diff --git a/py/objlist.c b/py/objlist.c
index 9e30ebb..0ef685d 100644
--- a/py/objlist.c
+++ b/py/objlist.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
 }
 
 STATIC mp_obj_t list_make_new(mp_obj_t type_in, uint n_args, uint n_kw, const mp_obj_t *args) {
-    // TODO check n_kw == 0
+    mp_arg_check_num(n_args, n_kw, 0, 1, false);
 
     switch (n_args) {
         case 0:
@@ -77,15 +77,12 @@
             return mp_obj_new_list(0, NULL);
 
         case 1:
-        {
+        default: {
             // make list from iterable
             // TODO: optimize list/tuple
             mp_obj_t list = mp_obj_new_list(0, NULL);
             return list_extend_from_iter(list, args[0]);
         }
-
-        default:
-            nlr_raise(mp_obj_new_exception_msg_varg(&mp_type_TypeError, "list takes at most 1 argument, %d given", n_args));
     }
 }