diff --git a/python/circuitsvis/activations.py b/python/circuitsvis/activations.py
index 1f634c21..321e9ba4 100644
--- a/python/circuitsvis/activations.py
+++ b/python/circuitsvis/activations.py
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ def text_neuron_activations(
             f"activations must be of type np.ndarray, torch.Tensor, or list, not {type(activations)}"
         )
 
+    if isinstance(tokens, int):
+        raise TypeError(
+            f"tokens should be list of tokens as strings"
+        )
+
     return render(
         "TextNeuronActivations",
         tokens=tokens,