diff --git a/c8ylp/cli/connect/ssh.py b/c8ylp/cli/connect/ssh.py
index 07739b58..2447a875 100644
--- a/c8ylp/cli/connect/ssh.py
+++ b/c8ylp/cli/connect/ssh.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def cli(ctx: click.Context, ssh_user: str, additional_args: List[str], **kwargs)
     from being interpreted by c8ylp (i.e. to avoid clashes with c8ylp).
 
     \b
-        DEVICE is the device's external identity
+        DEVICE is the device's external identity or managed object id
 
     Example 1: Start an interactive SSH connection
 
diff --git a/c8ylp/cli/core.py b/c8ylp/cli/core.py
index cfa40cd1..e18018d4 100644
--- a/c8ylp/cli/core.py
+++ b/c8ylp/cli/core.py
@@ -611,7 +611,27 @@ def pre_start_checks(
 
     try:
         client = create_client(ctx, opts)
-        mor = client.get_managed_object(opts.device, opts.external_type)
+
+        mor = None
+
+        if is_id_like(opts.device):
+            try:
+                opts.show_info("Checking if given value is a managed object id")
+                mor = client.get_managed_object_by_id(opts.device)
+                opts.show_info("Found device via managed object id")
+            except Exception as ex:
+                # info message as the external lookup will also be tried
+                # in case if the external id just looks like an managed object id
+                opts.show_info(
+                    f"Given device value is not a managed object id. reason={ex}"
+                )
+
+        # Lookup mo if not already set (e.g. any previous attempts failed)
+        if not mor:
+            mor = client.get_managed_object_by_external_id(
+                opts.device, opts.external_type
+            )
+
         config_id = get_config_id(ctx, mor, opts.config)
         device_id = mor.get("id")
 
@@ -778,3 +798,8 @@ def start_proxy(
             ctx.exit(exit_code)
         else:
             opts.show_info("Exiting")
+
+
+def is_id_like(value: str) -> bool:
+    """Check if a value is likely to be an internal id"""
+    return value.isnumeric()
diff --git a/c8ylp/cli/server.py b/c8ylp/cli/server.py
index 97462777..748b5a02 100644
--- a/c8ylp/cli/server.py
+++ b/c8ylp/cli/server.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def server(
     """Start local proxy in server mode
 
     \b
-        DEVICE is the device's external identity
+        DEVICE is the device's external identity or managed object id
 
     Once the local proxy has started, clients such as ssh and scp can be used
     to establish a connection to the device.
diff --git a/c8ylp/plugins/command.py b/c8ylp/plugins/command.py
index 2de53b1c..1a630649 100644
--- a/c8ylp/plugins/command.py
+++ b/c8ylp/plugins/command.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def cli(ctx: click.Context, additional_args: List[str], **kwargs):
     Start once-off proxy and execute a (local) script/command
 
         \b
-        DEVICE is the device's external identity
+        DEVICE is the device's external identity or managed object id
         REMOTE_COMMANDS is the script or command to run after the proxy has been started
 
         All additional arguments will be passed to the script/command. Use "--" before
diff --git a/c8ylp/rest_client/c8yclient.py b/c8ylp/rest_client/c8yclient.py
index 35f29e67..aa4a92ff 100644
--- a/c8ylp/rest_client/c8yclient.py
+++ b/c8ylp/rest_client/c8yclient.py
@@ -68,6 +68,16 @@ def __init__(self, device: str, host: str) -> None:
         super().__init__(message)
 
 
+class CumulocityDeviceIDNotFound(Exception):
+    """Cumulocity device managed object id not found error"""
+
+    def __init__(self, device: str, host: str) -> None:
+        message = (
+            f"A device with the id '{device}' was not found in Cumulocity host: {host}"
+        )
+        super().__init__(message)
+
+
 class BearerAuth(requests.auth.AuthBase):
     """Bearer/token based authorization"""
 
@@ -341,8 +351,41 @@ def get_external_id(
         self.logger.error(error)
         raise error
 
-    def get_managed_object(
-        self, serial_number: str, identity_type: str = "c8y_Serial"
+    def get_managed_object_by_id(self, mo_id: str):
+        """Get a managed object by looking it up via its external identity
+
+        Args:
+            mo_id (str): Managed object id
+
+        Raises:
+            CumulocityPermissionDeviceError: Error when the user does not have the correct permissions
+                to access the API or device
+            CumulocityDeviceIDNotFound: If the managed object id is not found
+            Exception: Unexpected error
+
+        Returns:
+            Dict[str, Any]: Device managed object
+        """
+        response = self.session.get(f"/inventory/managedObjects/{mo_id}")
+        if response.status_code == 200:
+            return json.loads(response.content.decode("utf-8"))
+
+        error = Exception(
+            f"Error retrieving device. Status Code {response.status_code}, "
+            f"device (id)={mo_id}, host={self.url}, user={self.user}"
+        )
+        if response.status_code == 401:
+            error = CumulocityPermissionDeviceError(self.user, mo_id, self.url)
+        elif response.status_code == 404:
+            error = CumulocityDeviceIDNotFound(mo_id, self.url)
+
+        self.logger.error(error)
+        raise error
+
+    def get_managed_object_by_external_id(
+        self,
+        serial_number: str,
+        identity_type: str = "c8y_Serial",
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Get a managed object by looking it up via its external identity
 
diff --git a/docs/cli/C8YLP_CONNECT_SSH.md b/docs/cli/C8YLP_CONNECT_SSH.md
index 0d81011d..12683994 100644
--- a/docs/cli/C8YLP_CONNECT_SSH.md
+++ b/docs/cli/C8YLP_CONNECT_SSH.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Usage: c8ylp connect ssh [OPTIONS] DEVICE [REMOTE_COMMANDS]...
   Use "--" before the remote commands to prevent the arguments from being
   interpreted by c8ylp (i.e. to avoid clashes with c8ylp).
 
-      DEVICE is the device's external identity
+      DEVICE is the device's external identity or managed object id
 
   Example 1: Start an interactive SSH connection
 
diff --git a/docs/cli/C8YLP_PLUGIN_COMMAND.md b/docs/cli/C8YLP_PLUGIN_COMMAND.md
index 5ab573af..c02170a9 100644
--- a/docs/cli/C8YLP_PLUGIN_COMMAND.md
+++ b/docs/cli/C8YLP_PLUGIN_COMMAND.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Usage: c8ylp plugin command [OPTIONS] DEVICE [REMOTE_COMMANDS]...
 
   Start once-off proxy and execute a (local) script/command
 
-          DEVICE is the device's external identity
+          DEVICE is the device's external identity or managed object id
           REMOTE_COMMANDS is the script or command to run after the proxy has been started
 
       All additional arguments will be passed to the script/command. Use "--"
diff --git a/docs/cli/C8YLP_SERVER.md b/docs/cli/C8YLP_SERVER.md
index 4523d0bf..a1ced534 100644
--- a/docs/cli/C8YLP_SERVER.md
+++ b/docs/cli/C8YLP_SERVER.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Usage: c8ylp server [OPTIONS] DEVICE
 
   Start local proxy in server mode
 
-      DEVICE is the device's external identity
+      DEVICE is the device's external identity or managed object id
 
   Once the local proxy has started, clients such as ssh and scp can be used to
   establish a connection to the device.