diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/core/dataframe.py b/python/cudf/cudf/core/dataframe.py
index 5a3d25a08a7..0557a671ecb 100644
--- a/python/cudf/cudf/core/dataframe.py
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/core/dataframe.py
@@ -852,12 +852,13 @@ def _init_from_list_like(self, data, index=None, columns=None):
         elif len(data) > 0 and isinstance(data[0], pd._libs.interval.Interval):
             data = DataFrame.from_pandas(pd.DataFrame(data))
             self._data = data._data
+        elif any(
+            not isinstance(col, (abc.Iterable, abc.Sequence)) for col in data
+        ):
+            raise TypeError("Inputs should be an iterable or sequence.")
+        elif len(data) > 0 and not can_convert_to_column(data[0]):
+            raise ValueError("Must pass 2-d input.")
         else:
-            if any(
-                not isinstance(col, (abc.Iterable, abc.Sequence))
-                for col in data
-            ):
-                raise TypeError("Inputs should be an iterable or sequence.")
             if (
                 len(data) > 0
                 and columns is None
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/tests/test_dataframe.py b/python/cudf/cudf/tests/test_dataframe.py
index 61372bab3ad..49419bc4322 100644
--- a/python/cudf/cudf/tests/test_dataframe.py
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/tests/test_dataframe.py
@@ -10260,6 +10260,12 @@ def __getitem__(self, key):
         cudf.DataFrame({"a": A()})
 
 
+def test_dataframe_constructor_dataframe_list():
+    df = cudf.DataFrame(range(2))
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        cudf.DataFrame([df])
+
+
 def test_dataframe_constructor_from_namedtuple():
     Point1 = namedtuple("Point1", ["a", "b", "c"])
     Point2 = namedtuple("Point1", ["x", "y"])