diff --git a/jax/_src/lax/lax.py b/jax/_src/lax/lax.py
index 72c8e181ef17..9325cbfc1327 100644
--- a/jax/_src/lax/lax.py
+++ b/jax/_src/lax/lax.py
@@ -2608,7 +2608,7 @@ def _dot_general_batch_rule(batched_args, batch_dims, *, dimension_numbers,
   left_stack_dim = lbd.stacked_axis if type(lbd) is RaggedAxis else lbd
   right_stack_dim = rbd.stacked_axis if type(rbd) is RaggedAxis else rbd
   new_dimension_numbers, result_stack_dim = _dot_general_batch_dim_nums(
-      (lhs.ndim, rhs.ndim), (left_stack_dim, right_stack_dim),
+      (np.ndim(lhs), np.ndim(rhs)), (left_stack_dim, right_stack_dim),
       dimension_numbers)
   # TODO Should probably check that any ragged dimensions have corresponding
   # sizes, because otherwise the dot product is technically undefined.
@@ -2619,12 +2619,12 @@ def _dot_general_batch_rule(batched_args, batch_dims, *, dimension_numbers,
     lhs = batching.mask_ragged_axes(lhs, _get_sum_identity, lbd)
     lhs_shape = batching.bdim_as_shape(lbd, lhs.shape)
   else:
-    lhs_shape = lhs.shape
+    lhs_shape = np.shape(lhs)
   if type(rbd) is RaggedAxis:
     rhs = batching.mask_ragged_axes(rhs, _get_sum_identity, rbd)
     rhs_shape = batching.bdim_as_shape(rbd, rhs.shape)
   else:
-    rhs_shape = rhs.shape
+    rhs_shape = np.shape(rhs)
   batched_out = dot_general(lhs, rhs, new_dimension_numbers,
                             precision=precision,
                             preferred_element_type=preferred_element_type)
diff --git a/tests/lax_test.py b/tests/lax_test.py
index 54212693ad5e..661b07c290e1 100644
--- a/tests/lax_test.py
+++ b/tests/lax_test.py
@@ -2664,6 +2664,14 @@ def testDynamicSliceU8Index(self):
     np.testing.assert_equal(
         np.array(lax.dynamic_slice(x, np.uint8([128]), (1,))), [128])
 
+  def test_dot_general_batching_python_builtin_arg(self):
+    # https://github.com/google/jax/issues/16805
+    @jax.remat
+    def f(x):
+      return jax.lax.dot_general(x, x, (([], []), ([], [])))
+
+    jax.hessian(f)(1.0)  # don't crash
+
 
 class LazyConstantTest(jtu.JaxTestCase):
   def _Check(self, make_const, expected):