diff --git a/py/dict.go b/py/dict.go
index 61b6e5cd..41b958f6 100644
--- a/py/dict.go
+++ b/py/dict.go
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ var (
 
 func init() {
 	StringDictType.Dict["items"] = MustNewMethod("items", func(self Object, args Tuple) (Object, error) {
+		err := UnpackTuple(args, nil, "items", 0, 0)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 		sMap := self.(StringDict)
 		o := make([]Object, 0, len(sMap))
 		for k, v := range sMap {
diff --git a/py/tests/dict.py b/py/tests/dict.py
index 1fa317c3..5f1d0a64 100644
--- a/py/tests/dict.py
+++ b/py/tests/dict.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Copyright 2018 The go-python Authors.  All rights reserved.
 # Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
 # license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+from libtest import assertRaises
 
 doc="str"
 assert str({}) == "{}"
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@
         assert v == "b"
     if k == "c":
         assert v == 5.5
+assertRaises(TypeError, a.items, 'a')
 
 doc="__contain__"
 a = {'hello': 'world'}