Index: Modules/arraymodule.c
===================================================================
--- Modules/arraymodule.c	(revision 43174)
+++ Modules/arraymodule.c	(working copy)
@@ -183,6 +183,10 @@
 	Py_UNICODE *p;
 	Py_ssize_t len;
 
+	if (!PyUnicode_Check(v)) {
+		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "array item must be unicode character");
+		return -1;
+	}
 	if (!PyArg_Parse(v, "u#;array item must be unicode character", &p, &len))
 		return -1;
 	if (len != 1) {