diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aab10658a2..82fed0b080 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ Output:
 Multiple values in a hash can be set by supplying an object:
 
     client.HMSET(key2, {
-        "0123456789": "abcdefghij", // NOTE: the key and value must both be strings
+        "0123456789": "abcdefghij", // NOTE: key and value will be coerced to strings
         "some manner of key": "a type of value"
     });
 
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index bb224a5d31..4135dc1ec9 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -957,14 +957,6 @@ RedisClient.prototype.hmset = function (args, callback) {
         for (i = 0, il = tmp_keys.length; i < il ; i++) {
             key = tmp_keys[i];
             tmp_args.push(key);
-            if (typeof args[1][key] !== "string") {
-                var err = new Error("hmset expected value to be a string", key, ":", args[1][key]);
-                if (callback) {
-                    return callback(err);
-                } else {
-                    throw err;
-                }
-            }
             tmp_args.push(args[1][key]);
         }
         args = tmp_args;
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index 1bdc4502e8..05a09ef6c1 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -1616,24 +1616,6 @@ tests.OPTIONAL_CALLBACK_UNDEFINED = function () {
     client.get("op_cb2", last(name, require_string("y", name)));
 };
 
-tests.HMSET_THROWS_ON_NON_STRINGS = function () {
-    var name = "HMSET_THROWS_ON_NON_STRINGS";
-    var hash = name;
-    var data = { "a": [ "this is not a string" ] };
-
-    client.hmset(hash, data, cb);
-    function cb(e, r) {
-        assert(e); // should be an error!
-    }
-
-    // alternative way it throws
-    function thrower() {
-        client.hmset(hash, data);
-    }
-    assert.throws(thrower);
-    next(name);
-};
-
 tests.ENABLE_OFFLINE_QUEUE_TRUE = function () {
     var name = "ENABLE_OFFLINE_QUEUE_TRUE";
     var cli = redis.createClient(9999, null, {