diff --git a/seed/lib/superperms/orgs/permissions.py b/seed/lib/superperms/orgs/permissions.py
index 14b9d41e96..2d1abc8efb 100644
--- a/seed/lib/superperms/orgs/permissions.py
+++ b/seed/lib/superperms/orgs/permissions.py
@@ -50,12 +50,15 @@ def get_org_or_id(dictlike: dict) -> Union[int, None]:
     # Check if there are any assigned organization values
     org_id = None
     for org_str in org_query_strings:
-        org_id = dictlike.get(org_str)
-        if org_id:
-            # Type case the organization_id as a integer
-            if '_id' in org_str:
-                org_id = int(org_id)
-            break
+        try:
+            org_id = dictlike.get(org_str)
+            if org_id:
+                # Type case the organization_id as a integer
+                if '_id' in org_str:
+                    org_id = int(org_id)
+                break
+        except (ValueError, TypeError):
+            return -1
     return org_id
 
 
diff --git a/seed/tests/test_permissions.py b/seed/tests/test_permissions.py
index 44f7eb18a5..ab28acd83d 100644
--- a/seed/tests/test_permissions.py
+++ b/seed/tests/test_permissions.py
@@ -138,6 +138,27 @@ def test_get_org_id(self):
         result = get_org_id(mock_request)
         self.assertEqual(None, result)
 
+        # invalid ids are returned as -1 (not found)
+        mock_request = mock_request_factory(
+            view_authz_org_id_kwarg=None,
+            parser_kwargs={'not_org_id': 1},
+            path='/api/v3/nope/2/',
+            query_params={'organization_id': 'invalid_id'},
+            data={'organization_id': 4}
+        )
+        result = get_org_id(mock_request)
+        self.assertEqual(-1, result)
+
+        mock_request = mock_request_factory(
+            view_authz_org_id_kwarg=None,
+            parser_kwargs={'not_org_id': 1},
+            path='/api/v3/nope/2/',
+            query_params={'not_org_id': 2},
+            data={'organization_id': 'invalid_id'}
+        )
+        result = get_org_id(mock_request)
+        self.assertEqual(-1, result)
+
     def test_get_user_org(self):
         """Test getting org from user"""
         fake_user = User.objects.create(username='test')
diff --git a/seed/tests/test_views.py b/seed/tests/test_views.py
index 99083a1286..c09b147215 100644
--- a/seed/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/seed/tests/test_views.py
@@ -1560,6 +1560,13 @@ def test_get_cycles(self):
         self.assertEqual(cycle['id'], self.cycle.pk)
         self.assertEqual(cycle['name'], self.cycle.name)
 
+        # invalid organization id returns 403 error
+        params['organization_id'] = 'invalid'
+        response = self.client.get(
+            reverse('api:v3:cycles-list'), params
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(403, response.status_code)
+
     def test_postoffice(self):
         # Create a template
         response = self.client.post('/api/v3/postoffice/', {