diff --git a/exdir/core/group.py b/exdir/core/group.py
index c3439ce..a6b8886 100644
--- a/exdir/core/group.py
+++ b/exdir/core/group.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 def _data_to_shape_and_dtype(data, shape, dtype):
     if data is not None:
         if shape is None:
-            shape = data.shape
+            shape = np.shape(data)
         if dtype is None:
             dtype = data.dtype
         return shape, dtype
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ def _data_to_shape_and_dtype(data, shape, dtype):
 
 def _assert_data_shape_dtype_match(data, shape, dtype):
     if data is not None:
-        if shape is not None and np.product(shape) != np.product(data.shape):
+        if shape is not None and np.product(shape) != np.product(np.shape(data)):
             raise ValueError(
                 "Provided shape and data.shape do not match: {} vs {}".format(
-                    shape, data.shape
+                    shape, np.shape(shape)
                 )
             )
 
@@ -113,12 +113,15 @@ def create_dataset(self, name, shape=None, dtype=None,
 
         prepared_data, attrs, meta = ds._prepare_write(data, self.plugin_manager.dataset_plugins.write_order)
 
+        if not isinstance(prepared_data, np.ndarray) and prepared_data is not None:
+            prepared_data = np.array(prepared_data)
+
         _assert_data_shape_dtype_match(prepared_data, shape, dtype)
 
         shape, dtype = _data_to_shape_and_dtype(prepared_data, shape, dtype)
 
         if prepared_data is not None:
-            if shape is not None and prepared_data.shape != shape:
+            if shape is not None and np.shape(prepared_data) != shape:
                 prepared_data = np.reshape(prepared_data, shape)
         else:
             if shape is None:
diff --git a/tests/test_dataset.py b/tests/test_dataset.py
index aa8ad20..67d70e3 100644
--- a/tests/test_dataset.py
+++ b/tests/test_dataset.py
@@ -102,6 +102,17 @@ def test_create_scalar_data(setup_teardown_file):
     assert dset.shape == data.shape
 
 
+def test_create_list_data(setup_teardown_file):
+    """Create a scalar dataset from existing array."""
+    f = setup_teardown_file[3]
+    grp = f.create_group("test")
+
+    data = [1, 2, 3]
+    dset = grp.create_dataset('foo', data=data)
+    assert dset.shape == (3,)
+    assert np.array_equal(dset.data, np.array(data))
+
+
 def test_create_extended_data(setup_teardown_file):
     """Create an extended dataset from existing data."""
     f = setup_teardown_file[3]