diff --git a/py/compile.c b/py/compile.c
index b2811e9585..cf9e5079b0 100644
--- a/py/compile.c
+++ b/py/compile.c
@@ -1444,8 +1444,9 @@ STATIC void compile_for_stmt(compiler_t *comp, mp_parse_node_struct_t *pns) {
                     pn_range_start = args[0];
                     pn_range_end = args[1];
                     pn_range_step = args[2];
-                    // We need to know sign of step. This is possible only if it's constant
-                    if (!MP_PARSE_NODE_IS_SMALL_INT(pn_range_step)) {
+                    // the step must be a non-zero constant integer to do the optimisation
+                    if (!MP_PARSE_NODE_IS_SMALL_INT(pn_range_step)
+                        || MP_PARSE_NODE_LEAF_SMALL_INT(pn_range_step) == 0) {
                         optimize = false;
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/py/objrange.c b/py/objrange.c
index 5bf0bc7a97..c78c53f11c 100644
--- a/py/objrange.c
+++ b/py/objrange.c
@@ -105,8 +105,10 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t range_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args, size_t
         o->start = mp_obj_get_int(args[0]);
         o->stop = mp_obj_get_int(args[1]);
         if (n_args == 3) {
-            // TODO check step is non-zero
             o->step = mp_obj_get_int(args[2]);
+            if (o->step == 0) {
+                mp_raise_ValueError("zero step");
+            }
         }
     }