diff --git a/Lib/test/test_urllib2.py b/Lib/test/test_urllib2.py
index c9dcf5ef7be4..90e177173374 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_urllib2.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_urllib2.py
@@ -381,6 +381,12 @@ def find_user_password(self, realm, authuri):
 
 class OpenerDirectorTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
+    def test_add_non_handler(self):
+        class NonHandler(object):
+            pass
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError,
+                          OpenerDirector().add_handler, NonHandler())
+
     def test_badly_named_methods(self):
         # test work-around for three methods that accidentally follow the
         # naming conventions for handler methods
diff --git a/Lib/urllib2.py b/Lib/urllib2.py
index 415c991ad32d..b2cec727fa78 100644
--- a/Lib/urllib2.py
+++ b/Lib/urllib2.py
@@ -295,6 +295,10 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.process_request = {}
 
     def add_handler(self, handler):
+        if not hasattr(handler, "add_parent"):
+            raise TypeError("expected BaseHandler instance, got %r" %
+                            type(handler))
+
         added = False
         for meth in dir(handler):
             if meth in ["redirect_request", "do_open", "proxy_open"]: