diff --git a/django/db/models/query.py b/django/db/models/query.py
index 324554eb785..0fc48f8a41c 100644
--- a/django/db/models/query.py
+++ b/django/db/models/query.py
@@ -413,8 +413,6 @@ class QuerySet(object):
         """
         assert self.query.can_filter(), \
                 "Cannot use 'limit' or 'offset' with in_bulk"
-        assert isinstance(id_list, (tuple,  list, set, frozenset)), \
-                "in_bulk() must be provided with a list of IDs."
         if not id_list:
             return {}
         qs = self._clone()
diff --git a/tests/modeltests/lookup/tests.py b/tests/modeltests/lookup/tests.py
index cf18a83945a..3f40bf10f53 100644
--- a/tests/modeltests/lookup/tests.py
+++ b/tests/modeltests/lookup/tests.py
@@ -115,7 +115,8 @@ class LookupTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(Article.objects.in_bulk((self.a3.id,)), {self.a3.id: self.a3})
         self.assertEqual(Article.objects.in_bulk([1000]), {})
         self.assertEqual(Article.objects.in_bulk([]), {})
-        self.assertRaises(AssertionError, Article.objects.in_bulk, 'foo')
+        self.assertEqual(Article.objects.in_bulk(iter([self.a1.id])), {self.a1.id: self.a1})
+        self.assertEqual(Article.objects.in_bulk(iter([])), {})
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, Article.objects.in_bulk)
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, Article.objects.in_bulk, headline__startswith='Blah')