlin/net/corda/node/shell/CustomTypeJsonParsingTests.kt
+++ b/node/src/test/kotlin/net/corda/node/shell/CustomTypeJsonParsingTests.kt
@@ -34,10 +34,11 @@ class CustomTypeJsonParsingTests {
 
     @Test
     fun `Deserializing UniqueIdentifier by parsing string`() {
-        val json = """{"linearId":"26b37265-a1fd-4c77-b2e0-715917ef619f"}"""
+        val id = "26b37265-a1fd-4c77-b2e0-715917ef619f"
+        val json = """{"linearId":"$id"}"""
         val state = objectMapper.readValue<State>(json)
 
-        assertEquals("26b37265-a1fd-4c77-b2e0-715917ef619f", state.linearId.externalId)
+        assertEquals(id, state.linearId.id.toString())
     }
 
     @Test