diff --git a/src/gcf/geni/util/speaksfor_util.py b/src/gcf/geni/util/speaksfor_util.py
index 93c498b7..4a346609 100644
--- a/src/gcf/geni/util/speaksfor_util.py
+++ b/src/gcf/geni/util/speaksfor_util.py
@@ -156,9 +156,9 @@ def verify_speaks_for(cred, tool_gid, speaking_for_urn, \
     if cred.get_cred_type() != ABACCredential.ABAC_CREDENTIAL_TYPE:
         return False, None, "Credential not of type ABAC but %s" % cred.get_cred_type
 
-    if cred.signature is None or cred.signature.gid is None:
+    if cred.get_signature() is None or cred.signature.gid is None:
         return False, None, "Credential malformed: missing signature or signer cert. Cred: %s" % cred.get_summary_tostring()
-    user_gid = cred.signature.gid
+    user_gid = cred.get_signature().get_issuer_gid()
     user_urn = user_gid.get_urn()
 
     # URN of signer from cert must match URN of 'speaking-for' argument
diff --git a/src/gcf/sfa/trust/credential.py b/src/gcf/sfa/trust/credential.py
index 31ebf366..046170e4 100644
--- a/src/gcf/sfa/trust/credential.py
+++ b/src/gcf/sfa/trust/credential.py
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ def decode(self):
             logger.log_exc ("Failed to parse credential, %s"%self.xml)
             raise
         sig = doc.getElementsByTagName("Signature")[0]
-        ref_id = sig.getAttribute("xml:id").strip().strip("Sig_")
+        ref_id = sig.getAttribute("xml:id").strip().replace("Sig_","",1)
         # The xml:id tag is optional, and could be in a 
         # Reference xml:id or Reference UID sub element instead
         if not ref_id or ref_id == '':