diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 02c3f43..7a43b3e 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
    """ character entity so it doesn't show up as a change in the diff.
  * Fixed a bug where attempting to load a notebook preview without access
    would give a "list index out of range" error instead of an access error.
+ * Fixed a bug where the Valid_id() validator would raise a TypeError when
+   given a None value. Now raising a ValueError instead.
 
 1.3.13: May 5, 2008
  * Instructions for enabling JavaScript, linked from various forms that
diff --git a/controller/Database.py b/controller/Database.py
index 9e45dbc..855e6a6 100644
--- a/controller/Database.py
+++ b/controller/Database.py
@@ -343,7 +343,12 @@ class Valid_id( object ):
     self.__none_okay = none_okay
 
   def __call__( self, value ):
-    if self.__none_okay and value in ( None, "None", "" ): return None
+    if value in ( None, "None", "" ):
+      if self.__none_okay:
+        return None
+      else:
+        raise ValueError()
+
     if self.ID_PATTERN.search( value ): return str( value )
 
     raise ValueError()