diff --git a/python/mxnet/ndarray/ndarray.py b/python/mxnet/ndarray/ndarray.py
index de2ad692adfc..2e39dc6f9889 100644
--- a/python/mxnet/ndarray/ndarray.py
+++ b/python/mxnet/ndarray/ndarray.py
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ def _sync_copyfrom(self, source_array):
         source_array = np.ascontiguousarray(source_array, dtype=self.dtype)
         if source_array.shape != self.shape:
             raise ValueError('Shape inconsistent: expected %s vs got %s'%(
-                str(self.shape), str(source_array.shape)))
+                str(source_array.shape), str(self.shape)))
         check_call(_LIB.MXNDArraySyncCopyFromCPU(
             self.handle,
             source_array.ctypes.data_as(ctypes.c_void_p),
@@ -2479,6 +2479,8 @@ def array(source_array, ctx=None, dtype=None):
     if isinstance(source_array, NDArray):
         dtype = source_array.dtype if dtype is None else dtype
     else:
+        if isinstance(source_array, (float, int)):
+            source_array = [float(source_array)]
         dtype = mx_real_t if dtype is None else dtype
         if not isinstance(source_array, np.ndarray):
             try:
diff --git a/tests/python/unittest/test_ndarray.py b/tests/python/unittest/test_ndarray.py
index a1c178f8234e..2e3c17141d7d 100644
--- a/tests/python/unittest/test_ndarray.py
+++ b/tests/python/unittest/test_ndarray.py
@@ -1471,6 +1471,24 @@ def test_dlpack():
             mx.test_utils.assert_almost_equal(a_np, d_np)
             mx.test_utils.assert_almost_equal(a_np, e_np)
 
+@with_seed()
+def test_ndarray_constant_init():
+    # a=mx.nd.array([1])
+    a=mx.nd.array(9)
+    assert(isinstance(a,mx.nd.NDArray))    
+
+@with_seed()
+def test_symbol_constant_init():
+    # a=mx.nd.array([1])
+    a = mx.sym.Variable('a')
+    b = mx.sym.Variable('b')
+    c = a * b
+    d = c.eval(a=mx.nd.array(2),b=mx.nd.array(3))
+    assert(isinstance(d[0],mx.nd.NDArray))
+    e = c.bind(ctx=mx.cpu(),args=[mx.nd.array(2),mx.nd.array(3)])
+    f = e.forward()
+    assert(isinstance(f[0],mx.nd.NDArray))
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     import nose
     nose.runmodule()