diff --git a/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py b/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
index 60173dc3..c2097012 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@ def rpc_call(func):
 
     @wraps(func)
     def wrapper(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        # we could rely on a strict type check here, but this is more flexible
+        # moreover, it would anyway crash for objects...
+        out = []
+        for arg in args:
+            if hasattr(arg, "name"):
+                arg = arg.name
+            out.append(arg)
+        args = tuple(out)
+        for key, val in kwargs.items():
+            if hasattr(val, "name"):
+                kwargs[key] = val.name
         if not self.gui_is_alive():
             raise RuntimeError("GUI is not alive")
         return self._run_rpc(func.__name__, *args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..61dc63ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+from unittest import mock
+
+import pytest
+
+from bec_widgets.cli.client import BECFigure
+
+from .client_mocks import FakeDevice
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def cli_figure():
+    fig = BECFigure(gui_id="test")
+    with mock.patch.object(fig, "_run_rpc") as mock_rpc_call:
+        with mock.patch.object(fig, "gui_is_alive", return_value=True):
+            yield fig, mock_rpc_call
+
+
+def test_rpc_call_plot(cli_figure):
+    fig, mock_rpc_call = cli_figure
+    fig.plot("samx", "bpm4i")
+    mock_rpc_call.assert_called_with("plot", "samx", "bpm4i")
+
+
+def test_rpc_call_accepts_device_as_input(cli_figure):
+    dev1 = FakeDevice("samx")
+    dev2 = FakeDevice("bpm4i")
+    fig, mock_rpc_call = cli_figure
+    fig.plot(dev1, dev2)
+    mock_rpc_call.assert_called_with("plot", "samx", "bpm4i")