diff --git a/lib/mpl_toolkits/mplot3d/art3d.py b/lib/mpl_toolkits/mplot3d/art3d.py
index 53ba0fe2e559..fba8b529c708 100644
--- a/lib/mpl_toolkits/mplot3d/art3d.py
+++ b/lib/mpl_toolkits/mplot3d/art3d.py
@@ -106,9 +106,11 @@ def set_3d_properties(self, zs=0, zdir='z'):
         ys = self.get_ydata()
 
         try:
+            # If *zs* is a list or array, then this will fail and
+            # just proceed to juggle_axes().
             zs = float(zs)
             zs = [zs for x in xs]
-        except:
+        except TypeError:
             pass
         self._verts3d = juggle_axes(xs, ys, zs, zdir)
 
@@ -170,7 +172,7 @@ def set_segments(self, segments):
         '''
         Set 3D segments
         '''
-        self._segments3d = segments
+        self._segments3d = np.asanyarray(segments)
         LineCollection.set_segments(self, [])
 
     def do_3d_projection(self, renderer):