diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/cbook/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/cbook/__init__.py
index 2c5661253873..88b35e171677 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/cbook/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/cbook/__init__.py
@@ -1393,7 +1393,7 @@ def _reshape_2D(X, name):
     """
     # Iterate over columns for ndarrays, over rows otherwise.
     X = np.atleast_1d(X.T if isinstance(X, np.ndarray) else np.asarray(X))
-    if X.ndim == 1 and X.dtype.type != np.object_:
+    if X.ndim == 1 and not isinstance(X[0], collections.abc.Iterable):
         # 1D array of scalars: directly return it.
         return [X]
     elif X.ndim in [1, 2]:
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cbook.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cbook.py
index 745844fb6a1c..8253b8a08da2 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cbook.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cbook.py
@@ -482,3 +482,24 @@ def test_flatiter():
 
     assert 0 == next(it)
     assert 1 == next(it)
+
+
+def test_reshape2d():
+    class dummy():
+        pass
+    x = [dummy() for j in range(5)]
+    xnew = cbook._reshape_2D(x, 'x')
+    assert np.shape(xnew) == (1, 5)
+
+    x = np.arange(5)
+    xnew = cbook._reshape_2D(x, 'x')
+    assert np.shape(xnew) == (1, 5)
+
+    x = [[dummy() for j in range(5)] for i in range(3)]
+    xnew = cbook._reshape_2D(x, 'x')
+    assert np.shape(xnew) == (3, 5)
+
+    # this is strange behaviour, but...
+    x = np.random.rand(3, 5)
+    xnew = cbook._reshape_2D(x, 'x')
+    assert np.shape(xnew) == (5, 3)