diff --git a/cinderclient/apiclient/base.py b/cinderclient/apiclient/base.py
index e1f611cf7..9011d8fc8 100644
--- a/cinderclient/apiclient/base.py
+++ b/cinderclient/apiclient/base.py
@@ -41,15 +41,10 @@ def getid(obj):
     Abstracts the common pattern of allowing both an object or an object's ID
     (UUID) as a parameter when dealing with relationships.
     """
-    try:
-        if obj.uuid:
-            return obj.uuid
-    except AttributeError:
-        pass
-    try:
-        return obj.id
-    except AttributeError:
-        return obj
+    if getattr(obj, 'uuid', None):
+        return obj.uuid
+    else:
+        return getattr(obj, 'id', obj)
 
 
 # TODO(aababilov): call run_hooks() in HookableMixin's child classes
diff --git a/cinderclient/base.py b/cinderclient/base.py
index 5f6fb2532..44d1149fc 100644
--- a/cinderclient/base.py
+++ b/cinderclient/base.py
@@ -53,10 +53,7 @@ def getid(obj):
     Abstracts the common pattern of allowing both an object or an object's ID
     as a parameter when dealing with relationships.
     """
-    try:
-        return obj.id
-    except AttributeError:
-        return obj
+    return getattr(obj, 'id', obj)
 
 
 class Manager(common_base.HookableMixin):