diff --git a/python/understack-workflows/tests/test_helpers.py b/python/understack-workflows/tests/test_helpers.py
index fd4df778d..e5eef2820 100644
--- a/python/understack-workflows/tests/test_helpers.py
+++ b/python/understack-workflows/tests/test_helpers.py
@@ -5,9 +5,28 @@
 
 import pytest
 
+from understack_workflows.helpers import int_or_str
 from understack_workflows.helpers import parser_nautobot_args
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("value", "expected"),
+    [
+        ("123", 123),
+        ("0", 0),
+        ("-5", -5),
+        ("abc", "abc"),
+        ("12ab", "12ab"),
+        ("", ""),
+        ("1.5", "1.5"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_int_or_str(value, expected):
+    result = int_or_str(value)
+    assert result == expected
+    assert type(result) is type(expected)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     ("arg_list", "context", "expected_url"),
     [
diff --git a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/helpers.py b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/helpers.py
index e65be392f..ce87cb1bf 100644
--- a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/helpers.py
+++ b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/helpers.py
@@ -56,6 +56,14 @@ def setup_logger(level: int = logging.DEBUG) -> None:
     )
 
 
+def int_or_str(value: str) -> int | str:
+    """Attempts to convert a value to an integer."""
+    try:
+        return int(value)
+    except ValueError:
+        return value
+
+
 def boolean_args(val):
     normalised = str(val).upper()
     if normalised in ["YES", "TRUE", "T", "1"]:
diff --git a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/ironic_node.py b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/ironic_node.py
index 00c0bfa34..4eb836b67 100644
--- a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/ironic_node.py
+++ b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/ironic_node.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def create_or_update(
     bmc: Bmc,
     name: str,
     manufacturer: str,
-    external_cmdb_id: str | None = None,
+    external_cmdb_id: int | str | None = None,
 ) -> Node:
     """Find-or-create Node by name, update attributes, set state to Manageable.
 
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def update_ironic_node(
     name,
     driver,
     inspect_interface,
-    external_cmdb_id: str | None = None,
+    external_cmdb_id: int | str | None = None,
 ):
     updates = [
         f"name={name}",
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ def create_ironic_node(
     name: str,
     driver: str,
     inspect_interface: str,
-    external_cmdb_id: str | None = None,
+    external_cmdb_id: int | str | None = None,
 ) -> Node:
     node_data = {
         "name": name,
diff --git a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/enroll_server.py b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/enroll_server.py
index bff6865f5..63565b519 100644
--- a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/enroll_server.py
+++ b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/enroll_server.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 from ironicclient.v1.node import Node
 
+from understack_workflows import helpers
 from understack_workflows import ironic_node
 from understack_workflows.bmc import Bmc
 from understack_workflows.bmc import bmc_for_ip_address
@@ -15,7 +16,6 @@
 from understack_workflows.bmc_credentials import set_bmc_password
 from understack_workflows.bmc_hostname import bmc_set_hostname
 from understack_workflows.bmc_settings import update_dell_drac_settings
-from understack_workflows.helpers import setup_logger
 from understack_workflows.raid import configure_raid
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def main() -> None:
 
     - Transition the node to the 'available' state (implies cleaning).
     """
-    setup_logger()
+    helpers.setup_logger()
     args = argument_parser().parse_args()
 
     enroll(
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def enroll(
     firmware_update: bool,
     raid_configure: bool,
     old_password: str | None,
-    external_cmdb_id: str | None = None,
+    external_cmdb_id: int | str | None = None,
 ) -> None:
     logger.info("Starting enroll workflow for bmc_ip_address=%s", ip_address)
 
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ def argument_parser():
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--external-cmdb-id",
+        type=helpers.int_or_str,
         required=False,
         default="",
         help="External CMDB ID for RXDB integration",