diff --git a/ignite/handlers/checkpoint.py b/ignite/handlers/checkpoint.py
index 6870e1b0ff6f..6f4321b7812f 100644
--- a/ignite/handlers/checkpoint.py
+++ b/ignite/handlers/checkpoint.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import warnings
 from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
 from collections import OrderedDict, namedtuple
+from tempfile import _TemporaryFileWrapper  # type: ignore
 from typing import Callable, Mapping, Optional, Union
 
 import torch
@@ -235,7 +236,7 @@ def score_function(engine):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        to_save: Mapping,
+        to_save: Optional[Mapping],
         save_handler: Union[Callable, BaseSaveHandler],
         filename_prefix: str = "",
         score_function: Optional[Callable] = None,
@@ -287,7 +288,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.ext = "pt"
         self.global_step_transform = global_step_transform
         self.filename_pattern = filename_pattern
-        self._saved = []
+        self._saved = []  # type: list
         self.include_self = include_self
 
     @property
@@ -378,10 +379,11 @@ def __call__(self, engine: Engine) -> None:
 
     def _setup_checkpoint(self) -> dict:
         checkpoint = {}
-        for k, obj in self.to_save.items():
-            if isinstance(obj, (nn.DataParallel, nn.parallel.DistributedDataParallel)):
-                obj = obj.module
-            checkpoint[k] = obj.state_dict()
+        if self.to_save is not None:
+            for k, obj in self.to_save.items():
+                if isinstance(obj, (nn.DataParallel, nn.parallel.DistributedDataParallel)):
+                    obj = obj.module
+                checkpoint[k] = obj.state_dict()
         return checkpoint
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -572,7 +574,7 @@ def _save_native(self, checkpoint: Mapping, path: str):
         self._save_func(checkpoint, path, torch.save)
 
     def _save_xla(self, checkpoint: Mapping, path: str):
-        import torch_xla.core.xla_model as xm
+        import torch_xla.core.xla_model as xm  # type: ignore
 
         # all tpu procs should enter here as internally performs sync across device
         self._save_func(checkpoint, path, xm.save, rank=idist.get_rank())
@@ -582,8 +584,8 @@ def _save_func(self, checkpoint: Mapping, path: str, func: Callable, rank: int =
             func(checkpoint, path, **self.kwargs)
         else:
             tmp_file = None
-            tmp_name = None
-            tmp = None
+            tmp_name = ""
+            tmp = None  # type: _TemporaryFileWrapper
             if rank == 0:
                 tmp = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False, dir=self.dirname)
                 tmp_file = tmp.file
@@ -728,9 +730,15 @@ def __init__(
     def last_checkpoint(self) -> Union[str, None]:
         if len(self._saved) < 1:
             return None
+
+        if not isinstance(self.save_handler, DiskSaver):
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                "Unable to save checkpoint, save_handler should be DiskSaver, got {}.".format(type(self.save_handler))
+            )
+
         return os.path.join(self.save_handler.dirname, self._saved[-1].filename)
 
-    def __call__(self, engine: Engine, to_save: Mapping) -> None:
+    def __call__(self, engine: Engine, to_save: Mapping) -> None:  # type: ignore
 
         if len(to_save) == 0:
             raise RuntimeError("No objects to checkpoint found.")
diff --git a/mypy.ini b/mypy.ini
index 24c1a726254d..2778b2e7490e 100644
--- a/mypy.ini
+++ b/mypy.ini
@@ -7,10 +7,6 @@ show_error_codes = True
 
 ignore_errors = True
 
-[mypy-ignite.handlers.*]
-
-ignore_errors = True
-
 [mypy-ignite.engine.*]
 
 ignore_errors = True
diff --git a/tests/ignite/handlers/test_checkpoint.py b/tests/ignite/handlers/test_checkpoint.py
index 6478ff491040..11d044e2aa37 100644
--- a/tests/ignite/handlers/test_checkpoint.py
+++ b/tests/ignite/handlers/test_checkpoint.py
@@ -563,6 +563,20 @@ def _test(ext, require_empty):
     _test(".pt", require_empty=False)
 
 
+def test_model_checkpoint_invalid_save_handler(dirname):
+    h = ModelCheckpoint(dirname, _PREFIX)
+    to_save = {"model": DummyModel()}
+    # Redefine save_handler
+    h.save_handler = lambda x, y: None
+    h(Engine(lambda x, y: None), to_save)
+
+    with pytest.raises(
+        RuntimeError,
+        match=r"Unable to save checkpoint, save_handler should be DiskSaver, got {}.".format(type(h.save_handler)),
+    ):
+        h.last_checkpoint
+
+
 def test_disk_saver_atomic(dirname):
 
     model = DummyModel()