diff --git a/packages/lib/src/command.ts b/packages/lib/src/command.ts
index 2a55c22e..9b375175 100644
--- a/packages/lib/src/command.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/src/command.ts
@@ -146,6 +146,22 @@ export class CommandTree {
 }
 
 
+/**
+ * Resolve a string with either an id or a name to the id of an entry
+ *
+ * An integer like string is treated as an id if an entry with that id
+ * exists, otherwise it is looked up as a name.
+ */
+function resolveId(entries: { id: number, name: string }[], idOrName: string) {
+	if (/^-?\d+$/.test(idOrName)) {
+		const id = parseInt(idOrName, 10);
+		if (entries.some(entry => entry.id === id)) {
+			return id;
+		}
+	}
+	return entries.find(entry => entry.name === idOrName)?.id;
+}
+
 /**
  * Resolve a string into a host ID
  *
@@ -157,23 +173,11 @@ export class CommandTree {
  * @returns host ID.
  */
 export async function resolveHost(client: Link, hostName: string) {
-	let hostId: number | undefined;
-	if (/^-?\d+$/.test(hostName)) {
-		hostId = parseInt(hostName, 10);
-	} else {
-		let hosts = await client.sendTo("controller", new libData.HostListRequest());
-		for (let host of hosts) {
-			if (host.name === hostName) {
-				hostId = host.id;
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if (hostId === undefined) {
-			throw new libErrors.CommandError(`No host named ${hostName}`);
-		}
+	const hosts = await client.sendTo("controller", new libData.HostListRequest());
+	const hostId = resolveId(hosts, hostName);
+	if (hostId === undefined) {
+		throw new libErrors.CommandError(`No host named ${hostName}`);
 	}
-
 	return hostId;
 }
 
@@ -188,23 +192,11 @@ export async function resolveHost(client: Link, hostName: string) {
  * @returns instance ID.
  */
 export async function resolveInstance(client: Link, instanceName: string) {
-	let instanceId: number | undefined;
-	if (/^-?\d+$/.test(instanceName)) {
-		instanceId = parseInt(instanceName, 10);
-	} else {
-		let instances = await client.sendTo("controller", new libData.InstanceDetailsListRequest());
-		for (let instance of instances) {
-			if (instance.name === instanceName) {
-				instanceId = instance.id;
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if (instanceId === undefined) {
-			throw new libErrors.CommandError(`No instance named ${instanceName}`);
-		}
+	const instances = await client.sendTo("controller", new libData.InstanceDetailsListRequest());
+	const instanceId = resolveId(instances, instanceName);
+	if (instanceId === undefined) {
+		throw new libErrors.CommandError(`No instance named ${instanceName}`);
 	}
-
 	return instanceId;
 }
 
@@ -220,23 +212,11 @@ export async function resolveInstance(client: Link, instanceName: string) {
  * @returns mod pack ID.
  */
 export async function resolveModPack(client: Link, modPackName: string) {
-	let modPackId: number | undefined;
-	if (/^-?\d+/.test(modPackName)) {
-		modPackId = parseInt(modPackName, 10);
-	} else {
-		let modPacks = await client.sendTo("controller", new libData.ModPackListRequest());
-		for (let modPack of modPacks) {
-			if (modPack.name === modPackName) {
-				modPackId = modPack.id;
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if (modPackId === undefined) {
-			throw new libErrors.CommandError(`No mod pack named ${modPackName}`);
-		}
+	const modPacks = await client.sendTo("controller", new libData.ModPackListRequest());
+	const modPackId = resolveId(modPacks, modPackName);
+	if (modPackId === undefined) {
+		throw new libErrors.CommandError(`No mod pack named ${modPackName}`);
 	}
-
 	return modPackId;
 }
 
@@ -251,27 +231,9 @@ export async function resolveModPack(client: Link, modPackName: string) {
  * @returns Role info.
  */
 export async function retrieveRole(client: Link, roleName: string) {
-	let roles = await client.sendTo("controller", new libData.RoleListRequest());
-
-	let resolvedRole: libData.Role | undefined;
-	if (/^-?\d+$/.test(roleName)) {
-		let roleId = parseInt(roleName, 10);
-		for (let role of roles) {
-			if (role.id === roleId) {
-				resolvedRole = role;
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-
-	} else {
-		for (let role of roles) {
-			if (role.name === roleName) {
-				resolvedRole = role;
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
+	const roles = await client.sendTo("controller", new libData.RoleListRequest());
+	const roleId = resolveId(roles, roleName);
+	const resolvedRole = roles.find(role => role.id === roleId);
 	if (!resolvedRole) {
 		throw new libErrors.CommandError(`No role named ${roleName}`);
 	}
diff --git a/test/lib/command.js b/test/lib/command.js
index 86e299c6..40c658e0 100644
--- a/test/lib/command.js
+++ b/test/lib/command.js
@@ -16,39 +16,68 @@ describe("lib/command", function() {
 	let testControl = new mock.MockControl(controlConnector);
 	let testController = new lib.Link(controllerConnector);
 	testController.handle(
-		lib.HostListRequest, () => [new lib.HostDetails("0.1", "Test Host", 11, false)]
+		lib.HostListRequest, () => [
+			new lib.HostDetails("0.1", "Test Host", 11, false),
+			new lib.HostDetails("0.1", "22", 12, false),
+			new lib.HostDetails("0.1", "12", 13, false),
+		]
 	);
 	testController.handle(
-		lib.InstanceDetailsListRequest, () => [new lib.InstanceDetails("Test Instance", 57, 4, undefined, "stopped")]
+		lib.InstanceDetailsListRequest, () => [
+			new lib.InstanceDetails("Test Instance", 57, 4, undefined, "stopped"),
+			new lib.InstanceDetails("10", 58, 4, undefined, "stopped"),
+			new lib.InstanceDetails("58", 59, 4, undefined, "stopped"),
+		]
 	);
-	testController.handle(lib.RoleListRequest, () => [testRole.toJSON()]);
+	let numericRole = lib.Role.fromJSON({ id: 29, name: "77", description: "Test", permissions: [] });
+	testController.handle(lib.RoleListRequest, () => [testRole.toJSON(), numericRole.toJSON()]);
 
 	describe("resolveHost", function() {
-		it("should pass an integer like string back", async function() {
-			assert.equal(await lib.resolveHost(null, "123"), 123);
+		it("should resolve an integer like string as an id", async function() {
+			assert.equal(await lib.resolveHost(testControl, "11"), 11);
 		});
 		it("should resolve a host name with the controller", async function() {
 			assert.equal(await lib.resolveHost(testControl, "Test Host"), 11);
 		});
+		it("should resolve an integer like name if no host has that id", async function() {
+			assert.equal(await lib.resolveHost(testControl, "22"), 12);
+		});
+		it("should prefer the id over an integer like name", async function() {
+			assert.equal(await lib.resolveHost(testControl, "12"), 12);
+		});
 		it("should throw if host is not found", async function() {
 			await assert.rejects(
 				lib.resolveHost(testControl, "invalid"),
 				new lib.CommandError("No host named invalid")
 			);
+			await assert.rejects(
+				lib.resolveHost(testControl, "123"),
+				new lib.CommandError("No host named 123")
+			);
 		});
 	});
 	describe("resolveInstance", function() {
-		it("should pass an integer like string back", async function() {
-			assert.equal(await lib.resolveInstance(null, "123"), 123);
+		it("should resolve an integer like string as an id", async function() {
+			assert.equal(await lib.resolveInstance(testControl, "57"), 57);
 		});
 		it("should resolve an instance name with the controller", async function() {
 			assert.equal(await lib.resolveInstance(testControl, "Test Instance"), 57);
 		});
+		it("should resolve an integer like name if no instance has that id", async function() {
+			assert.equal(await lib.resolveInstance(testControl, "10"), 58);
+		});
+		it("should prefer the id over an integer like name", async function() {
+			assert.equal(await lib.resolveInstance(testControl, "58"), 58);
+		});
 		it("should throw if instance is not found", async function() {
 			await assert.rejects(
 				lib.resolveInstance(testControl, "invalid"),
 				new lib.CommandError("No instance named invalid")
 			);
+			await assert.rejects(
+				lib.resolveInstance(testControl, "123"),
+				new lib.CommandError("No instance named 123")
+			);
 		});
 	});
 	describe("retrieveRole", function() {
@@ -58,6 +87,10 @@ describe("lib/command", function() {
 		it("should retrieve a role by name from a string", async function() {
 			assert.deepEqual(await lib.retrieveRole(testControl, "Test Role"), testRole);
 		});
+		it("should retrieve a role by an integer like name if no role has that id", async function() {
+			assert.deepEqual(await lib.retrieveRole(testControl, "28"), testRole);
+			assert.deepEqual(await lib.retrieveRole(testControl, "77"), numericRole);
+		});
 		it("should throw if role is not found", async function() {
 			await assert.rejects(
 				lib.retrieveRole(testControl, "invalid"),