diff --git a/src/vim9compile.c b/src/vim9compile.c
index ed069b7..db24eae 100644
--- a/src/vim9compile.c
+++ b/src/vim9compile.c
@@ -6062,15 +6062,15 @@
 	return NULL;
     }
 
-    // now we know the type of "var"
+    // Now that we know the type of "var", check that it is a list, now or at
+    // runtime.
     vartype = ((type_T **)stack->ga_data)[stack->ga_len - 1];
-    if (vartype->tt_type != VAR_LIST)
+    if (need_type(vartype, &t_list_any, -1, cctx) == FAIL)
     {
-	emsg(_("E1024: need a List to iterate over"));
 	drop_scope(cctx);
 	return NULL;
     }
-    if (vartype->tt_member->tt_type != VAR_ANY)
+    if (vartype->tt_type == VAR_LIST && vartype->tt_member->tt_type != VAR_ANY)
 	var_lvar->lv_type = vartype->tt_member;
 
     // "for_end" is set when ":endfor" is found