diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ast.py b/Lib/test/test_ast.py
index ac79989796d..366269fe405 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ast.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ast.py
@@ -373,12 +373,8 @@ class AST_Tests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(x.right, 3)
         self.assertEqual(x.lineno, 0)
 
-        # node raises exception when not given enough arguments
-        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ast.BinOp, 1, 2)
         # node raises exception when given too many arguments
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, ast.BinOp, 1, 2, 3, 4)
-        # node raises exception when not given enough arguments
-        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ast.BinOp, 1, 2, lineno=0)
         # node raises exception when given too many arguments
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, ast.BinOp, 1, 2, 3, 4, lineno=0)
 
diff --git a/Parser/asdl_c.py b/Parser/asdl_c.py
index 444cdea341d..096f5f8c749 100644
--- a/Parser/asdl_c.py
+++ b/Parser/asdl_c.py
@@ -664,29 +664,27 @@ ast_type_init(PyObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kw)
         if (numfields == -1)
             goto cleanup;
     }
+
     res = 0; /* if no error occurs, this stays 0 to the end */
-    if (PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args) > 0) {
-        if (numfields != PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args)) {
-            PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "%.400s constructor takes %s"
-                         "%zd positional argument%s",
-                         Py_TYPE(self)->tp_name,
-                         numfields == 0 ? "" : "either 0 or ",
-                         numfields, numfields == 1 ? "" : "s");
+    if (numfields < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args)) {
+        PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "%.400s constructor takes at most "
+                     "%zd positional argument%s",
+                     Py_TYPE(self)->tp_name,
+                     numfields, numfields == 1 ? "" : "s");
+        res = -1;
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args); i++) {
+        /* cannot be reached when fields is NULL */
+        PyObject *name = PySequence_GetItem(fields, i);
+        if (!name) {
             res = -1;
             goto cleanup;
         }
-        for (i = 0; i < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args); i++) {
-            /* cannot be reached when fields is NULL */
-            PyObject *name = PySequence_GetItem(fields, i);
-            if (!name) {
-                res = -1;
-                goto cleanup;
-            }
-            res = PyObject_SetAttr(self, name, PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, i));
-            Py_DECREF(name);
-            if (res < 0)
-                goto cleanup;
-        }
+        res = PyObject_SetAttr(self, name, PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, i));
+        Py_DECREF(name);
+        if (res < 0)
+            goto cleanup;
     }
     if (kw) {
         i = 0;  /* needed by PyDict_Next */
diff --git a/Python/Python-ast.c b/Python/Python-ast.c
index a6a49f78b1e..2759b2fe9c4 100644
--- a/Python/Python-ast.c
+++ b/Python/Python-ast.c
@@ -551,29 +551,27 @@ ast_type_init(PyObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kw)
         if (numfields == -1)
             goto cleanup;
     }
+
     res = 0; /* if no error occurs, this stays 0 to the end */
-    if (PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args) > 0) {
-        if (numfields != PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args)) {
-            PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "%.400s constructor takes %s"
-                         "%zd positional argument%s",
-                         Py_TYPE(self)->tp_name,
-                         numfields == 0 ? "" : "either 0 or ",
-                         numfields, numfields == 1 ? "" : "s");
+    if (numfields < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args)) {
+        PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "%.400s constructor takes at most "
+                     "%zd positional argument%s",
+                     Py_TYPE(self)->tp_name,
+                     numfields, numfields == 1 ? "" : "s");
+        res = -1;
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args); i++) {
+        /* cannot be reached when fields is NULL */
+        PyObject *name = PySequence_GetItem(fields, i);
+        if (!name) {
             res = -1;
             goto cleanup;
         }
-        for (i = 0; i < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args); i++) {
-            /* cannot be reached when fields is NULL */
-            PyObject *name = PySequence_GetItem(fields, i);
-            if (!name) {
-                res = -1;
-                goto cleanup;
-            }
-            res = PyObject_SetAttr(self, name, PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, i));
-            Py_DECREF(name);
-            if (res < 0)
-                goto cleanup;
-        }
+        res = PyObject_SetAttr(self, name, PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, i));
+        Py_DECREF(name);
+        if (res < 0)
+            goto cleanup;
     }
     if (kw) {
         i = 0;  /* needed by PyDict_Next */