diff --git a/modules/roles/commands/wrap.go b/modules/roles/commands/wrap.go
index 48d85a2e7794..ba3ee51aae1e 100644
--- a/modules/roles/commands/wrap.go
+++ b/modules/roles/commands/wrap.go
@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
 package commands
 
 import (
+	"encoding/hex"
+
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
+	abci "github.com/tendermint/abci/types"
+	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
+
 	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin"
 	txcmd "github.com/tendermint/basecoin/client/commands/txs"
+	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/errors"
 	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/modules/roles"
 )
 
@@ -44,5 +50,10 @@ func (RoleWrapper) Register(fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 
 // parse role turns the string->byte... todo: support hex?
 func parseRole(role string) ([]byte, error) {
-	return []byte(role), nil
+	res, err := hex.DecodeString(cmn.StripHex(role))
+	if err != nil {
+		err = errors.WithMessage("Address is invalid hex", err,
+			abci.CodeType_EncodingError)
+	}
+	return res, err
 }
diff --git a/tests/cli/common.sh b/tests/cli/common.sh
index f50ef6b9dcf2..e9db33215237 100644
--- a/tests/cli/common.sh
+++ b/tests/cli/common.sh
@@ -142,15 +142,15 @@ checkAccount() {
 # Desc: Ensures this named role exists, and has the number of members and required signatures as above
 checkRole() {
     # make sure sender goes down
-    ROLE=$(${CLIENT_EXE} query role $1)
+    QROLE=$(${CLIENT_EXE} query role $1)
     if ! assertTrue "line=${LINENO}, role must exist" $?; then
         return 1
     fi
 
-    if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then echo $ROLE; echo; fi
-    assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, proper sigs" "$2" $(echo $ROLE | jq .data.min_sigs)
-    assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, proper app" '"sigs"' $(echo $ROLE | jq '.data.signers[0].app' )
-    assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, proper signers" "$3" $(echo $ROLE | jq '.data.signers | length')
+    if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then echo $QROLE; echo; fi
+    assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, proper sigs" "$2" $(echo $QROLE | jq .data.min_sigs)
+    assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, proper app" '"sigs"' $(echo $QROLE | jq '.data.signers[0].app' )
+    assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, proper signers" "$3" $(echo $QROLE | jq '.data.signers | length')
     return $?
 }
 
@@ -188,12 +188,6 @@ checkSendTx() {
     return $?
 }
 
-# XXX Ex Usage: toHex "my-name"
-# converts the string into the hex representation of the bytes
-toHex() {
-    echo -n $1 | od -A n -t x1 | sed 's/ //g' | tr 'a-f' 'A-F'
-}
-
 # XXX Ex Usage: checkRoleTx $HASH $HEIGHT $NAME $NUM_SIGNERS
 # Desc: This looks up the tx by hash, and makes sure the height and type match
 #       and that the it refers to the proper role
@@ -211,8 +205,7 @@ checkRoleTx() {
     assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, type=nonce" '"nonce"' $(echo $NTX | jq .type)
     RTX=$(echo $NTX | jq .data.tx)
     assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, type=role/create" '"role/create"' $(echo $RTX | jq .type)
-    HEXNAME=$(toHex $3)
-    assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, proper name" "\"$HEXNAME\"" $(echo $RTX | jq .data.role)
+    assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, proper name" "\"$3\"" $(echo $RTX | jq .data.role)
     assertEquals "line=${LINENO}, proper num signers" "$4" $(echo $RTX | jq '.data.signers | length')
     return $?
 }
diff --git a/tests/cli/roles.sh b/tests/cli/roles.sh
index 3ddde70991ab..e29c3c47f87a 100755
--- a/tests/cli/roles.sh
+++ b/tests/cli/roles.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ ACCOUNTS=(jae ethan bucky rigel igor)
 RICH=${ACCOUNTS[0]}
 POOR=${ACCOUNTS[4]}
 DUDE=${ACCOUNTS[2]}
+ROLE="10CAFE4E"
 
 oneTimeSetUp() {
     if ! quickSetup .basecoin_test_roles roles-chain; then
@@ -26,26 +27,26 @@ test01SetupRole() {
 
     SIGS=2
 
-    assertFalse "line=${LINENO}, missing min-sigs" "echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx create-role --role=bank --members=${MEMBERS} --sequence=1 --name=$RICH"
-    assertFalse "line=${LINENO}, missing members" "echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx create-role --role=bank --min-sigs=2 --sequence=1 --name=$RICH"
+    assertFalse "line=${LINENO}, missing min-sigs" "echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx create-role --role=${ROLE} --members=${MEMBERS} --sequence=1 --name=$RICH"
+    assertFalse "line=${LINENO}, missing members" "echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx create-role --role=${ROLE} --min-sigs=2 --sequence=1 --name=$RICH"
     assertFalse "line=${LINENO}, missing role" "echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx create-role --min-sigs=2 --members=${MEMBERS} --sequence=1 --name=$RICH"
-    TX=$(echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx create-role --role=bank --min-sigs=$SIGS  --members=${MEMBERS} --sequence=1 --name=$RICH)
-    txSucceeded $? "$TX" "bank"
+    TX=$(echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx create-role --role=${ROLE} --min-sigs=$SIGS  --members=${MEMBERS} --sequence=1 --name=$RICH)
+    txSucceeded $? "$TX" "${ROLE}"
     HASH=$(echo $TX | jq .hash | tr -d \")
     TX_HEIGHT=$(echo $TX | jq .height)
 
-    checkRole bank $SIGS 3
+    checkRole "${ROLE}" $SIGS 3
 
     # Make sure tx is indexed
-    checkRoleTx $HASH $TX_HEIGHT "bank" 3
+    checkRoleTx $HASH $TX_HEIGHT "${ROLE}" 3
 }
 
 test02SendTxToRole() {
     SENDER=$(getAddr $RICH)
-    RECV=role:$(toHex bank)
+    RECV=role:${ROLE}
 
     TX=$(echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx send --fee=90mycoin --amount=10000mycoin --to=$RECV --sequence=2 --name=$RICH)
-    txSucceeded $? "$TX" "bank"
+    txSucceeded $? "$TX" "${ROLE}"
     HASH=$(echo $TX | jq .hash | tr -d \")
     TX_HEIGHT=$(echo $TX | jq .height)
 
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ test03SendMultiFromRole() {
     ONE=$(getAddr $RICH)
     TWO=$(getAddr $POOR)
     THREE=$(getAddr $DUDE)
-    BANK=role:$(toHex bank)
+    BANK=role:${ROLE}
 
     # no money to start mr. poor...
     assertFalse "line=${LINENO}, has no money yet" "${CLIENT_EXE} query account $TWO 2>/dev/null"
@@ -68,12 +69,12 @@ test03SendMultiFromRole() {
     # let's try to send money from the role directly without multisig
     FAIL=$(echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx send --amount=6000mycoin --from=$BANK --to=$TWO --sequence=1 --name=$POOR 2>/dev/null)
     assertFalse "need to assume role" $?
-    FAIL=$(echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx send --amount=6000mycoin --from=$BANK --to=$TWO --sequence=2 --assume-role=bank --name=$POOR 2>/dev/null)
+    FAIL=$(echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx send --amount=6000mycoin --from=$BANK --to=$TWO --sequence=2 --assume-role=${ROLE} --name=$POOR 2>/dev/null)
     assertFalse "need two signatures" $?
 
     # okay, begin a multisig transaction mr. poor...
     TX_FILE=$BASE_DIR/tx.json
-    echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx send --amount=6000mycoin --from=$BANK --to=$TWO --sequence=1 --assume-role=bank --name=$POOR --multi --prepare=$TX_FILE
+    echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx send --amount=6000mycoin --from=$BANK --to=$TWO --sequence=1 --assume-role=${ROLE} --name=$POOR --multi --prepare=$TX_FILE
     assertTrue "line=${LINENO}, successfully prepare tx" $?
     # and get some dude to sign it
     # FAIL=$(echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx --in=$TX_FILE --name=$POOR 2>/dev/null)