diff --git a/lib/commands/quota.js b/lib/commands/quota.js
index d35aa463d..dbaf9efbb 100644
--- a/lib/commands/quota.js
+++ b/lib/commands/quota.js
@@ -37,13 +37,24 @@ Quota.applyCustomLimits = function (Env) {
         var limits = {};
         Object.keys(custom).forEach(function (k) {
             var user;
-            try {
-                user = Keys.parseUser(k);
-            } catch (err) {
-                return void Env.Log.error("PARSE_CUSTOM_LIMIT_BLOCK", {
-                    user: k,
-                    error: err.message,
-                });
+
+            // XXX this length (44) is also hardcoded in decrees.js
+            // before calling Keys.parseUser.
+            // Maybe we should improve Keys.parseUser to handle this
+            // option directly
+            if (k.length === 44) {
+                user = {
+                    pubkey: Util.unescapeKeyCharacters(k)
+                }
+            } else {
+                try {
+                    user = Keys.parseUser(k);
+                } catch (err) {
+                    return void Env.Log.error("PARSE_CUSTOM_LIMIT_BLOCK", {
+                        user: k,
+                        error: err.message,
+                    });
+                }
             }
 
             var unsafeKey = user.pubkey;