diff --git a/python/rpm/transaction.py b/python/rpm/transaction.py
index ab13ccd92..991fd9a91 100644
--- a/python/rpm/transaction.py
+++ b/python/rpm/transaction.py
@@ -85,14 +85,22 @@ class TransactionSet(TransactionSetCore):
 
     def addErase(self, item):
         hdrs = []
-        if isinstance(item, rpm.hdr):
-            hdrs = [item]
-        elif isinstance(item, rpm.mi):
+        # match iterators are passed on as-is
+        if isinstance(item, rpm.mi):
             hdrs = item
-        elif isinstance(item, int):
-            hdrs = self.dbMatch(rpm.RPMDBI_PACKAGES, item)
-        elif isinstance(item, str):
-            hdrs = self.dbMatch(rpm.RPMDBI_LABEL, item)
+        elif isinstance(item, rpm.hdr):
+            hdrs.append(item)
+        elif isinstance(item, (int, str)):
+            if isinstance(item, int):
+                dbi = rpm.RPMDBI_PACKAGES
+            else:
+                dbi = rpm.RPMDBI_LABEL
+
+            for h in self.dbMatch(dbi, item):
+                hdrs.append(h)
+
+            if not hdrs:
+                raise rpm.error("package not installed")
         else:
             raise TypeError("invalid type %s" % type(item))
 
@@ -100,10 +108,6 @@ class TransactionSet(TransactionSetCore):
             if not TransactionSetCore.addErase(self, h):
                 raise rpm.error("adding erasure to transaction failed")
 
-        # garbage collection should take care but just in case...
-        if isinstance(hdrs, rpm.mi):
-            del hdrs
-
     def run(self, callback, data):
         rc = TransactionSetCore.run(self, callback, data, self._probFilter)
 
diff --git a/tests/rpmpython.at b/tests/rpmpython.at
index 195784147..58a3de671 100644
--- a/tests/rpmpython.at
+++ b/tests/rpmpython.at
@@ -259,6 +259,28 @@ for e in ts:
 [foo-1.0-1.noarch]
 )
 
+RPMPY_TEST([add erasure to transaction],[
+ts = rpm.ts()
+for i in ['foo', 1234]:
+    myprint('addErase %s' % i)
+    try:
+        ts.addErase(i)
+    except rpm.error as err:
+        myprint(err)
+myprint('addErase mi')
+mi = ts.dbMatch('name', 'foo')
+try:
+    ts.addErase(mi)
+except rpm.error as err:
+    myprint(err)
+],
+[addErase foo
+package not installed
+addErase 1234
+package not installed
+addErase mi]
+)
+
 RPMPY_TEST([add bogus package to transaction 1],[
 ts = rpm.ts()
 h = rpm.hdr()