diff --git a/core/src/main/python/wlsdeploy/aliases/alias_utils.py b/core/src/main/python/wlsdeploy/aliases/alias_utils.py
index 520a6dee23..485e9499e6 100644
--- a/core/src/main/python/wlsdeploy/aliases/alias_utils.py
+++ b/core/src/main/python/wlsdeploy/aliases/alias_utils.py
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ def is_attribute_server_start_arguments(location, model_attribute_name):
     :return: True if so, False otherwise
     """
     return location.get_folder_path() == _server_start_location_folder_path and \
-           model_attribute_name == _server_start_argument_attribute_name
+        model_attribute_name == _server_start_argument_attribute_name
 
 
 def compute_delimiter_from_data_type(data_type, value):
@@ -631,6 +631,8 @@ def convert_to_type(data_type, value, subtype=None, delimiter=None):
     Convert the value to the specified type.
     :param data_type: the type
     :param value: the value
+    :param subtype: optional subtype for jarray type
+    :param delimiter: optional delimiter to use for parsing
     :return: the value converted to the specified type
     """
     _method_name = 'convert_to_type'
@@ -653,28 +655,33 @@ def convert_to_type(data_type, value, subtype=None, delimiter=None):
             raise ex
 
         if new_value is not None:
-            if data_type == LONG:
-                new_value = Long(new_value)
-            elif data_type == JAVA_LANG_BOOLEAN:
-                new_value = Boolean(new_value)
-            elif data_type == JARRAY:
-                if subtype is None or subtype == 'java.lang.String':
-                    new_value = _create_string_array(new_value)
-                else:
-                    new_value = _create_mbean_array(new_value, subtype)
-            elif data_type == LIST:
-                new_value = list(new_value)
-            elif data_type in (COMMA_DELIMITED_STRING, DELIMITED_STRING, SEMI_COLON_DELIMITED_STRING,
-                               SPACE_DELIMITED_STRING, PATH_SEPARATOR_DELIMITED_STRING):
-                #
-                # This code intentionally ignores the delimiter value passed in and computes it from the data type.
-                # This is required to handle the special case where the value we read from WLST might have a
-                # different delimiter than the model value.  In this use case, the value passed into the method
-                # is the WLST value delimiter and the data_type is the preferred_model_type, so we compute the
-                # model delimiter from the data_type directly.
-                #
-                delimiter = compute_delimiter_from_data_type(data_type, new_value)
-                new_value = delimiter.join(new_value)
+            try:
+                if data_type == LONG:
+                    new_value = Long(new_value)
+                elif data_type == JAVA_LANG_BOOLEAN:
+                    new_value = Boolean(new_value)
+                elif data_type == JARRAY:
+                    if subtype is None or subtype == 'java.lang.String':
+                        new_value = _create_string_array(new_value)
+                    else:
+                        new_value = _create_mbean_array(new_value, subtype)
+                elif data_type == LIST:
+                    new_value = list(new_value)
+                elif data_type in (COMMA_DELIMITED_STRING, DELIMITED_STRING, SEMI_COLON_DELIMITED_STRING,
+                                   SPACE_DELIMITED_STRING, PATH_SEPARATOR_DELIMITED_STRING):
+                    #
+                    # This code intentionally ignores the delimiter value passed in and computes it from the data type.
+                    # This is required to handle the special case where the value we read from WLST might have a
+                    # different delimiter than the model value.  In this use case, the value passed into the method
+                    # is the WLST value delimiter and the data_type is the preferred_model_type, so we compute the
+                    # model delimiter from the data_type directly.
+                    #
+                    delimiter = compute_delimiter_from_data_type(data_type, new_value)
+                    new_value = delimiter.join(new_value)
+            except TypeError, te:
+                ex = exception_helper.create_alias_exception('WLSDPLY-08021', value, data_type, delimiter, te)
+                _logger.throwing(ex, class_name=_class_name, method_name=_method_name)
+                raise ex
 
     return new_value