diff --git a/Lib/distutils/cmd.py b/Lib/distutils/cmd.py
index c6572caa5f2..4669dc2d971 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/cmd.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/cmd.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ in the distutils.command package.
 __revision__ = "$Id$"
 
 import sys, os, re
-from distutils.errors import *
+from distutils.errors import DistutilsOptionError
 from distutils import util, dir_util, file_util, archive_util, dep_util
 from distutils import log
 
diff --git a/Lib/distutils/tests/test_cmd.py b/Lib/distutils/tests/test_cmd.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..19079c033fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Lib/distutils/tests/test_cmd.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+"""Tests for distutils.cmd."""
+import unittest
+
+from distutils.cmd import Command
+from distutils.dist import Distribution
+from distutils.errors import DistutilsOptionError
+
+class CommandTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_ensure_string_list(self):
+
+        class MyCmd(Command):
+
+            def initialize_options(self):
+                pass
+
+        dist = Distribution()
+        cmd = MyCmd(dist)
+
+        cmd.not_string_list = ['one', 2, 'three']
+        cmd.yes_string_list = ['one', 'two', 'three']
+        cmd.not_string_list2 = object()
+        cmd.yes_string_list2 = 'ok'
+
+        cmd.ensure_string_list('yes_string_list')
+        cmd.ensure_string_list('yes_string_list2')
+
+        self.assertRaises(DistutilsOptionError,
+                          cmd.ensure_string_list, 'not_string_list')
+
+        self.assertRaises(DistutilsOptionError,
+                          cmd.ensure_string_list, 'not_string_list2')
+
+def test_suite():
+    return unittest.makeSuite(CommandTestCase)
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    test_support.run_unittest(test_suite())