diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index a0e2b06289..92a1b7e790 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ https://github.com/zopefoundation/Zope/blob/4.x/CHANGES.rst
 5.0a1 (unreleased)
 ------------------
 
+- The method ``unrestrictedTraverse`` raises an error when
+  the argument ``path`` is not something it can work with
+  (`#674 <https://github.com/zopefoundation/Zope/issues/674>`_)
+
 - Improve ZMI Security Tab usability for high numbers of roles
   (`#730 <https://github.com/zopefoundation/Zope/issues/730>`_)
 
diff --git a/src/OFS/Traversable.py b/src/OFS/Traversable.py
index 4b940c3c48..ea13a2572f 100644
--- a/src/OFS/Traversable.py
+++ b/src/OFS/Traversable.py
@@ -172,10 +172,14 @@ def unrestrictedTraverse(self, path, default=_marker, restricted=False):
             return self
 
         if isinstance(path, str):
-            # Only native strings are allowed
             path = path.split('/')
         else:
             path = list(path)
+            for part in path:
+                if not isinstance(part, str):
+                    raise TypeError(
+                        "path should be a string or an iterable of strings"
+                    )
 
         REQUEST = {'TraversalRequestNameStack': path}
         path.reverse()
diff --git a/src/OFS/tests/testTraverse.py b/src/OFS/tests/testTraverse.py
index e387d63dd1..ee316aaa9f 100644
--- a/src/OFS/tests/testTraverse.py
+++ b/src/OFS/tests/testTraverse.py
@@ -425,6 +425,24 @@ def testTraverseToNameStartingWithPlus(self):
         self.assertTrue(
             self.folder1.unrestrictedTraverse('+something') == 'plus')
 
+    def testTraverseWrongType(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            self.folder1.unrestrictedTraverse(1)
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            self.folder1.unrestrictedTraverse(b"foo")
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            self.folder1.unrestrictedTraverse(["foo", b"bar"])
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            self.folder1.unrestrictedTraverse(("foo", None))
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            self.folder1.unrestrictedTraverse({1, "foo"})
+
+    def testTraverseEmptyPath(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self.folder1.unrestrictedTraverse(None), self.folder1)
+        self.assertEqual(self.folder1.unrestrictedTraverse(""), self.folder1)
+        self.assertEqual(self.folder1.unrestrictedTraverse([]), self.folder1)
+        self.assertEqual(self.folder1.unrestrictedTraverse({}), self.folder1)
+
 
 class SimpleClass(object):
     """Class with no __bobo_traverse__."""