diff --git a/epp/src/epp-create.php b/epp/src/epp-create.php
index 670cba3..e9edb34 100644
--- a/epp/src/epp-create.php
+++ b/epp/src/epp-create.php
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ function processContactCreate($conn, $db, $xml, $clid, $database_type, $trans) {
     $clTRID = (string) $xml->command->clTRID;
 
     if (!$contactID) {
-        sendEppError($conn, $db, 2003, 'Identifier type minLength value=3, maxLength value=16', $clTRID, $trans);
+        sendEppError($conn, $db, 2003, 'Please provide a contact ID', $clTRID, $trans);
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/epp/src/helpers.php b/epp/src/helpers.php
index ba00aac..df5677b 100644
--- a/epp/src/helpers.php
+++ b/epp/src/helpers.php
@@ -116,19 +116,24 @@ function getHost(PDO $db, $id) {
 
 function validate_identifier($identifier) {
     if (!$identifier) {
-        return 'Abstract client and object identifier type minLength value=3';
+        return 'Please provide a contact ID';
     }
 
-    if (strlen($identifier) < 3) {
-        return 'Abstract client and object identifier type minLength value=3';
+    $length = strlen($identifier);
+
+    if ($length < 3) {
+        return 'Identifier type minLength value=3, maxLength value=16';
     }
 
-    if (strlen($identifier) > 16) {
-        return 'Abstract client and object identifier type maxLength value=16';
+    if ($length > 16) {
+        return 'Identifier type minLength value=3, maxLength value=16';
     }
 
-    if (preg_match('/[^A-Z0-9\-]/', $identifier)) {
-        return 'The ID of the contact must contain letters (A-Z) (ASCII) hyphen (-), and digits (0-9). Registry assigns each registrar a unique prefix with which that registrar must create contact IDs.';
+    $pattern1 = '/^[A-Z]+\-[0-9]+$/';
+    $pattern2 = '/^[A-Za-z][A-Z0-9a-z]*$/';
+
+    if (!preg_match($pattern1, $identifier) && !preg_match($pattern2, $identifier)) {
+        return 'The ID of the contact must contain letters (A-Z) (ASCII), hyphen (-), and digits (0-9).';
     }
 }