diff --git a/packages/SettingsProvider/src/com/android/providers/settings/SettingsProvider.java b/packages/SettingsProvider/src/com/android/providers/settings/SettingsProvider.java
index bc02b0db1e43a..158227fe78af2 100644
--- a/packages/SettingsProvider/src/com/android/providers/settings/SettingsProvider.java
+++ b/packages/SettingsProvider/src/com/android/providers/settings/SettingsProvider.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.DropBoxManager;
 import android.os.FileObserver;
 import android.os.ParcelFileDescriptor;
+import android.os.Process;
 import android.os.SystemProperties;
 import android.os.UserHandle;
 import android.os.UserManager;
@@ -62,6 +63,8 @@ public class SettingsProvider extends ContentProvider {
     private static final String TAG = "SettingsProvider";
     private static final boolean LOCAL_LOGV = false;
 
+    private static final boolean USER_CHECK_THROWS = true;
+
     private static final String TABLE_SYSTEM = "system";
     private static final String TABLE_SECURE = "secure";
     private static final String TABLE_GLOBAL = "global";
@@ -522,6 +525,14 @@ public class SettingsProvider extends ContentProvider {
 
     // Lazy initialize the database helper and caches for this user, if necessary
     private DatabaseHelper getOrEstablishDatabase(int callingUser) {
+        if (callingUser >= Process.SYSTEM_UID) {
+            if (USER_CHECK_THROWS) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Uid rather than user handle: " + callingUser);
+            } else {
+                Slog.wtf(TAG, "establish db for uid rather than user: " + callingUser);
+            }
+        }
+
         long oldId = Binder.clearCallingIdentity();
         try {
             DatabaseHelper dbHelper = mOpenHelpers.get(callingUser);