diff --git a/RELEASE.rst b/RELEASE.rst
index 2c47c043dd84d..ae98884f0f683 100644
--- a/RELEASE.rst
+++ b/RELEASE.rst
@@ -49,12 +49,14 @@ pandas 0.12.0
     lacking. (GH3164_)
   - Fix to_csv issue when having a large number of rows and ``NaT`` in some 
     columns (GH3437_)
+  - ``.loc`` was not raising when passed an integer list (GH3449_)
 
 .. _GH3164: https://github.com/pydata/pandas/issues/3164
 .. _GH3251: https://github.com/pydata/pandas/issues/3251
 .. _GH3379: https://github.com/pydata/pandas/issues/3379
 .. _GH3038: https://github.com/pydata/pandas/issues/3038
 .. _GH3437: https://github.com/pydata/pandas/issues/3437
+.. _GH3449: https://github.com/pydata/pandas/issues/3449
 
 
 
diff --git a/pandas/core/indexing.py b/pandas/core/indexing.py
index 882f4f5559a92..70fe378ad3c07 100644
--- a/pandas/core/indexing.py
+++ b/pandas/core/indexing.py
@@ -253,13 +253,13 @@ def _getitem_tuple(self, tup):
         except IndexingError:
             pass
 
+        # no multi-index, so validate all of the indexers
+        self._has_valid_tuple(tup)
+
         # ugly hack for GH #836
         if self._multi_take_opportunity(tup):
             return self._multi_take(tup)
 
-        # no multi-index, so validate all of the indexers
-        self._has_valid_tuple(tup)
-
         # no shortcut needed
         retval = self.obj
         for i, key in enumerate(tup):
diff --git a/pandas/tests/test_indexing.py b/pandas/tests/test_indexing.py
index bc717a0fbf6d1..002282a21162d 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/test_indexing.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/test_indexing.py
@@ -483,6 +483,16 @@ def test_loc_getitem_int_slice(self):
         expected = df[10]
         assert_frame_equal(result,expected)
 
+    def test_loc_to_fail(self):
+
+        # GH3449
+        df = DataFrame(np.random.random((3, 3)),
+                       index=['a', 'b', 'c'],
+                       columns=['e', 'f', 'g'])
+
+        # raise a KeyError?
+        self.assertRaises(KeyError, df.loc.__getitem__, tuple([[1, 2], [1, 2]]))
+
     def test_loc_getitem_label_slice(self):
 
         # label slices (with ints)