diff --git a/inc/Principal.php b/inc/Principal.php
index 6d4bcedb..3de691fe 100644
--- a/inc/Principal.php
+++ b/inc/Principal.php
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class Principal {
     $sql .= 'FROM dav_principal WHERE ';
     switch ( $type ) {
       case 'username':
-        $sql .= 'lower(username)=lower(:param)';
+        $sql .= 'lower(username)=lower(text(:param))';
         break;
       case 'user_no':
         $sql .= 'user_no=:param';
diff --git a/inc/auth-functions.php b/inc/auth-functions.php
index 9d8a40ff..6ada2c2a 100644
--- a/inc/auth-functions.php
+++ b/inc/auth-functions.php
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ function UpdateUserFromExternal( &$usr ) {
   if ( isset($usr->active) && ($usr->active === 'f' || $usr->active === false) ) return false;
 
   if ( $type == 'INSERT' ) {
-    $qry = new AwlQuery( 'INSERT INTO principal( type_id, user_no, displayname, default_privileges) SELECT 1, user_no, fullname, :privs::INT::BIT(24) FROM usr WHERE username=:username',
+    $qry = new AwlQuery( 'INSERT INTO principal( type_id, user_no, displayname, default_privileges) SELECT 1, user_no, fullname, :privs::INT::BIT(24) FROM usr WHERE username=(text(:username))',
                           array( ':privs' => privilege_to_bits($c->default_privileges), ':username' => $usr->username) );
     $qry->Exec('Login',__LINE__,__FILE__);
     CreateHomeCalendar($usr->username);