diff --git a/src/test/rpc/RPCCall_test.cpp b/src/test/rpc/RPCCall_test.cpp
index f17d87884a..c9c1ad548a 100644
--- a/src/test/rpc/RPCCall_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/rpc/RPCCall_test.cpp
@@ -1948,8 +1948,16 @@ static RPCCallTestData const rpcCallTestArray[] = {
          "can_delete",
          "4294967296",
      },
-     RPCCallTestData::bad_cast,
-     R"()"},
+     RPCCallTestData::no_exception,
+     R"({
+   "method" : "can_delete",
+   "params" : [
+      {
+         "error" : "invalidParams",
+         "error_message" : "Invalid field 'can_delete'."
+      }
+   ]
+})"},
     {// Note: this really shouldn't throw since it's a legitimate ledger hash.
      "can_delete: ledger hash with no alphas.",
      __LINE__,
@@ -1957,8 +1965,16 @@ static RPCCallTestData const rpcCallTestArray[] = {
          "can_delete",
          "0123456701234567012345670123456701234567012345670123456701234567",
      },
-     RPCCallTestData::bad_cast,
-     R"()"},
+     RPCCallTestData::no_exception,
+     R"({
+   "method" : "can_delete",
+   "params" : [
+      {
+         "error" : "invalidParams",
+         "error_message" : "Invalid field 'can_delete'."
+      }
+   ]
+})"},
 
     // channel_authorize
     // -----------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/xrpld/rpc/detail/RPCCall.cpp b/src/xrpld/rpc/detail/RPCCall.cpp
index 8ca2548aea..ca8af78950 100644
--- a/src/xrpld/rpc/detail/RPCCall.cpp
+++ b/src/xrpld/rpc/detail/RPCCall.cpp
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ private:
         }
     }
 
-    static std::optional<std::uint32_t>
+    static std::optional<std::int32_t>
     jvParseInt(Json::Value const& param)
     {
         if (param.isUInt() || param.isInt())
@@ -151,6 +151,22 @@ private:
         return std::nullopt;
     }
 
+    static std::optional<std::uint32_t>
+    jvParseUInt(Json::Value const& param)
+    {
+        if (param.isUInt() || (param.isInt() && param.asInt() >= 0))
+            return param.asUInt();
+
+        if (param.isString())
+        {
+            std::uint32_t v;
+            if (beast::lexicalCastChecked(v, param.asString()))
+                return v;
+        }
+
+        return std::nullopt;
+    }
+
     static bool
     validPublicKey(
         std::string const& strPk,
@@ -418,7 +434,12 @@ private:
 
         std::string input = jvParams[0u].asString();
         if (input.find_first_not_of("0123456789") == std::string::npos)
-            jvRequest["can_delete"] = jvParams[0u].asUInt();
+        {
+            if (auto seq = jvParseUInt(jvParams[0u]))
+                jvRequest["can_delete"] = *seq;
+            else
+                return RPC::invalid_field_error(jss::can_delete);
+        }
         else
             jvRequest["can_delete"] = input;