diff --git a/src/runtime/template_helpers.ts b/src/runtime/template_helpers.ts
index 72d7ff88..73399446 100644
--- a/src/runtime/template_helpers.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/template_helpers.ts
@@ -70,14 +70,12 @@ function prepareList(collection: unknown): [unknown[], unknown[], number, undefi
   } else if (collection instanceof Map) {
     keys = [...collection.keys()];
     values = [...collection.values()];
+  } else if (Symbol.iterator in Object(collection)) {
+    keys = [...(<Iterable<unknown>>collection)];
+    values = keys;
   } else if (collection && typeof collection === "object") {
-    if (Symbol.iterator in collection) {
-      keys = [...(<Iterable<unknown>>collection)];
-      values = keys;
-    } else {
-      values = Object.values(collection);
-      keys = Object.keys(collection);
-    }
+    values = Object.values(collection);
+    keys = Object.keys(collection);
   } else {
     throw new OwlError(`Invalid loop expression: "${collection}" is not iterable`);
   }
diff --git a/tests/compiler/__snapshots__/t_foreach.test.ts.snap b/tests/compiler/__snapshots__/t_foreach.test.ts.snap
index 0483f41e..4d56da5d 100644
--- a/tests/compiler/__snapshots__/t_foreach.test.ts.snap
+++ b/tests/compiler/__snapshots__/t_foreach.test.ts.snap
@@ -256,6 +256,34 @@ exports[`t-foreach iterate, position 1`] = `
 }"
 `;
 
+exports[`t-foreach iterate, string param 1`] = `
+"function anonymous(app, bdom, helpers
+) {
+  let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
+  let { prepareList, withKey } = helpers;
+  
+  return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
+    ctx = Object.create(ctx);
+    const [k_block1, v_block1, l_block1, c_block1] = prepareList('abc');;
+    for (let i1 = 0; i1 < l_block1; i1++) {
+      ctx[\`item\`] = k_block1[i1];
+      ctx[\`item_index\`] = i1;
+      ctx[\`item_value\`] = v_block1[i1];
+      const key1 = ctx['item_index'];
+      const b3 = text(\` [\`);
+      const b4 = text(ctx['item_index']);
+      const b5 = text(\`: \`);
+      const b6 = text(ctx['item']);
+      const b7 = text(\` \`);
+      const b8 = text(ctx['item_value']);
+      const b9 = text(\`] \`);
+      c_block1[i1] = withKey(multi([b3, b4, b5, b6, b7, b8, b9]), key1);
+    }
+    return list(c_block1);
+  }
+}"
+`;
+
 exports[`t-foreach simple iteration (in a node) 1`] = `
 "function anonymous(app, bdom, helpers
 ) {
diff --git a/tests/compiler/t_foreach.test.ts b/tests/compiler/t_foreach.test.ts
index 3a17483f..4ae88dc7 100644
--- a/tests/compiler/t_foreach.test.ts
+++ b/tests/compiler/t_foreach.test.ts
@@ -131,6 +131,15 @@ describe("t-foreach", () => {
     expect(renderToString(template, context)).toBe(expected);
   });
 
+  test("iterate, string param", () => {
+    const template = `
+      <t t-foreach="'abc'" t-as="item" t-key="item_index">
+        [<t t-esc="item_index"/>: <t t-esc="item"/> <t t-esc="item_value"/>]
+      </t>`;
+    const expected = ` [0: a a]  [1: b b]  [2: c c] `;
+    expect(renderToString(template)).toBe(expected);
+  });
+
   test("iterate, iterable param", () => {
     const template = `
       <t t-foreach="map.values()" t-as="item" t-key="item_index">