diff --git a/Lib/test/test_array.py b/Lib/test/test_array.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_array.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_array.py
@@ -1026,6 +1026,18 @@
         basesize = support.calcvobjsize('Pn2Pi')
         support.check_sizeof(self, a, basesize)
 
+    def test_initialize_with_unicode(self):
+        if self.typecode != 'u':
+            with self.assertRaises(TypeError) as cm:
+                a = array.array(self.typecode, 'foo')
+            self.assertIn("cannot use a str", str(cm.exception))
+            with self.assertRaises(TypeError) as cm:
+                a = array.array(self.typecode, array.array('u', 'foo'))
+            self.assertIn("cannot use a unicode array", str(cm.exception))
+        else:
+            a = array.array(self.typecode, "foo")
+            a = array.array(self.typecode, array.array('u', 'foo'))
+
 
 class StringTest(BaseTest):
 
diff --git a/Modules/arraymodule.c b/Modules/arraymodule.c
--- a/Modules/arraymodule.c
+++ b/Modules/arraymodule.c
@@ -2484,6 +2484,20 @@
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "C|O:array", &c, &initial))
         return NULL;
 
+    if (initial && c != 'u') {
+        if (PyUnicode_Check(initial)) {
+            PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "cannot use a str to initialize "
+                         "an array with typecode '%c'", c);
+            return NULL;
+        }
+        else if (array_Check(initial) &&
+                 ((arrayobject*)initial)->ob_descr->typecode == 'u') {
+            PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "cannot use a unicode array to "
+                         "initialize an array with typecode '%c'", c);
+            return NULL;
+        }
+    }
+
     if (!(initial == NULL || PyList_Check(initial)
           || PyByteArray_Check(initial)
           || PyBytes_Check(initial)