diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_fields.py b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_fields.py
index 7a4c34c7f30..c7012525961 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_fields.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_fields.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import functools
 import operator
 import itertools
+import psycopg2
 from openerp.osv import orm, fields
 from openerp.tools.translate import _
 
@@ -179,14 +180,27 @@ class ir_fields_converter(orm.Model):
         if context is None: context = {}
         id = None
         warnings = []
+        extras = {'moreinfo': {
+            'type': 'ir.actions.act_window', 'target': 'new',
+            'res_model': column._obj, 'view_mode': 'tree,form',
+            'view_type': 'form',
+            'views': [(False, 'tree', (False, 'form'))],
+            'help': _(u"See all possible values")
+        }}
         RelatedModel = self.pool[column._obj]
         if subfield == '.id':
             field_type = _(u"database id")
             try: tentative_id = int(value)
             except ValueError: tentative_id = value
-            if RelatedModel.search(cr, uid, [('id', '=', tentative_id)],
-                                   context=context):
-                id = tentative_id
+            try:
+                if RelatedModel.search(cr, uid, [('id', '=', tentative_id)],
+                                       context=context):
+                    id = tentative_id
+            except psycopg2.DataError:
+                # type error
+                raise ValueError(
+                    _(u"Invalid database id '%s' for the field '%%(field)s'") % value,
+                    extras)
         elif subfield == 'id':
             field_type = _(u"external id")
             if '.' in value:
@@ -217,17 +231,7 @@ class ir_fields_converter(orm.Model):
         if id is None:
             raise ValueError(
                 _(u"No matching record found for %(field_type)s '%(value)s' in field '%%(field)s'")
-                % {'field_type': field_type, 'value': value}, {
-                    'moreinfo': {
-                        'type': 'ir.actions.act_window',
-                        'target': 'new',
-                        'res_model': column._obj,
-                        'view_mode': 'tree,form',
-                        'view_type': 'form',
-                        'views': [(False, 'tree', (False, 'form'))],
-                        'help': _(u"See all possible values")
-                    }
-                })
+                % {'field_type': field_type, 'value': value}, extras)
         return id, field_type, warnings
 
     def _referencing_subfield(self, record):
diff --git a/openerp/osv/orm.py b/openerp/osv/orm.py
index da0c93762bc..9a25e621023 100644
--- a/openerp/osv/orm.py
+++ b/openerp/osv/orm.py
@@ -1335,7 +1335,15 @@ class BaseModel(object):
                 self._extract_records(cr, uid, fields, data,
                                       context=context, log=messages.append),
                 context=context, log=messages.append):
-            cr.execute('SAVEPOINT model_load_save')
+            try:
+                cr.execute('SAVEPOINT model_load_save')
+            except psycopg2.InternalError, e:
+                # broken transaction, exit and hope the source error was
+                # already logged
+                if not any(message['type'] == 'error' for message in messages):
+                    messages.append(dict(info, type='error',message=
+                        u"Unknown database error: '%s'" % e))
+                break
             try:
                 ids.append(ModelData._update(cr, uid, self._name,
                      current_module, record, mode=mode, xml_id=xid,
@@ -1349,7 +1357,7 @@ class BaseModel(object):
                 # avoid broken transaction) and keep going
                 cr.execute('ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT model_load_save')
                 messages.append(dict(
-                    info, type="error",
+                    info, type='error',
                     **PGERROR_TO_OE[e.pgcode](self, fg, info, e)))
         if any(message['type'] == 'error' for message in messages):
             cr.execute('ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT model_load')
diff --git a/openerp/tests/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py b/openerp/tests/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py
index c141e62b65d..074b75a9fb3 100644
--- a/openerp/tests/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py
+++ b/openerp/tests/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py
@@ -619,6 +619,16 @@ class test_m2o(ImporterCase):
             for index, id in enumerate([integer_id1, integer_id2, integer_id1])])
         self.assertIs(result['ids'], False)
 
+    @mute_logger('openerp.sql_db')
+    def test_fail_id_mistype(self):
+        result = self.import_(['value/.id'], [["foo"]])
+
+        self.assertEqual(result['messages'], [
+            message(u"Invalid database id 'foo' for the field 'unknown'",
+                    moreinfo=moreaction('export.integer'))
+        ])
+        self.assertIs(result['ids'], False)
+
     def test_sub_field(self):
         """ Does not implicitly create the record, does not warn that you can't
         import m2o subfields (at all)...