diff --git a/python/ray/actor.py b/python/ray/actor.py
index 51756b1a00fe..62c3c5e68b68 100644
--- a/python/ray/actor.py
+++ b/python/ray/actor.py
@@ -884,13 +884,15 @@ def _serialization_helper(self, ray_forking):
             "actor_id": self._ray_actor_id.id(),
             "class_name": self._ray_class_name,
             "actor_forks": self._ray_actor_forks,
-            "actor_cursor": self._ray_actor_cursor.id(),
+            "actor_cursor": self._ray_actor_cursor.id()
+            if self._ray_actor_cursor is not None else None,
             "actor_counter": 0,  # Reset the actor counter.
             "actor_method_names": self._ray_actor_method_names,
             "method_signatures": self._ray_method_signatures,
             "method_num_return_vals": self._ray_method_num_return_vals,
             "actor_creation_dummy_object_id": self.
-            _ray_actor_creation_dummy_object_id.id(),
+            _ray_actor_creation_dummy_object_id.id()
+            if self._ray_actor_creation_dummy_object_id is not None else None,
             "actor_method_cpus": self._ray_actor_method_cpus,
             "actor_driver_id": self._ray_actor_driver_id.id(),
             "previous_actor_handle_id": self._ray_actor_handle_id.id()
@@ -929,12 +931,14 @@ def _deserialization_helper(self, state, ray_forking):
         self.__init__(
             ray.ObjectID(state["actor_id"]),
             state["class_name"],
-            ray.ObjectID(state["actor_cursor"]),
+            ray.ObjectID(state["actor_cursor"])
+            if state["actor_cursor"] is not None else None,
             state["actor_counter"],
             state["actor_method_names"],
             state["method_signatures"],
             state["method_num_return_vals"],
-            ray.ObjectID(state["actor_creation_dummy_object_id"]),
+            ray.ObjectID(state["actor_creation_dummy_object_id"])
+            if state["actor_creation_dummy_object_id"] is not None else None,
             state["actor_method_cpus"],
             actor_driver_id,
             actor_handle_id=actor_handle_id,
diff --git a/test/runtest.py b/test/runtest.py
index 0a20dae380df..ed209299ecd6 100644
--- a/test/runtest.py
+++ b/test/runtest.py
@@ -1189,6 +1189,16 @@ def modify_and_set_array(self, array):
         test_array[0] = -1
         assert_equal(test_array, test_actor.get_array.remote())
 
+        # Check that actor handles work in Python mode.
+
+        @ray.remote
+        def use_actor_handle(handle):
+            array = np.ones(10)
+            handle.set_array.remote(array)
+            assert np.alltrue(array == ray.get(handle.get_array.remote()))
+
+        ray.get(use_actor_handle.remote(test_actor))
+
 
 class ResourcesTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def tearDown(self):