diff --git a/torch/csrc/jit/pybind_utils.h b/torch/csrc/jit/pybind_utils.h
index 083b22ed016..e6493224816 100644
--- a/torch/csrc/jit/pybind_utils.h
+++ b/torch/csrc/jit/pybind_utils.h
@@ -321,14 +321,14 @@ inline IValue createGenericList(py::handle obj, const TypePtr& elem_type) {
 }
 
 inline IValue createGenericDict(
-    py::handle obj,
+    py::dict obj,
     const TypePtr& key_type,
     const TypePtr& value_type) {
   c10::impl::GenericDict elems(key_type, value_type);
   elems.reserve(py::len(obj));
-  for (auto key : obj) {
+  for (auto entry : obj) {
     elems.insert(
-        toIValue(key, key_type), toIValue(obj[key], value_type));
+        toIValue(entry.first, key_type), toIValue(entry.second, value_type));
   }
   return IValue(std::move(elems));
 }
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ inline IValue toIValue(
     case TypeKind::DictType: {
       const auto& dict_type = type->expect<DictType>();
       return createGenericDict(
-          obj, dict_type->getKeyType(), dict_type->getValueType());
+          py::cast<py::dict>(obj), dict_type->getKeyType(), dict_type->getValueType());
     }
     case TypeKind::OptionalType: {
       // check if it's a none obj since optional accepts NoneType