diff --git a/include/xtensor-python/pyarray.hpp b/include/xtensor-python/pyarray.hpp
index 648c80d..b7fc162 100644
--- a/include/xtensor-python/pyarray.hpp
+++ b/include/xtensor-python/pyarray.hpp
@@ -42,8 +42,15 @@ namespace pybind11
         {
             using type = xt::pyarray<T>;
 
-            bool load(handle src, bool)
+            bool load(handle src, bool convert)
             {
+              if (!convert) {
+                if (!PyArray_Check(src.ptr()))
+                  return false;
+                int type_num = xt::detail::numpy_traits<T>::type_num;
+                if (PyArray_TYPE(reinterpret_cast<PyArrayObject*>(src.ptr())) != type_num)
+                  return false;
+              }
                 value = type::ensure(src);
                 return static_cast<bool>(value);
             }
diff --git a/include/xtensor-python/pytensor.hpp b/include/xtensor-python/pytensor.hpp
index 69f2916..97b265c 100644
--- a/include/xtensor-python/pytensor.hpp
+++ b/include/xtensor-python/pytensor.hpp
@@ -43,9 +43,16 @@ namespace pybind11
         {
             using type = xt::pytensor<T, N>;
 
-            bool load(handle src, bool)
+            bool load(handle src, bool convert)
             {
-                value = type::ensure(src);
+              if (!convert) {
+                if (!PyArray_Check(src.ptr()))
+                  return false;
+                int type_num = xt::detail::numpy_traits<T>::type_num;
+                if (PyArray_TYPE(reinterpret_cast<PyArrayObject*>(src.ptr())) != type_num)
+                  return false;
+              }
+              value = type::ensure(src);
                 return static_cast<bool>(value);
             }