diff --git a/python/mxnet/test_utils.py b/python/mxnet/test_utils.py
index 6e79e06d55b2..e1210fbd3e6e 100644
--- a/python/mxnet/test_utils.py
+++ b/python/mxnet/test_utils.py
@@ -870,8 +870,13 @@ def check_symbolic_backward(sym, location, out_grads, expected, rtol=1e-5, atol=
     if isinstance(expected, (list, tuple)):
         expected = {k:v for k, v in zip(sym.list_arguments(), expected)}
     args_grad_npy = {k:_rng.normal(size=v.shape) for k, v in expected.items()}
-    args_grad_data = {k: mx.nd.array(v, ctx=ctx) if grad_stypes is None or k not in grad_stypes \
-                      else mx.nd.array(v, ctx=ctx).tostype(grad_stypes[k])}
+    args_grad_data = {}
+    for k, v in args_grad_npy.items():
+        nd = mx.nd.array(v, ctx=ctx)
+        if grad_stypes is not None and k in grad_stypes:
+            args_grad_data[k] = nd.tostype(grad_stypes[k])
+        else:
+            args_grad_data[k] = nd
 
     if isinstance(grad_req, str):
         grad_req = {k:grad_req for k in sym.list_arguments()}