diff --git a/ctr_field.module b/ctr_field.module
index d7986ad..e504773 100644
--- a/ctr_field.module
+++ b/ctr_field.module
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ function ctr_field_field($op, &$node, $field, &$items, $teaser, $page) {
   switch ($op) {
     case 'validate':
       foreach ($items as $delta => $item) {
-        if (!empty($item['uid'])) {
-          if (ctr_field_ctr_rating($item['uid']) === FALSE) {
+        if (!empty($item['uid']) && is_numeric($item['uid'])) {
+          if (empty($field['widget']['allow_numeric']) && ctr_field_ctr_rating($item['uid']) === FALSE) {
             form_set_error($field['field_name'] . '][' . $delta . '][uid', t('User is unknown to the Certified To Rock service.'));
           }
         }
@@ -146,11 +146,16 @@ function ctr_field_widget_settings($op, $field) {
           '#title' => t('Open link to certifiedtorock.com in new window'),
           '#default_value' => isset($field['new_window']) ? $field['new_window'] : '',
         ),
+        'allow_numeric' => array(
+          '#type' => 'checkbox',
+          '#title' => t('Allow saving UIDs not yet in the CTR system'),
+          '#default_value' => isset($field['allow_numeric']) ? $field['allow_numeric'] : '',
+        ),
       );
       break;
 
     case 'save':
-      return array('new_window');
+      return array('new_window', 'allow_numeric');
   }
 }