diff --git a/api/storage_service.cc b/api/storage_service.cc
index a0643ce5d3..9c9e1ed8d0 100644
--- a/api/storage_service.cc
+++ b/api/storage_service.cc
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ sstring validate_keyspace(http_context& ctx, const parameters& param) {
     return validate_keyspace(ctx, param["keyspace"]);
 }
 
+locator::host_id validate_host_id(const sstring& param) {
+    auto hoep = locator::host_id_or_endpoint(param, locator::host_id_or_endpoint::param_type::host_id);
+    return hoep.id;
+}
+
 // splits a request parameter assumed to hold a comma-separated list of table names
 // verify that the tables are found, otherwise a bad_param_exception exception is thrown
 // containing the description of the respective no_such_column_family error.
@@ -715,7 +720,7 @@ void set_storage_service(http_context& ctx, routes& r, sharded<service::storage_
     });
 
     ss::remove_node.set(r, [&ss](std::unique_ptr<request> req) {
-        auto host_id = req->get_query_param("host_id");
+        auto host_id = validate_host_id(req->get_query_param("host_id"));
         std::vector<sstring> ignore_nodes_strs= split(req->get_query_param("ignore_nodes"), ",");
         auto ignore_nodes = std::list<gms::inet_address>();
         for (std::string n : ignore_nodes_strs) {
diff --git a/locator/token_metadata.cc b/locator/token_metadata.cc
index 0d743e180e..461e33978f 100644
--- a/locator/token_metadata.cc
+++ b/locator/token_metadata.cc
@@ -1432,4 +1432,33 @@ future<> shared_token_metadata::mutate_token_metadata(seastar::noncopyable_funct
     set(make_token_metadata_ptr(std::move(tm)));
 }
 
+host_id_or_endpoint::host_id_or_endpoint(const sstring& s, param_type restrict) {
+    switch (restrict) {
+    case param_type::host_id:
+        try {
+            id = host_id(utils::UUID(s));
+        } catch (const marshal_exception& e) {
+            throw std::invalid_argument(format("Invalid host_id {}: {}", s, e.what()));
+        }
+        break;
+    case param_type::endpoint:
+        try {
+            endpoint = gms::inet_address(s);
+        } catch (std::invalid_argument& e) {
+            throw std::invalid_argument(format("Invalid inet_address {}: {}", s, e.what()));
+        }
+        break;
+    case param_type::auto_detect:
+        try {
+            id = host_id(utils::UUID(s));
+        } catch (const marshal_exception& e) {
+            try {
+                endpoint = gms::inet_address(s);
+            } catch (std::invalid_argument& e) {
+                throw std::invalid_argument(format("Invalid host_id or inet_address {}", s));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 } // namespace locator
diff --git a/locator/token_metadata.hh b/locator/token_metadata.hh
index f938952039..433b9a840b 100644
--- a/locator/token_metadata.hh
+++ b/locator/token_metadata.hh
@@ -133,6 +133,27 @@ private:
     bool _sort_by_proximity = true;
 };
 
+struct host_id_or_endpoint {
+    host_id id;
+    gms::inet_address endpoint;
+
+    enum class param_type {
+        host_id,
+        endpoint,
+        auto_detect
+    };
+
+    host_id_or_endpoint(const sstring& s, param_type restrict = param_type::auto_detect);
+
+    bool has_host_id() const noexcept {
+        return bool(id);
+    }
+
+    bool has_endpoint() const noexcept {
+        return endpoint != gms::inet_address();
+    }
+};
+
 using dc_rack_fn = seastar::noncopyable_function<endpoint_dc_rack(inet_address)>;
 class token_metadata_impl;
 
diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index 453ccbb1fe..1cc344ebf0 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -2328,12 +2328,11 @@ void storage_service::run_replace_ops(std::unordered_set<token>& bootstrap_token
     }
 }
 
-future<> storage_service::removenode(sstring host_id_string, std::list<gms::inet_address> ignore_nodes) {
-    return run_with_api_lock(sstring("removenode"), [host_id_string, ignore_nodes = std::move(ignore_nodes)] (storage_service& ss) mutable {
-        return seastar::async([&ss, host_id_string, ignore_nodes = std::move(ignore_nodes)] {
+future<> storage_service::removenode(locator::host_id host_id, std::list<gms::inet_address> ignore_nodes) {
+    return run_with_api_lock(sstring("removenode"), [host_id, ignore_nodes = std::move(ignore_nodes)] (storage_service& ss) mutable {
+        return seastar::async([&ss, host_id, ignore_nodes = std::move(ignore_nodes)] {
             auto uuid = utils::make_random_uuid();
             auto tmptr = ss.get_token_metadata_ptr();
-            auto host_id = locator::host_id(utils::UUID(host_id_string));
             auto endpoint_opt = tmptr->get_endpoint_for_host_id(host_id);
             if (!endpoint_opt) {
                 throw std::runtime_error(format("removenode[{}]: Host ID not found in the cluster", uuid));
diff --git a/service/storage_service.hh b/service/storage_service.hh
index 47e25c478b..33cfee6bc1 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.hh
+++ b/service/storage_service.hh
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ public:
      *
      * @param hostIdString token for the node
      */
-    future<> removenode(sstring host_id_string, std::list<gms::inet_address> ignore_nodes);
+    future<> removenode(locator::host_id host_id, std::list<gms::inet_address> ignore_nodes);
     future<node_ops_cmd_response> node_ops_cmd_handler(gms::inet_address coordinator, node_ops_cmd_request req);
     void node_ops_cmd_check(gms::inet_address coordinator, const node_ops_cmd_request& req);
     future<> node_ops_cmd_heartbeat_updater(node_ops_cmd cmd, utils::UUID uuid, std::list<gms::inet_address> nodes, lw_shared_ptr<bool> heartbeat_updater_done);