diff --git a/gio/gliststore.c b/gio/gliststore.c
index 5b7d42678..ae8e2c1d8 100644
--- a/gio/gliststore.c
+++ b/gio/gliststore.c
@@ -125,10 +125,8 @@ g_list_store_set_property (GObject      *object,
   switch (property_id)
     {
     case PROP_ITEM_TYPE: /* construct-only */
+      g_assert (g_type_is_a (g_value_get_gtype (value), G_TYPE_OBJECT));
       store->item_type = g_value_get_gtype (value);
-      if (!g_type_is_a (store->item_type, G_TYPE_OBJECT))
-        g_critical ("GListStore cannot store items of type '%s'. Items must be GObjects.",
-                    g_type_name (store->item_type));
       break;
 
     default:
diff --git a/gio/tests/glistmodel.c b/gio/tests/glistmodel.c
index dcf571f29..533e2e47d 100644
--- a/gio/tests/glistmodel.c
+++ b/gio/tests/glistmodel.c
@@ -21,6 +21,53 @@
 
 #include <string.h>
 
+/* Wrapper around g_list_model_get_item() and g_list_model_get_object() which
+ * checks they return the same thing. */
+static gpointer
+list_model_get (GListModel *model,
+                guint       position)
+{
+  GObject *item = g_list_model_get_item (model, position);
+  GObject *object = g_list_model_get_object (model, position);
+
+  g_assert_true (item == object);
+
+  g_clear_object (&object);
+  return g_steal_pointer (&item);
+}
+
+/* Test that constructing/getting/setting properties on a #GListStore works. */
+static void
+test_store_properties (void)
+{
+  GListStore *store = NULL;
+  GType item_type;
+
+  store = g_list_store_new (G_TYPE_MENU_ITEM);
+  g_object_get (store, "item-type", &item_type, NULL);
+  g_assert_cmpint (item_type, ==, G_TYPE_MENU_ITEM);
+
+  g_clear_object (&store);
+}
+
+/* Test that #GListStore rejects non-GObject item types. */
+static void
+test_store_non_gobjects (void)
+{
+  if (g_test_subprocess ())
+    {
+      /* We have to use g_object_new() since g_list_store_new() checks the item
+       * type. We want to check the property setter code works properly. */
+      g_object_new (G_TYPE_LIST_STORE, "item-type", G_TYPE_LONG, NULL);
+      return;
+    }
+
+  g_test_trap_subprocess (NULL, 0, 0);
+  g_test_trap_assert_failed ();
+  g_test_trap_assert_stderr ("*WARNING*value * of type 'GType' is invalid or "
+                             "out of range for property 'item-type'*");
+}
+
 static void
 test_store_boundaries (void)
 {
@@ -92,7 +139,7 @@ test_store_refcounts (void)
   store = g_list_store_new (G_TYPE_MENU_ITEM);
 
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_list_model_get_n_items (G_LIST_MODEL (store)), ==, 0);
-  g_assert_null (g_list_model_get_item (G_LIST_MODEL (store), 0));
+  g_assert_null (list_model_get (G_LIST_MODEL (store), 0));
 
   n_items = G_N_ELEMENTS (items);
   for (i = 0; i < n_items; i++)
@@ -106,17 +153,17 @@ test_store_refcounts (void)
     }
 
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_list_model_get_n_items (G_LIST_MODEL (store)), ==, n_items);
-  g_assert_null (g_list_model_get_item (G_LIST_MODEL (store), n_items));
+  g_assert_null (list_model_get (G_LIST_MODEL (store), n_items));
 
-  tmp = g_list_model_get_item (G_LIST_MODEL (store), 3);
-  g_assert (tmp == items[3]);
+  tmp = list_model_get (G_LIST_MODEL (store), 3);
+  g_assert_true (tmp == items[3]);
   g_object_unref (tmp);
 
   g_list_store_remove (store, 4);
   g_assert_null (items[4]);
   n_items--;
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_list_model_get_n_items (G_LIST_MODEL (store)), ==, n_items);
-  g_assert_null (g_list_model_get_item (G_LIST_MODEL (store), n_items));
+  g_assert_null (list_model_get (G_LIST_MODEL (store), n_items));
 
   g_object_unref (store);
   for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (items); i++)
@@ -189,8 +236,8 @@ test_store_sorted (void)
       GObject *a, *b;
 
       /* should see our two copies */
-      a = g_list_model_get_item (G_LIST_MODEL (store), i * 2);
-      b = g_list_model_get_item (G_LIST_MODEL (store), i * 2 + 1);
+      a = list_model_get (G_LIST_MODEL (store), i * 2);
+      b = list_model_get (G_LIST_MODEL (store), i * 2 + 1);
 
       g_assert (compare_items (a, b, GUINT_TO_POINTER(0x1234)) == 0);
       g_assert (a != b);
@@ -199,7 +246,7 @@ test_store_sorted (void)
         {
           GObject *c;
 
-          c = g_list_model_get_item (G_LIST_MODEL (store), i * 2 - 1);
+          c = list_model_get (G_LIST_MODEL (store), i * 2 - 1);
           g_assert (c != a);
           g_assert (c != b);
 
@@ -241,13 +288,13 @@ test_store_splice_replace_middle (void)
   g_list_store_splice (store, 0, 0, array->pdata, 3);
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_list_model_get_n_items (model), ==, 3);
 
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 0);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 0);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "1");
   g_object_unref (item);
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 1);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 1);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "2");
   g_object_unref (item);
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 2);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 2);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "3");
   g_object_unref (item);
 
@@ -255,16 +302,16 @@ test_store_splice_replace_middle (void)
   g_list_store_splice (store, 1, 1, array->pdata + 3, 2);
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_list_model_get_n_items (model), ==, 4);
 
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 0);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 0);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "1");
   g_object_unref (item);
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 1);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 1);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "4");
   g_object_unref (item);
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 2);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 2);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "5");
   g_object_unref (item);
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 3);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 3);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "3");
   g_object_unref (item);
 
@@ -296,10 +343,10 @@ test_store_splice_replace_all (void)
   g_list_store_splice (store, 0, 0, array->pdata, 2);
 
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_list_model_get_n_items (model), ==, 2);
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 0);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 0);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "1");
   g_object_unref (item);
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 1);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 1);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "2");
   g_object_unref (item);
 
@@ -307,10 +354,10 @@ test_store_splice_replace_all (void)
   g_list_store_splice (store, 0, 2, array->pdata + 2, 2);
 
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_list_model_get_n_items (model), ==, 2);
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 0);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 0);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "3");
   g_object_unref (item);
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 1);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 1);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "4");
   g_object_unref (item);
 
@@ -344,7 +391,7 @@ test_store_splice_noop (void)
   g_list_store_splice (store, 1, 0, NULL, 0);
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_list_model_get_n_items (model), ==, 1);
 
-  item = g_list_model_get_item (model, 0);
+  item = list_model_get (model, 0);
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_action_get_name (item), ==, "1");
   g_object_unref (item);
 
@@ -364,7 +411,7 @@ model_array_equal (GListModel *model, GPtrArray *array)
       GObject *ptr;
       gboolean ptrs_equal;
 
-      ptr = g_list_model_get_item (model, i);
+      ptr = list_model_get (model, i);
       ptrs_equal = (g_ptr_array_index (array, i) == ptr);
       g_object_unref (ptr);
       if (!ptrs_equal)
@@ -589,33 +636,33 @@ test_store_get_item_cache (void)
   g_list_store_append (store, item2);
 
   /* Clear the cache */
-  g_assert_null (g_list_model_get_item (model, 42));
+  g_assert_null (list_model_get (model, 42));
 
   /* Access the same position twice */
-  temp = g_list_model_get_item (model, 1);
+  temp = list_model_get (model, 1);
   g_assert (temp == item2);
   g_object_unref (temp);
-  temp = g_list_model_get_item (model, 1);
+  temp = list_model_get (model, 1);
   g_assert (temp == item2);
   g_object_unref (temp);
 
-  g_assert_null (g_list_model_get_item (model, 42));
+  g_assert_null (list_model_get (model, 42));
 
   /* Access forwards */
-  temp = g_list_model_get_item (model, 0);
+  temp = list_model_get (model, 0);
   g_assert (temp == item1);
   g_object_unref (temp);
-  temp = g_list_model_get_item (model, 1);
+  temp = list_model_get (model, 1);
   g_assert (temp == item2);
   g_object_unref (temp);
 
-  g_assert_null (g_list_model_get_item (model, 42));
+  g_assert_null (list_model_get (model, 42));
 
   /* Access backwards */
-  temp = g_list_model_get_item (model, 1);
+  temp = list_model_get (model, 1);
   g_assert (temp == item2);
   g_object_unref (temp);
-  temp = g_list_model_get_item (model, 0);
+  temp = list_model_get (model, 0);
   g_assert (temp == item1);
   g_object_unref (temp);
 
@@ -736,6 +783,8 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
   g_test_init (&argc, &argv, NULL);
   g_test_bug_base ("https://bugzilla.gnome.org/");
 
+  g_test_add_func ("/glistmodel/store/properties", test_store_properties);
+  g_test_add_func ("/glistmodel/store/non-gobjects", test_store_non_gobjects);
   g_test_add_func ("/glistmodel/store/boundaries", test_store_boundaries);
   g_test_add_func ("/glistmodel/store/refcounts", test_store_refcounts);
   g_test_add_func ("/glistmodel/store/sorted", test_store_sorted);
diff --git a/glib/gtestutils.c b/glib/gtestutils.c
index 7b29c274e..119c55d92 100644
--- a/glib/gtestutils.c
+++ b/glib/gtestutils.c
@@ -3343,7 +3343,8 @@ g_test_trap_assertions (const char     *domain,
 
       logged_child_output = logged_child_output || log_child_output (process_id);
 
-      msg = g_strdup_printf ("stdout of child process (%s) %s: %s", process_id, match_error, stdout_pattern);
+      msg = g_strdup_printf ("stdout of child process (%s) %s: %s\nstderr was:\n%s",
+                             process_id, match_error, stdout_pattern, test_trap_last_stdout);
       g_assertion_message (domain, file, line, func, msg);
       g_free (msg);
     }
@@ -3353,7 +3354,8 @@ g_test_trap_assertions (const char     *domain,
 
       logged_child_output = logged_child_output || log_child_output (process_id);
 
-      msg = g_strdup_printf ("stderr of child process (%s) %s: %s", process_id, match_error, stderr_pattern);
+      msg = g_strdup_printf ("stderr of child process (%s) %s: %s\nstderr was:\n%s",
+                             process_id, match_error, stderr_pattern, test_trap_last_stderr);
       g_assertion_message (domain, file, line, func, msg);
       g_free (msg);
     }