diff --git a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/credentials.py b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/credentials.py
index a3dd5bea7a..2210569446 100755
--- a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/credentials.py
+++ b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/credentials.py
@@ -99,8 +99,10 @@ def get(self, id, session=None):
 
     @staticmethod
     def _get(id, session=None):
-        if not session:
-            session = get_session()
+        if id is None:
+            return None
+
+        session = session or get_session()
 
         return session.query(models.Credentials).filter_by(id=id).first()
 
diff --git a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/endpoint_template.py b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/endpoint_template.py
index 25fe0ed41e..84fce4549e 100755
--- a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/endpoint_template.py
+++ b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/endpoint_template.py
@@ -61,8 +61,10 @@ def delete(self, id, session=None):
             session.delete(endpoint_template)
 
     def get(self, id, session=None):
-        if not session:
-            session = get_session()
+        if id is None:
+            return None
+
+        session = session or get_session()
 
         return session.query(models.EndpointTemplates).\
             filter_by(id=id).first()
diff --git a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/role.py b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/role.py
index 7ffe13e8e0..62198e76f9 100755
--- a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/role.py
+++ b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/role.py
@@ -89,8 +89,10 @@ def update(id, values, session=None):
             ref.save(session=session)
 
     def get(self, id, session=None):
-        if not session:
-            session = get_session()
+        if id is None:
+            return None
+
+        session = session or get_session()
         return RoleAPI.to_model(
             session.query(models.Role).filter_by(id=id).first())
 
diff --git a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/service.py b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/service.py
index 0ffb4f28f9..3e54610675 100644
--- a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/service.py
+++ b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/service.py
@@ -102,8 +102,10 @@ def update(id, values, session=None):
             service_ref.save(session=session)
 
     def get(self, id, session=None):
-        if not session:
-            session = get_session()
+        if id is None:
+            return None
+
+        session = session or get_session()
         return ServiceAPI.to_model(session.query(models.Service).
                                    filter_by(id=id).first())
 
diff --git a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/tenant.py b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/tenant.py
index 32432e5a7e..db516b155e 100755
--- a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/tenant.py
+++ b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/tenant.py
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ def get(self, id, session=None):
             For PK lookups from within the sqlalchemy backend,
             use ``_get_by_id()`` instead.
         """
+        if id is None:
+            return None
+
         session = session or get_session()
 
         result = session.query(models.Tenant).filter_by(uid=id).first()
@@ -97,18 +100,27 @@ def _get_by_id(id, session=None):
 
             This is **only** for use within the sqlalchemy backend.
         """
+        if id is None:
+            return None
+
         session = session or get_session()
 
         return session.query(models.Tenant).filter_by(id=id).first()
 
     @staticmethod
     def id_to_uid(id, session=None):
+        if id is None:
+            return None
+
         session = session or get_session()
         tenant = session.query(models.Tenant).filter_by(id=id).first()
         return tenant.uid if tenant else None
 
     @staticmethod
     def uid_to_id(uid, session=None):
+        if uid is None:
+            return None
+
         session = session or get_session()
         tenant = session.query(models.Tenant).filter_by(uid=uid).first()
         return tenant.id if tenant else None
diff --git a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/token.py b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/token.py
index e2624a9c06..869822bbaf 100755
--- a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/token.py
+++ b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/token.py
@@ -78,8 +78,10 @@ def get(self, id, session=None):
 
     @staticmethod
     def _get(id, session=None):
-        if not session:
-            session = get_session()
+        if id is None:
+            return None
+
+        session = session or get_session()
 
         result = session.query(models.Token).filter_by(id=id).first()
 
diff --git a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/user.py b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/user.py
index 156d79db3f..f5a64b1823 100755
--- a/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/user.py
+++ b/keystone/backends/sqlalchemy/api/user.py
@@ -80,11 +80,12 @@ def create(self, values):
         return UserAPI.to_model(user_ref)
 
     def get(self, id, session=None):
-        if not session:
-            session = get_session()
+        if id is None:
+            return None
 
-        id = str(id) if id is not None else None
-        result = session.query(models.User).filter_by(uid=id).first()
+        session = session or get_session()
+
+        result = session.query(models.User).filter_by(uid=str(id)).first()
 
         return UserAPI.to_model(result)
 
@@ -95,24 +96,30 @@ def _get_by_id(id, session=None):
         - Queries by PK ID
         - Doesn't wrap result with domain layer models
         """
-        if not session:
-            session = get_session()
+        if id is None:
+            return None
+
+        session = session or get_session()
 
-        id = str(id) if id is not None else None
-        return session.query(models.User).filter_by(id=id).first()
+        # TODO(dolph): user ID's are NOT strings... why is this is being cast?
+        return session.query(models.User).filter_by(id=str(id)).first()
 
     @staticmethod
     def id_to_uid(id, session=None):
+        if id is None:
+            return None
+
         session = session or get_session()
-        id = str(id) if id is not None else None
-        user = session.query(models.User).filter_by(id=id).first()
+        user = session.query(models.User).filter_by(id=str(id)).first()
         return user.uid if user else None
 
     @staticmethod
     def uid_to_id(uid, session=None):
+        if uid is None:
+            return None
+
         session = session or get_session()
-        uid = str(uid) if uid is not None else None
-        user = session.query(models.User).filter_by(uid=uid).first()
+        user = session.query(models.User).filter_by(uid=str(uid)).first()
         return user.id if user else None
 
     def get_by_name(self, name, session=None):