diff --git a/py/objarray.c b/py/objarray.c
index 2d363392dd..220969ee20 100644
--- a/py/objarray.c
+++ b/py/objarray.c
@@ -195,6 +195,9 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t bytearray_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type_in, size_t n_args,
         // no args: construct an empty bytearray
         return MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(array_new(BYTEARRAY_TYPECODE, 0));
     } else if (mp_obj_is_int(args[0])) {
+        if (n_args > 1) {
+            mp_raise_TypeError(MP_ERROR_TEXT("wrong number of arguments"));
+        }
         // 1 arg, an integer: construct a blank bytearray of that length
         mp_uint_t len = mp_obj_get_int(args[0]);
         mp_obj_array_t *o = array_new(BYTEARRAY_TYPECODE, len);
diff --git a/py/objstr.c b/py/objstr.c
index f95624960d..f29a954fb2 100644
--- a/py/objstr.c
+++ b/py/objstr.c
@@ -233,6 +233,10 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t bytes_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type_in, size_t n_args, cons
         return MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(o);
     }
 
+    if (n_args > 1) {
+        goto wrong_args;
+    }
+
     if (mp_obj_is_small_int(args[0])) {
         mp_int_t len = MP_OBJ_SMALL_INT_VALUE(args[0]);
         if (len < 0) {
@@ -244,10 +248,6 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t bytes_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type_in, size_t n_args, cons
         return mp_obj_new_str_from_vstr(&mp_type_bytes, &vstr);
     }
 
-    if (n_args > 1) {
-        goto wrong_args;
-    }
-
     // check if __bytes__ exists, and if so delegate to it
     mp_obj_t dest[2];
     mp_load_method_maybe(args[0], MP_QSTR___bytes__, dest);