diff --git a/src/qonnx/core/datatype.py b/src/qonnx/core/datatype.py
index f37d4eea..4bdffdf9 100644
--- a/src/qonnx/core/datatype.py
+++ b/src/qonnx/core/datatype.py
@@ -376,6 +376,10 @@ def get_canonical_name(self):
 
 
 def resolve_datatype(name):
+
+    if not isinstance(name, str):
+        raise TypeError(f"Input 'name' must be of type 'str', but got type '{type(name).__name__}'")
+
     _special_types = {
         "BINARY": IntType(1, False),
         "BIPOLAR": BipolarType(),
diff --git a/tests/core/test_datatypes.py b/tests/core/test_datatypes.py
index 1bd0fece..e98a885f 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_datatypes.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_datatypes.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 
 from qonnx.core.datatype import DataType
+from qonnx.core.datatype import resolve_datatype
 
 
 def test_datatypes():
@@ -97,3 +98,53 @@ def test_smallest_possible():
     assert DataType.get_smallest_possible(-1) == DataType["BIPOLAR"]
     assert DataType.get_smallest_possible(-3) == DataType["INT3"]
     assert DataType.get_smallest_possible(-3.2) == DataType["FLOAT32"]
+
+
+def test_resolve_datatype():
+    assert resolve_datatype("BIPOLAR")
+    assert resolve_datatype("BINARY")
+    assert resolve_datatype("TERNARY")
+    assert resolve_datatype("UINT2")
+    assert resolve_datatype("UINT3")
+    assert resolve_datatype("UINT4")
+    assert resolve_datatype("UINT8")
+    assert resolve_datatype("UINT16")
+    assert resolve_datatype("UINT32")
+    assert resolve_datatype("INT2")
+    assert resolve_datatype("INT3")
+    assert resolve_datatype("INT4")
+    assert resolve_datatype("INT8")
+    assert resolve_datatype("INT16")
+    assert resolve_datatype("INT32")
+    assert resolve_datatype("FLOAT32")
+
+
+def test_input_type_error():
+
+    def test_resolve_datatype(input):
+        # test with invalid input to check if the TypeError works
+        try:
+            resolve_datatype(input)  # This should raise a TypeError
+        except TypeError as e:
+            pass
+        else:
+            print("Test with invalid input failed: No TypeError was raised.")
+
+    test_resolve_datatype(123)
+    test_resolve_datatype(1.23)
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["BIPOLAR"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["BINARY"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["TERNARY"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["UINT2"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["UINT3"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["UINT4"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["UINT8"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["UINT16"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["UINT32"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["INT2"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["INT3"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["INT4"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["INT8"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["INT16"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["INT32"])
+    test_resolve_datatype(DataType["FLOAT32"])