diff --git a/init/builtins.cpp b/init/builtins.cpp
index 3dadfd7..848dfdb 100644
--- a/init/builtins.cpp
+++ b/init/builtins.cpp
@@ -215,11 +215,19 @@
     }
 
     if (args.size() >= 4) {
-        uid_t uid = decode_uid(args[3].c_str());
+        uid_t uid;
+        std::string decode_uid_err;
+        if (!DecodeUid(args[3], &uid, &decode_uid_err)) {
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Unable to find UID for '" << args[3] << "': " << decode_uid_err;
+            return -1;
+        }
         gid_t gid = -1;
 
         if (args.size() == 5) {
-            gid = decode_uid(args[4].c_str());
+            if (!DecodeUid(args[4], &gid, &decode_uid_err)) {
+                LOG(ERROR) << "Unable to find GID for '" << args[3] << "': " << decode_uid_err;
+                return -1;
+            }
         }
 
         if (lchown(args[1].c_str(), uid, gid) == -1) {
@@ -655,17 +663,26 @@
 }
 
 static int do_chown(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
-    /* GID is optional. */
-    if (args.size() == 3) {
-        if (lchown(args[2].c_str(), decode_uid(args[1].c_str()), -1) == -1)
-            return -errno;
-    } else if (args.size() == 4) {
-        if (lchown(args[3].c_str(), decode_uid(args[1].c_str()),
-                   decode_uid(args[2].c_str())) == -1)
-            return -errno;
-    } else {
+    uid_t uid;
+    std::string decode_uid_err;
+    if (!DecodeUid(args[1], &uid, &decode_uid_err)) {
+        LOG(ERROR) << "Unable to find UID for '" << args[1] << "': " << decode_uid_err;
         return -1;
     }
+
+    // GID is optional and pushes the index of path out by one if specified.
+    const std::string& path = (args.size() == 4) ? args[3] : args[2];
+    gid_t gid = -1;
+
+    if (args.size() == 4) {
+        if (!DecodeUid(args[2], &gid, &decode_uid_err)) {
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Unable to find GID for '" << args[2] << "': " << decode_uid_err;
+            return -1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (lchown(path.c_str(), uid, gid) == -1) return -errno;
+
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/init/init_parser_test.cpp b/init/init_parser_test.cpp
index d8fd2ba..86d60d0 100644
--- a/init/init_parser_test.cpp
+++ b/init/init_parser_test.cpp
@@ -86,19 +86,29 @@
         ASSERT_EQ("", svc->seclabel());
     }
     if (uid) {
-        ASSERT_EQ(decode_uid("log"), svc->uid());
+        uid_t decoded_uid;
+        std::string err;
+        ASSERT_TRUE(DecodeUid("log", &decoded_uid, &err));
+        ASSERT_EQ(decoded_uid, svc->uid());
     } else {
         ASSERT_EQ(0U, svc->uid());
     }
     if (gid) {
-        ASSERT_EQ(decode_uid("shell"), svc->gid());
+        uid_t decoded_uid;
+        std::string err;
+        ASSERT_TRUE(DecodeUid("shell", &decoded_uid, &err));
+        ASSERT_EQ(decoded_uid, svc->gid());
     } else {
         ASSERT_EQ(0U, svc->gid());
     }
     if (supplementary_gids) {
         ASSERT_EQ(2U, svc->supp_gids().size());
-        ASSERT_EQ(decode_uid("system"), svc->supp_gids()[0]);
-        ASSERT_EQ(decode_uid("adb"), svc->supp_gids()[1]);
+        uid_t decoded_uid;
+        std::string err;
+        ASSERT_TRUE(DecodeUid("system", &decoded_uid, &err));
+        ASSERT_EQ(decoded_uid, svc->supp_gids()[0]);
+        ASSERT_TRUE(DecodeUid("adb", &decoded_uid, &err));
+        ASSERT_EQ(decoded_uid, svc->supp_gids()[1]);
     } else {
         ASSERT_EQ(0U, svc->supp_gids().size());
     }
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);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/init/util.cpp b/init/util.cpp
index 87b8d9d..4df0c25 100644
--- a/init/util.cpp
+++ b/init/util.cpp
@@ -48,39 +48,33 @@
 #endif
 
 using android::base::boot_clock;
+using namespace std::literals::string_literals;
 
-static unsigned int do_decode_uid(const char *s)
-{
-    unsigned int v;
+// DecodeUid() - decodes and returns the given string, which can be either the
+// numeric or name representation, into the integer uid or gid. Returns
+// UINT_MAX on error.
+bool DecodeUid(const std::string& name, uid_t* uid, std::string* err) {
+    *uid = UINT_MAX;
+    *err = "";
 
-    if (!s || *s == '\0')
-        return UINT_MAX;
-
-    if (isalpha(s[0])) {
-        struct passwd* pwd = getpwnam(s);
-        if (!pwd)
-            return UINT_MAX;
-        return pwd->pw_uid;
+    if (isalpha(name[0])) {
+        passwd* pwd = getpwnam(name.c_str());
+        if (!pwd) {
+            *err = "getpwnam failed: "s + strerror(errno);
+            return false;
+        }
+        *uid = pwd->pw_uid;
+        return true;
     }
 
     errno = 0;
-    v = (unsigned int) strtoul(s, 0, 0);
-    if (errno)
-        return UINT_MAX;
-    return v;
-}
-
-/*
- * decode_uid - decodes and returns the given string, which can be either the
- * numeric or name representation, into the integer uid or gid. Returns
- * UINT_MAX on error.
- */
-unsigned int decode_uid(const char *s) {
-    unsigned int v = do_decode_uid(s);
-    if (v == UINT_MAX) {
-        LOG(ERROR) << "decode_uid: Unable to find UID for '" << s << "'; returning UINT_MAX";
+    uid_t result = static_cast<uid_t>(strtoul(name.c_str(), 0, 0));
+    if (errno) {
+        *err = "strtoul failed: "s + strerror(errno);
+        return false;
     }
-    return v;
+    *uid = result;
+    return true;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/init/util.h b/init/util.h
index 55ebded..4957f15 100644
--- a/init/util.h
+++ b/init/util.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 
 std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const Timer& t);
 
-unsigned int decode_uid(const char *s);
+bool DecodeUid(const std::string& name, uid_t* uid, std::string* err);
 
 int mkdir_recursive(const std::string& pathname, mode_t mode, selabel_handle* sehandle);
 int wait_for_file(const char *filename, std::chrono::nanoseconds timeout);
diff --git a/init/util_test.cpp b/init/util_test.cpp
index ac23a32..a24185b 100644
--- a/init/util_test.cpp
+++ b/init/util_test.cpp
@@ -115,10 +115,21 @@
     EXPECT_STREQ("2ll2", s2.c_str());
 }
 
-TEST(util, decode_uid) {
-  EXPECT_EQ(0U, decode_uid("root"));
-  EXPECT_EQ(UINT_MAX, decode_uid("toot"));
-  EXPECT_EQ(123U, decode_uid("123"));
+TEST(util, DecodeUid) {
+    uid_t decoded_uid;
+    std::string err;
+
+    EXPECT_TRUE(DecodeUid("root", &decoded_uid, &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
+    EXPECT_EQ(0U, decoded_uid);
+
+    EXPECT_FALSE(DecodeUid("toot", &decoded_uid, &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("getpwnam failed: No such file or directory", err);
+    EXPECT_EQ(UINT_MAX, decoded_uid);
+
+    EXPECT_TRUE(DecodeUid("123", &decoded_uid, &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
+    EXPECT_EQ(123U, decoded_uid);
 }
 
 TEST(util, is_dir) {