diff --git a/python-package/xgboost/core.py b/python-package/xgboost/core.py
index 8e282cae9..b54718f43 100644
--- a/python-package/xgboost/core.py
+++ b/python-package/xgboost/core.py
@@ -766,8 +766,14 @@ class DMatrix(object):
         """
         if feature_names is not None:
             # validate feature name
-            if not isinstance(feature_names, list):
-                feature_names = list(feature_names)
+            try:
+                if not isinstance(feature_names, str):
+                    feature_names = [n for n in iter(feature_names)]
+                else:
+                    feature_names = [feature_names]
+            except TypeError:
+                feature_names = [feature_names]
+
             if len(feature_names) != len(set(feature_names)):
                 raise ValueError('feature_names must be unique')
             if len(feature_names) != self.num_col():
@@ -796,7 +802,6 @@ class DMatrix(object):
             Labels for features. None will reset existing feature names
         """
         if feature_types is not None:
-
             if self._feature_names is None:
                 msg = 'Unable to set feature types before setting names'
                 raise ValueError(msg)
@@ -805,8 +810,14 @@ class DMatrix(object):
                 # single string will be applied to all columns
                 feature_types = [feature_types] * self.num_col()
 
-            if not isinstance(feature_types, list):
-                feature_types = list(feature_types)
+            try:
+                if not isinstance(feature_types, str):
+                    feature_types = [n for n in iter(feature_types)]
+                else:
+                    feature_types = [feature_types]
+            except TypeError:
+                feature_types = [feature_types]
+
             if len(feature_types) != self.num_col():
                 msg = 'feature_types must have the same length as data'
                 raise ValueError(msg)