diff --git a/tests/db/Makefile.am b/tests/db/Makefile.am
index f13824d..0194957 100644
--- a/tests/db/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/db/Makefile.am
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 	$(top_builddir)/src/db_auc.o \
 	$(top_builddir)/src/db_hlr.o \
 	$(top_builddir)/src/db.o \
+	$(top_builddir)/src/ipa_name.o \
 	$(LIBOSMOCORE_LIBS) \
 	$(LIBOSMOGSM_LIBS) \
 	$(LIBOSMOABIS_LIBS) \
diff --git a/tests/db/db_test.c b/tests/db/db_test.c
index b9b263d..c53baed 100644
--- a/tests/db/db_test.c
+++ b/tests/db/db_test.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <osmocom/core/utils.h>
 #include <osmocom/core/logging.h>
 
+#include <osmocom/gsupclient/ipa_name.h>
 #include <osmocom/hlr/db.h>
 #include <osmocom/hlr/logging.h>
 
@@ -145,6 +146,8 @@
 #define Ps(name) \
 	if (*subscr->name) \
 		Pfo(name, "'%s'", subscr)
+#define Pgt(name) \
+	Pfv(name, "%s", osmo_ipa_name_to_str(&subscr->name))
 #define Pd(name) \
 	Pfv(name, "%"PRId64, (int64_t)subscr->name)
 #define Pd_nonzero(name) \
@@ -235,6 +238,14 @@
 static const char *short_imsi = "123456";
 static const char *unknown_imsi = "999999999";
 
+static int db_subscr_lu_str(struct db_context *dbc, int64_t subscr_id,
+			    const char *vlr_or_sgsn_number, bool is_ps)
+{
+	struct osmo_ipa_name vlr_nr;
+	osmo_ipa_name_set_str(&vlr_nr, vlr_or_sgsn_number);
+	return db_subscr_lu(dbc, subscr_id, &vlr_nr, is_ps, NULL);
+}
+
 static void test_subscr_create_update_sel_delete()
 {
 	int64_t id0, id1, id2, id_short;
@@ -386,39 +397,39 @@
 
 	comment("Record LU for PS and CS (SGSN and VLR names)");
 
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "5952", true), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "5952", true), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "712", false), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "712", false), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
 
 	comment("Record LU for PS and CS (SGSN and VLR names) *again*");
 
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "111", true), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "111", true), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "111", true), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "111", true), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "222", false), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "222", false), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "222", false), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "222", false), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
 
 	comment("Unset LU info for PS and CS (SGSN and VLR names)");
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "", true), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "", true), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "", false), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "", false), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
 
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "111", true), 0);
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "222", false), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "111", true), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "222", false), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, NULL, true), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, NULL, true), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, NULL, false), 0);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, NULL, false), 0);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, id0, 0);
 
 	comment("Record LU for non-existent ID");
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, 99999, "5952", true), -ENOENT);
-	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu(dbc, 99999, "712", false), -ENOENT);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, 99999, "5952", true), -ENOENT);
+	ASSERT_RC(db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, 99999, "712", false), -ENOENT);
 	ASSERT_SEL(id, 99999, -ENOENT);
 
 	comment("Purge and un-purge PS and CS");
diff --git a/tests/db/db_test.err b/tests/db/db_test.err
index 6423550..e4d43c9 100644
--- a/tests/db/db_test.err
+++ b/tests/db/db_test.err
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@
 
 --- Record LU for PS and CS (SGSN and VLR names)
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "5952", true) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "5952", true) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@
   .sgsn_number = '5952',
 }
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "712", false) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "712", false) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@
 
 --- Record LU for PS and CS (SGSN and VLR names) *again*
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "111", true) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "111", true) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@
   .sgsn_number = '111',
 }
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "111", true) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "111", true) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@
   .sgsn_number = '111',
 }
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "222", false) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "222", false) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@
   .sgsn_number = '111',
 }
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "222", false) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "222", false) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@
 
 --- Unset LU info for PS and CS (SGSN and VLR names)
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "", true) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "", true) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@
   .vlr_number = '222',
 }
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "", false) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "", false) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -525,9 +525,9 @@
   .msisdn = '543210123456789',
 }
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "111", true) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "111", true) --> 0
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, "222", false) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, "222", false) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@
   .sgsn_number = '111',
 }
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, NULL, true) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, NULL, true) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@
   .vlr_number = '222',
 }
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, id0, NULL, false) --> 0
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, id0, NULL, false) --> 0
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, id0, &g_subscr) --> 0
 struct hlr_subscriber {
@@ -560,10 +560,10 @@
 
 --- Record LU for non-existent ID
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, 99999, "5952", true) --> -ENOENT
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, 99999, "5952", true) --> -ENOENT
 DAUC Cannot update SGSN number for subscriber ID=99999: no such subscriber
 
-db_subscr_lu(dbc, 99999, "712", false) --> -ENOENT
+db_subscr_lu_str(dbc, 99999, "712", false) --> -ENOENT
 DAUC Cannot update VLR number for subscriber ID=99999: no such subscriber
 
 db_subscr_get_by_id(dbc, 99999, &g_subscr) --> -ENOENT