diff --git a/meshtastic/__main__.py b/meshtastic/__main__.py
index 002f1ec30..2475f8fcd 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__main__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__main__.py
@@ -277,7 +277,8 @@ def setPref(config, comp_name, raw_val) -> bool:
         else:
             print(f"Adding '{raw_val}' to the {pref.name} list")
             cur_vals = [x for x in getattr(config_values, pref.name) if x not in [0, "", b""]]
-            cur_vals.append(val)
+            if val not in cur_vals:
+                cur_vals.append(val)
             getattr(config_values, pref.name)[:] = cur_vals
         return True
 
diff --git a/meshtastic/node.py b/meshtastic/node.py
index b77ad9218..660c705ec 100644
--- a/meshtastic/node.py
+++ b/meshtastic/node.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     pskToString,
     stripnl,
     message_to_json,
+    to_node_num,
 )
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -714,11 +715,7 @@ def factoryReset(self, full: bool = False):
     def removeNode(self, nodeId: Union[int, str]):
         """Tell the node to remove a specific node by ID"""
         self.ensureSessionKey()
-        if isinstance(nodeId, str):
-            if nodeId.startswith("!"):
-                nodeId = int(nodeId[1:], 16)
-            else:
-                nodeId = int(nodeId)
+        nodeId = to_node_num(nodeId)
 
         p = admin_pb2.AdminMessage()
         p.remove_by_nodenum = nodeId
@@ -732,11 +729,7 @@ def removeNode(self, nodeId: Union[int, str]):
     def setFavorite(self, nodeId: Union[int, str]):
         """Tell the node to set the specified node ID to be favorited on the NodeDB on the device"""
         self.ensureSessionKey()
-        if isinstance(nodeId, str):
-            if nodeId.startswith("!"):
-                nodeId = int(nodeId[1:], 16)
-            else:
-                nodeId = int(nodeId)
+        nodeId = to_node_num(nodeId)
 
         p = admin_pb2.AdminMessage()
         p.set_favorite_node = nodeId
@@ -750,11 +743,7 @@ def setFavorite(self, nodeId: Union[int, str]):
     def removeFavorite(self, nodeId: Union[int, str]):
         """Tell the node to set the specified node ID to be un-favorited on the NodeDB on the device"""
         self.ensureSessionKey()
-        if isinstance(nodeId, str):
-            if nodeId.startswith("!"):
-                nodeId = int(nodeId[1:], 16)
-            else:
-                nodeId = int(nodeId)
+        nodeId = to_node_num(nodeId)
 
         p = admin_pb2.AdminMessage()
         p.remove_favorite_node = nodeId
@@ -768,11 +757,7 @@ def removeFavorite(self, nodeId: Union[int, str]):
     def setIgnored(self, nodeId: Union[int, str]):
         """Tell the node to set the specified node ID to be ignored on the NodeDB on the device"""
         self.ensureSessionKey()
-        if isinstance(nodeId, str):
-            if nodeId.startswith("!"):
-                nodeId = int(nodeId[1:], 16)
-            else:
-                nodeId = int(nodeId)
+        nodeId = to_node_num(nodeId)
 
         p = admin_pb2.AdminMessage()
         p.set_ignored_node = nodeId
@@ -786,11 +771,7 @@ def setIgnored(self, nodeId: Union[int, str]):
     def removeIgnored(self, nodeId: Union[int, str]):
         """Tell the node to set the specified node ID to be un-ignored on the NodeDB on the device"""
         self.ensureSessionKey()
-        if isinstance(nodeId, str):
-            if nodeId.startswith("!"):
-                nodeId = int(nodeId[1:], 16)
-            else:
-                nodeId = int(nodeId)
+        nodeId = to_node_num(nodeId)
 
         p = admin_pb2.AdminMessage()
         p.remove_ignored_node = nodeId
@@ -1013,10 +994,7 @@ def _sendAdmin(
             ):  # unless a special channel index was used, we want to use the admin index
                 adminIndex = self.iface.localNode._getAdminChannelIndex()
             logger.debug(f"adminIndex:{adminIndex}")
-            if isinstance(self.nodeNum, int):
-                nodeid = self.nodeNum
-            else: # assume string starting with !
-                nodeid = int(self.nodeNum[1:],16)
+            nodeid = to_node_num(self.nodeNum)
             if "adminSessionPassKey" in self.iface._getOrCreateByNum(nodeid):
                 p.session_passkey = self.iface._getOrCreateByNum(nodeid).get("adminSessionPassKey")
             return self.iface.sendData(
@@ -1037,9 +1015,6 @@ def ensureSessionKey(self):
                 f"Not ensuring session key, because protocol use is disabled by noProto"
             )
         else:
-            if isinstance(self.nodeNum, int):
-                nodeid = self.nodeNum
-            else: # assume string starting with !
-                nodeid = int(self.nodeNum[1:],16)
+            nodeid = to_node_num(self.nodeNum)
             if self.iface._getOrCreateByNum(nodeid).get("adminSessionPassKey") is None:
                 self.requestConfig(admin_pb2.AdminMessage.SESSIONKEY_CONFIG)
diff --git a/meshtastic/util.py b/meshtastic/util.py
index 243dfe933..0e2445a33 100644
--- a/meshtastic/util.py
+++ b/meshtastic/util.py
@@ -692,3 +692,20 @@ def message_to_json(message: Message, multiline: bool=False) -> str:
     except TypeError:
         json = MessageToJson(message, including_default_value_fields=True) # type: ignore[call-arg] # pylint: disable=E1123
     return stripnl(json) if not multiline else json
+
+
+def to_node_num(node_id: Union[int, str]) -> int:
+    """
+    Normalize a node id from int | '!hex' | '0xhex' | 'decimal' to int.
+    """
+    if isinstance(node_id, int):
+        return node_id
+    s = str(node_id).strip()
+    if s.startswith("!"):
+        s = s[1:]
+    if s.lower().startswith("0x"):
+        return int(s, 16)
+    try:
+        return int(s, 10)
+    except ValueError:
+        return int(s, 16)