diff --git a/jc/parsers/csv_s.py b/jc/parsers/csv_s.py
index acde6825..eecb7de3 100644
--- a/jc/parsers/csv_s.py
+++ b/jc/parsers/csv_s.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ from jc.exceptions import ParseError
 
 class info():
     """Provides parser metadata (version, author, etc.)"""
-    version = '1.0'
+    version = '1.1'
     description = 'CSV file streaming parser'
     author = 'Kelly Brazil'
     author_email = 'kellyjonbrazil@gmail.com'
@@ -95,8 +95,9 @@ def parse(data, raw=False, quiet=False, ignore_exceptions=False):
 
         Iterator object
     """
-    if not quiet:
-        jc.utils.compatibility(__name__, info.compatible)
+    if not quiet: jc.utils.compatibility(__name__, info.compatible)
+    if not hasattr(data, '__iter__') or isinstance(data, (str, bytes)):
+        raise TypeError("Input data must be a non-string iterable object.")
 
     # convert data to an iterable in case a sequence like a list is used as input.
     # this allows the exhaustion of the input so we don't double-process later.
diff --git a/tests/test_csv_s.py b/tests/test_csv_s.py
index 4de2aec6..5a9707ce 100644
--- a/tests/test_csv_s.py
+++ b/tests/test_csv_s.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class MyTests(unittest.TestCase):
         """
         Test CSV parser with no data
         """
-        self.assertEqual(list(jc.parsers.csv_s.parse('', quiet=True)), [])
+        self.assertEqual(list(jc.parsers.csv_s.parse([], quiet=True)), [])
 
     def test_csv_unparsable(self):
         """