diff --git a/lib/iris/cube.py b/lib/iris/cube.py
index 3d0854355c..431d1340d9 100644
--- a/lib/iris/cube.py
+++ b/lib/iris/cube.py
@@ -165,19 +165,25 @@ class CubeList(list):
 
     """
 
-    def __new__(cls, list_of_cubes=None):
-        """Given a :class:`list` of cubes, return a CubeList instance."""
-        cube_list = list.__new__(cls, list_of_cubes)
-
-        # Check that all items in the incoming list are cubes. Note that this
-        # checking does not guarantee that a CubeList instance *always* has
-        # just cubes in its list as the append & __getitem__ methods have not
-        # been overridden.
-        if not all([isinstance(cube, Cube) for cube in cube_list]):
+    def __init__(self, iterable_of_cubes=None):
+        """Given an iterable of cubes, return a CubeList instance."""
+        if iterable_of_cubes is None:
+            iterable_of_cubes = []
+        # Run the iterable, and capture as a list.
+        list_of_cubes = list(iterable_of_cubes)
+
+        # Check that all items in the incoming list (if any) are cubes.
+        # Note that this checking does not (yet) guarantee that a CubeList
+        # instance *always* contains only cubes, as the append & __setitem__ methods
+        # (for example), have not  been overridden.
+        if not all(isinstance(cube, Cube) for cube in list_of_cubes):
             raise ValueError(
-                "All items in list_of_cubes must be Cube " "instances."
+                "CubeList create arguments are not all Cube "
+                "instances : {}".format(list_of_cubes)
             )
-        return cube_list
+
+        # Initialise "as a" list.
+        super().__init__(list_of_cubes)
 
     def __str__(self):
         """Runs short :meth:`Cube.summary` on every cube."""
diff --git a/lib/iris/tests/unit/cube/test_CubeList.py b/lib/iris/tests/unit/cube/test_CubeList.py
index 2e7b110d60..8cd565eaff 100644
--- a/lib/iris/tests/unit/cube/test_CubeList.py
+++ b/lib/iris/tests/unit/cube/test_CubeList.py
@@ -25,6 +25,53 @@
 from iris.fileformats.pp import STASH
 
 
+class TestCreateCubelist(tests.IrisTest):
+    def test_create_no_args(self):
+        result = CubeList()
+        self.assertIsInstance(result, CubeList)
+        self.assertEqual(len(result), 0)
+
+    def test_create_empty_arg(self):
+        # In principle, any iterable should do.  So let's use a generator.
+        def empty_iter():
+            if False:
+                yield False
+
+        result = CubeList(empty_iter())
+        self.assertIsInstance(result, CubeList)
+        self.assertEqual(len(result), 0)
+
+    def test_create_single_cube(self):
+        cube = Cube([1])
+        result = CubeList([cube])
+        self.assertIsInstance(result, CubeList)
+        self.assertEqual(len(result), 1)
+        self.assertIs(result[0], cube)
+
+    def test_create_cubes(self):
+        cubes = (
+            Cube([1], long_name="a"),
+            Cube(np.arange(6).reshape((2, 3)), long_name="b"),
+        )
+        result = CubeList(cubes)
+        self.assertIsInstance(result, CubeList)
+        self.assertEqual(len(result), 2)
+        self.assertIs(result[0], cubes[0])
+        self.assertIs(result[1], cubes[1])
+
+    def test_create_fail_noncube_object(self):
+        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(ValueError, "Cube instance"):
+            CubeList([Cube([1]), []])
+
+    def test_create_fail_noncube_None(self):
+        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(ValueError, "Cube instance"):
+            CubeList([Cube([1]), None])
+
+    def test_create_fail_noncube_number(self):
+        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(ValueError, "Cube instance"):
+            CubeList([Cube([1]), 123.45])
+
+
 class Test_concatenate_cube(tests.IrisTest):
     def setUp(self):
         self.units = Unit(
@@ -592,7 +639,9 @@ class TestRealiseData(tests.IrisTest):
     def test_realise_data(self):
         # Simply check that calling CubeList.realise_data is calling
         # _lazy_data.co_realise_cubes.
-        mock_cubes_list = [mock.Mock(ident=count) for count in range(3)]
+        mock_cubes_list = [
+            mock.Mock(ident=count, spec=Cube) for count in range(3)
+        ]
         test_cubelist = CubeList(mock_cubes_list)
         call_patch = self.patch("iris._lazy_data.co_realise_cubes")
         test_cubelist.realise_data()